Encouraging Healthy Mealtime Habits Using ABA Principles

If you’re struggling with mealtime challenges, you’re not alone. Research suggests that eating challenges are common among autistic children, with one study finding atypical eating behaviors in 70% of autistic children, compared with less than 5% of the general population (Mayes & Zickgraf, 2019).

Mealtimes can be difficult for many reasons. Some children develop rigid food preferences or have sensory sensitivities. Others have challenges communicating their wants and needs. Whatever the reason, ABA principles can help families build positive mealtime routines and gradually develop new eating skills.

What Are Healthy Mealtime Habits?

Healthy mealtime habits look different for every child and family. Depending on your child’s needs and the family’s goals, these might include:

• Sitting at the kitchen table or a designated eating area
• Following a simple meal routine
• Using utensils and other age-appropriate eating skills
• Appropriately communicating wants and needs, such as asking for more, requesting help or saying “all done”
• Tolerating or trying new foods when appropriate

 Let’s explore five simple ABA strategies you can use to support your child’s mealtime skill development.

1.  Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a simple technique with powerful outcomes. In ABA, positive reinforcement occurs when something meaningful is added after a behavior, making that behavior more likely to happen again in the future.

Using positive reinforcement with intention can encourage mealtime behaviors that parents want to see more of. Reinforcement is individualized, so exactly how it’s used for meals can vary. Here are a few examples.

• Behavior-specific praise: “I love how you’re sitting at the table while you eat your food. Great job!”
• Social reinforcement: Offering a high five, hug or fist bump when your child tries a new food.
• Access to a preferred activity: Allowing your child to go outside after they independently communicate “all done eating.”

2.  Break Skills Down Into Smaller Steps

Sometimes, mealtimes can feel overwhelming when the expectations are more than your child is ready to manage. Breaking skills down into smaller, more achievable steps can help your child gradually build skills and gain confidence.

For example, if the goal is for your child to expand the variety of foods they eat, you can break that down into small steps. The first step might be simply tolerating a new food on their plate without any expectation of eating it. From there, your child might progress to touching the food, smelling it, bringing it to their lips and eventually taking a bite.

The specific steps will depend on your child and the goal. What matters most is recognizing and reinforcing progress along the way rather than expecting them to master the entire skill at once.

3.  Offer Choices

Offering children choices allows them to have a sense of control while still providing structure. Having opportunities to make choices can also help build autonomy and decision-making skills.

Instead of asking an open-ended question like, “What do you want to eat?” try offering two appropriate choices: “Would you like apples or strawberries?” or “Do you want the blue plate or the pink plate?” A visual choice board showing the available options can also be helpful. Too many choices can be overwhelming for some children, so start with just 2-3 options.

4.  Create Predictable Mealtime Routines

Having a routine around meals and snacks can make things easier for everyone. When the same basic steps happen in a similar order, your child knows what to expect and what comes next.

Some children benefit from visual supports that show these steps. A simple visual schedule can remind your child what comes next.

5.  Encourage Communication

Mealtimes offer plenty of opportunities for children to practice communicating their wants and needs. Whether your child uses spoken words, signs, picture icons, or an AAC device, encourage and respond to their communication during meals.

Look for opportunities to practice requests such as “more,” “help,” or “all done.” Children should also have a way to communicate when they don’t like or don’t want something. Responding to these appropriate requests helps children learn that communication is an effective way to express their wants and needs.

Seeking Additional Help in Building Positive Mealtime Experiences

While many feeding challenges can be supported through ABA strategies at home, others require more specialized support. If your child has a highly restrictive diet, experiences distress around eating, or has difficulty chewing or swallowing, these concerns should be discussed with their pediatrician or a qualified feeding professional.

Depending on your child’s unique eating or feeding needs, a multidisciplinary team may include a BCBA, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, and/or other healthcare professionals. Working together, they can identify the factors contributing to mealtime challenges and develop an individualized plan to support your child and family.

References

Mayes, S. D., & Zickgraf, H. (2019). Atypical eating behaviors in children and adolescents with

autism, ADHD, other disorders, and typical development. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 64, 76-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.04.002