A mealtime routine is highly important to support your child to progress with eating, or even a first step to getting things back on track. For children with feeding difficulties, it can be best to ensure a consistent mealtime routine is in place before trying to work on new skills or adding new foods.

Key things

A general daily routine should involve three main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and two snacks (morning, afternoon tea). In general main meals may last for up to 20 min, and snacks between 10-15 min.
A routine should involve meals set around similar times, with meals generally at least two hours apart. This is to promote your child having appetite at each meal.
Mealtimes should involve some consistent set-up. For example, being at the table, with some consistent items (e.g., similar plates or placements for younger children). If this sounds difficult to change, you can try to adjust just a few meals at a time.

What if my child wants to eat between meals?

Many children will request food between meals, or will ‘graze’ throughout the day if possible. Grazing can include small snacks or drinks (like, milk) throughout the day. If your child is grazing, it will make it less likely they will want to sit up for meals, and less likely they will eat or even try new foods.

You can move certain foods out of your child’s reach in the cupboards to make them harder to access. Some children may choose to 'graze’ when they are feeling bored, so you can also try to set up other activities between meals initially.

If those strategies don’t work, you might find that you need to move the mealtime a bit earlier. It is best to have an earlier mealtime than to offer small snacks or drinks.

Thinking about the transitions to the mealtime

If you are finding that your child is upset right upon the transition to the mealtime, it might be good to look at the activities they engage in before meals - are they having to stop a really preferred activity like a TV show?

A more successful transition might involve instructing your child to finish a preferred activity about 10 minutes prior to mealtimes - and provide some other options. These can include general activities like puzzles, books. Even better - giving your child a role to play in meal preparation and setting up.

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Routines can be hard to change or establish, hang in there and focus on making just a few steps at a time.

Setting up a mealtime routine

What if my child wants to eat between meals?

Thinking about the transitions to the mealtime