WILL WE SEND YOU THIS GIFT?

We are offering a special GIFT to the first 10 people who qualify and reply.

We will send you a set of NEW Eating Game food pictures that are photos of foods. 

This offer is for families using The Eating Game who send us their story and photo with The Eating Game. 

Contact us at jean@theeatinggame.ca for more info about this gift.

DO YOU HAVE THIS "GAME" AT YOUR HOUSE?

This program was developed for an autistic child who named it a "GAME" because it was fun! As a parent, caregiver or teacher, I am sure you have observed how attentive children are when playing games that are fun. Further observation would confirm how much children learn when playing games. 

This "game is no exception. In fact, children like it to be part of their daily routine! They have fun using lots of colorful visual supports - no reading or writing required and no verbal response required either. The focus is on making food choices from the healthy food pictures you present. Your child will plan their meals and snacks for the day that later they will look forward to eating ~ it was their choice remember! They are learning how to make healthy food choices, with your support of course as you are the purchaser right. 

The Eating Game is changing lives ~ kids having fun planning and eating healthy meals and snacks, being in control of the food choices using a structured, highly visual system that creates a predictable eating environment. Parents like the results and there are "no more mealtime battles"! 

Invented in Nova Scotia, Canada for a child with autism but it is being used by many who are not on the spectrum around the globe. 

Imagine the benefits of this "game" for your child and family. What do you think would be the greatest benefit for you?

THE EATING GAME ADVOCATE

MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS

Every month since January 2014 The Eating Game Advocate, our free monthly newsletter, has had a draw for a different giveaway.

January the Giveaway was a Success Box  

In February the Giveaway was a set of Video Modelling DVDs

In March Mari Nosal gave away a set of her autism publications

In April Easy Daysies gave away 2 Gift Certificates

In May the Giveaway was discount gift certificates for subscription boxes

In June The Kitchen Classroom gaveaway 2 cookbooks

In July EYECAN CREATIONS Publications gave away an Eating Game

In August we gave away an autographed copy of Sending You Sammy

This month we will giveaway a publication from The Autism Food Club

With these monthly Giveaways we are hoping to increase the number of subscribers to the Eating Game Advocate, a free monthly newsletter delivered to your email address. It is easy to sign up to be a subscriber at https://www.facebook.com/TheEatingGame/app_100265896690345 on facebook or on our website at http://www.theeatinggame.ca.

The newsletter includes information about eating disorders and challenges, ideas to improve your child's diet, info about The Eating Game, recipes and fun food ideas, resources, book reviews and more.

On this blogs page to the right you will find links to websites for all our past giveaway sponsors. Please consider being a blog follower/member.

If you have any ideas/suggestions for future monthly giveaways or newsletter topics please leave a comment.

BANANABOY AND THE EATING GAME

BananaBoy is a superhero created to battle the rising statistics of obesity in Canada and along the way has met some other superheros, real ones.

Teaming up with Jean Nicol and The Eating Game was a great decision for both of us. BananaBoy's crusade to teach kids the importance of eating healthy foods aligns with The Eating Game's focus on balance and moderation. Together we are making a difference in our province of Nova Scotia and beyond.

A food revolution is happening everywhere and people are noticing. Different people are using their talents and passions to make a difference in many communities which is amazing to see. This month, in partnership with The Eating Game, I am giving away a signed copy of Sending You Sammy to one lucky newsletter subscriber.

You'll enjoy telling your kids about BananaBoy and his friends and love their excitement for choosing healthier foods from The Eating Game menu for every meal.

Notice a difference when you encourage healthy choices.

Thanks for reading and signing up!

Sarah Butland

JULY 2014 GIVEAWAY

This month the Giveaway will be an Eating Game. This will be the original Eating Game, ready to use and presented in a 3 ring binder including 5 planning charts and over 200 food pictures.

You will also receive a bonus offer of up to 63 additional food pics of your choice and a Skype session with Jean Nicol, the inventor, to help you with getting started! This bonus will be available to the winner who has read this blog posting and contacts us at jean@theeatinggame.ca for further instructions!

To be in the running for a giveaway you must be a subscriber to The Eating Game Advocate, a free monthly newsletter. It is easy to subscribe at http://www.facebook.com/TheEatingGame/app_1002658960345 or 

http://www.theeatinggame.ca

You will be entered for the giveaway every month until December 2014. Don't delay, sign up today!

An Eating Game Question and a Gift

This week a mom wrote to us, “I recently pulled out The Eating Game I had ordered years ago. If you are having cereal and milk, for example, do you use a cereal for the carb and a milk for the dairy?  Another example would be a taco – I noticed it is in two categories. Thank you.  My 14-yr old is very excited to start an eating structure!”

My response was, “I understand your question and debated that issue when I created it. I decided to go this way to make it easier for children to use it independently. So for them the background color is significant. For some they may want on their own to count the cereal and milk as both and I’d agree with that. I thought of pizza having all 4 food groups, actually when homemade could be a healthy meal in itself if there are lots of veggies! In the end the choice is up to you I guess. There are no hard and fast rules.

The key to using The Eating Game is to adapt it to work best for you, letting the basic structure and daily use have the planner making more varied and healthier choices. The visual supports make it easy for anyone to use, supporting those with communication challenges. Letting the user be in control of the choices and creating a predictable eating environment is of course a major plus.

Especially with kids who are over eaters it would be key to focus on appropriate serving sizes.”

I am in the process of creating new food pictures that are photos of foods which will clear up the cereal/milk type of question. We will be offering a special GIFT, a set of food photos to families using The Eating Game who send us their story and photo with The Eating Game. Contact us at jean@theeatinggame.ca for more info about this gift.

SHOULD THIS BE A WORRY OR NOT?

It is reported that about 75% of the children on the autism spectrum have eating challenges and there is no shortage of literature, therapies and advice on what might help. 
As a parent with a child who is not eating a healthy diet you worry. As with any child who has eating issues preventing healthy diet you need to investigate the "why" even if the advice you get is "don't worry/they will be fine/it's a phase/they will grow out of it/they will eat enough so as to not be hungry...... etc, etc" 
With 30 years experience with autism and having a nutrition background I need to tell you that you do need to be concerned. Every child needs a healthy diet to promote healthy growth and to provide the nutrition they need to perform and achieve their personal best in play, school work, sports, music, art, sleep, behavior, social interaction, emotional growth, independence ~ LIFE! ~ all the things you hope for for your child. Autism itself may well play a major role and often alongside other issues. All need to be investigated.

If your child is not able to eat foods ~ chew, swallow, digest ~ start by making sure there is nothing physically wrong. Some children have needed surgical treatment that has been the solution to allow them to enjoy a healthy diet. 
Next, if you suspect there may be some food allergies ask your pediatrician for a referral for allergy testing to confirm or rule out your suspicions. 
If you know or suspect your child has sensory processing issues then they need to be addressed. I can recommend a good starting point http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html and consulting with an Occupational Therapist who specializes in SPD would be very beneficial.
You may now have to consider that although your child does not have allergies perhaps they have sensitivities or intolerances to certain foods. They may even be favorite foods! You can check this yourself by eliminating some foods to see if there are obvious benefits. This is an area where many parents of autistic children find some answers - specifically with gluten and casein.
I personally have experience with eliminating gluten from my diet and seeing significant health benefits in 3 weeks. It has been 3 months since I removed gluten from my diet and I won't be eating it anymore. It is certainly worth a try. I would say the same for casein, which will mean you eliminate all products made with cows milk.
This would appear to be a good resource to begin learning more about these dietary needs http://www.gfcfdiet.com/.
Whatever you find to be the problem, if there are still issues preventing your child from choosing to eat a wide variety of healthy foods then I would strongly recommend you investigate how The Eating Game can help. It will support any special diet you use as it is you, the parent, who presents the food choices for your child to use with The Eating Game. You can contact me at  jean@theeatinggame.ca if you want more information.
If you have anything to share that may help another person, please consider leaving a comment.

THE EATING GAME LINE OF PRODUCTS

Since 2007 many Eating Game products have been developed:

1) the original Eating Game, in a 3 ring binder, ready to use is available in English, French and Mi’kmaq

2) the MIY (Make It Yourself) Kit in English, French and Mi’kmaq

3) the Digital Downloadable Edition, available in English and French 

4) the Eater’s Choice Daily Meal Planner offers the user the same convenient reusable meal planner without the pictures; available in English for ages 4 - 51+ 

  

5) the Digital format of The Eater’s Choice Daily Meal Planner 

The Eating Game now has Patent Rights ~

US Patent #8,333,593 B2 granted in Dec 2013

Canadian Patent # 2,612,218 granted in Jan 2014  

To learn more and order the edition that is best for your family go to www.theeatinggame.ca For further information contact us via email from this website

A NEW VENTURE FOR EYECAN CREATIONS

Introducing a new partnership between 4 entrepreneurs who have decided to work together to bring top products to parents and professionals working with children who have special needs.

We are Jean Nicol, Karen Lynne Sadler, Mari Nosal and Mary Beth Rochin Palo.

Mary Beth and “Watch Me Learn” bring you Video Modeling; effective video based instruction DVDs. Struggling with therapy that was not helping her autistic son, Mary Beth began developing videos she knew would help him. She was right and others asked for her educational products so they could teach critical developmental skills and social skills to children in their care. Learn more from Mary Beth and others at http://www.watchmelearn.com/about-us

Mari Nosal is a published author who has written many Autism publications. Through her writings she shares her knowledge and firsthand experience with her autistic son, from toddler through teens to adulthood beyond college graduation. Her writing offers support, affirmation, encouragement and hope to parents and professionals. Learn more about Mari’s publications and what readers think at  http://amzn.to/1dqyYcR 

     

Karen Lynne Sadler has created the winning Success Box products. With her first hand experience as an educator and therapist, she has developed organizational storage systems for all the visual supports you use to help your child with communication. Karen’s mission is to organize, inspire and support. Read about how she does that http://firstandthen.com/my-story/

Jean Nicol invented The Eating Game, a program that is changing the lives of children who eat a limited number of foods; providing them with the tools to have fun as they plan and eat healthy meals and snacks every day. Her inspiration was a seven year old boy with autism. Her motivation was to do what she could to help him reach his potential, starting with a healthy diet he would plan himself! Learn more at http://eyecancreations.blogspot.ca/2014/03/the-eating-game-2007-2014.html

We will all contribute to a blog that we hope will provide you, parents and professionals with support you need. Our hope will always be to increase awareness, understanding and acceptance of those with special needs. There will be an emphasis on visual supports that we believe can enhance the lives of those with needs in the areas of communication, social skill development and behavior.

EYECAN CREATIONS is the ideal host for us to share what we have learned and experienced over many years working and living with those who may have different abilities. We believe these abilities need to be recognized and nurtured to help them reach their full potential. The hope is that what we have to offer will assist with this achievement for those you love and care for.

VIDEO MODELING AT ITS BEST

Video modeling is an evidence-based practice that can be a powerful teaching strategy for children learning new skills. It can be effective for use from elementary through high school for some learners. It can be effective in developing skills in the following areas: behavior, play, social, communication and academics. Some children would benefit greatly by using these strategies at home and in school providing an advantage of teachers and parents/caregivers supporting the same skill development with the same expectations as the child imitates the skills that were watched on the video.

Mary Beth Rochin Palo is the Mom of a child with autism, founder of Watch Me Learn and creator of effective video-based instruction. For more information on the products she has created go to www.watchmelearn.com

For this month of February, 2014 Watch Me Learn has partnered with The Eating Game to bring parents and professionals a special giveaway offer. When you sign up to receive the free monthly Eating Game Newsletter you will be entered for the Feb 28^th draw for a giveaway of the Classic Series Full Set of 5 Video Modeling DVDs. To view images from the videos click on the image for each product http://www.watchmelearn.com/our-products/product-catalog

The Eating Game Newsletter will come to you via email once a month providing news of recent research, information about Eating Game products including new developments, special diets and dietary considerations that help children with eating challenges, food preparation ideas to motivate picky eaters, recipes and more.

Each month in 2014 at EYECAN CREATIONS Publications we will feature a product that is beneficial to children/teens/young adults with developmental delays. At the end of the month one of our newsletter subscribers will be the lucky winner of a giveaway of our featured product.

In January, 2014 the winner of a Success Box www.firstandthen.com and 120 laminated Boardmaker symbols and hook & loop fasteners was Ruth Winburn.

This month our winner will be announced on March 1 in our next issue of The Eating Game Advocate. It could be you if you sign up at www.theeatinggame.ca . You will also be entered in draws every month throughout 2014. Good luck!

THE EATING GAME FOR ADULTS

Do you have  an autistic/aspergers adult in your home who restricts what they eat and would benefit from a more varied, healthier diet? At the request of adults who wanted the benefits of The Eating Game but did not need the pictures EYECAN CREATIONS Publications developed the Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners.

The first set of planners was for ages 14 - 18, 19 - 50 and 50+. Then a friend was interested in one for his 5 year old daughter who was very focused on reading and printing words. She used the food pictures in The Eating Game to find the foods, with words, she was looking for! It was a hit and she benefited from learning to make healthy food choices and expanding on the variety of foods she ate. So planners are now available for 4 - 8 and 9 - 13 year olds too. Some families work at meal planning together with perhaps one person using The Eating Game and others using Eater's Choice Meal Planners.

I believe very many on the spectrum self restrict their diets to a manageable number of foods they can keep track of so they always know what they will be eating - no surprises, less change to remember. This allows them to be in control too, which is something many on the spectrum struggle to do. With this planner they are very much in control and mealtime, planned ahead, becomes very predictable!

It is a dry erase reusable double sided chart.This is a sample picture of the planner that you can purchase from www.theeatinggame.ca either as a ready to use product or you can download a digital copy to print yourself and laminate. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

If it would help we can offer extra resources: 1) a list of foods in the 4 food groups used in the Eating Game 2) pictures (with words) of the foods in The Eating Game. Just contact with your request via www.theeatinggame.ca after you have made your purchase. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. It is always great to hear about everyone's success! Happy, healthy eating!

YOU CAN WIN SO MANY WAYS

http://www.theeatinggame.ca

You may be the winner in our January 31/14 Draw but only if you enter of course!

The winner will get a Success Box for the storage of your visual support images. To learn more about this awesome storage box go to http://www.firstandthen.com . You will also win 100 Boardmakerimages ( 1 or 1.5 inches) of your choice and an assortment of boards with velcro strips for communication and/or schedules.

The winning will continue as you receive our regular Eating Game Newsletter. The plan is to provide you with current information that may help you with the eating challenges you and your child face:

• recent research findings
• information about special dietary considerations
• ideas for motivating food presentations
• recipes and more

We will always welcome any suggestions or needs you might have that we can address.

So sign up today for our newsletter to have your email address entered into our draw on Jan 31/14. Oh and we will have a draw for something different the last gay of each month throughout 2014! the newsletters will have future draw information. Clicking on the link with the image at the top will take you to the sign up. Good luck!

Will The Eating Game would work for you??

Are you wondering if The Eating Game would help your child improve their eating habits? Here are a few questions to consider…………………….

Does your child self restrict their diet?

Do they like being in control whenever possible?

Have you dealt with the possibility of medical, food allergy, sensory issues related to food?

Have they eaten more foods in their lifetime than they are now?

My theory is that for a lot of kids with autism and not, self restricting their diet to a small number of foods is managable so they always know what they will be eating - no surprises, no changes, a very predictable eating environment.

Does your child communicate well verbally?

Do they like structure and routine?

Do they respond positively to visual support systems?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions I would suggest you ask more questions, find out more about what is involved, how it works.

Become a fan of The Eating Game Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389 and post your question on the wall.

Look at the photo album http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=117743845389&aid=307264 and read the captions under each picture.

Become Jean Nicol's friend (she is the inventor) at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1489691121 and send her a message.

Why Is This All He Will Eat?

If a child restricts their preferred food choices to a limited number of foods then they always know what they will be eating, mom/dad never run out of this food and maybe even give it on demand since they are very concerned about the child's limited diet ~ now there is a plan, meals are more predictable.

In time the list of preferred foods may change but still remain limited so the child remains in control of a more predictable environment. Take a look at this list of foods  http://www.theeatinggame.ca/suggested_foods.pdf  and write down all the foods your child has eaten in their lifetime. Add any others you think of that are not on this list. Wouldn't it be nice if they would be eating all these foods now, extending their preferred list? This might be hard to control though. You need a plan......................


Have you heard of The Eating Game - it is making a difference in the lives of many kids and their families. It allows kids to be in control of daily meal planning but provides them with a plan that has them eating a wider variety of foods, a healthier diet and they say it is fun!


The Eating Game is very visual, structured and easily becomes part of a daily routine. It is a ready made visual schedule for mealtimes, a unique patented idea that is revolutionalizing the way some kids eat.

A Very Special Visual Support System

As a special education teacher I had created many visual support systems for children but never had the time to prepare more than what was needed. I knew what I had created for this little boy (see http://on.fb.me/gDWmRd ) could help many more children and families and now as a semi retired person I had the time to make more. So I did! It was a very special visual support system that would enable many to plan and eat a healthier diet.


What I had created for this little boy he called his "Canada Food Guide Game" I wasn't sure such a serious issue should be called a game and his response was "Well, it is FUN!" So a "game"it was and I used it as an acronym for Get Awesome Meals Everyday.

The name changed to The Eating Game to accomodate Copyright and the Patent Application and my innovative and actually quite simple solution would continue to help hundreds more children and families deal with helping picky eaters, obsessive eaters, those who are non verbal, those with developmental delays.

Since the launch of the original Eating Game four years ago, I have launched 2 more Eating Game products:

1) Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners for those who need an eating game to help them have a healthier diet but don't need the 200+ food pictures for their visual planner. This was in response to customer request and is being used by many to eat a healthy diet. It has helped some of us lose weight or battle eating obsessions and has helped some eat more as needed.

2) The MIY Eating Game Kit - it is The Eating Game in a Make It Yourself format; I supply all the materials you need(laminated charts and pictures and velcro type fastener) to make your own Eating Game. This was in response to many folks who said they would love to have an Eating Game but could not afford it; this enabled me to cut 38% off the price of The Eating Game so that more kids could benefit.

And now you know the rest of the story ~ that was four years ago and because The Eating Game has helped so many children and their families it has become my passion to share it with others in the hopes that it will maybe help even one more person! I have to honestly say that each day my passion is enriched as is the health of many children!

The New MIY Eating Game Kit

PLEASE NOTE: For the month of September 2011 $15 from the sale of each MIY Kit will be donated to Ayn's Freedom Fund  https://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforayn/doc/160505254022970/

This is the same EATING GAME that is making a difference for many picky eaters and children with autism. It is just in a MIY (Make It Yourself) kit format that you assemble yourself, allowing us to pass on a considerable savings to you.

This kit will give you all the materials you need to make your own Eating Game:

5 Daily Planning Charts
4 Pages of Food Pictures
4 Ziplock Bags for Picture Storage
Hook & Loop Fastener
2 Food Picture Storage Pages
Information Booklet
We will include instructions for you re putting all materials together.

To see pictures and get more info go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389?sk=photos


ORDER NOW at http://www.theeatinggame.ca When you order your kit please contact me to let me know that you would like me to make the $15 donation on your behalf. THANK YOU!

Are you in Control?

The main purpose for eating is to maintain good health and have the energy we need to have an active lifestyle. That sounds so simple but it is far from simple for many people. So many factors affect how well we eat; knowledge, finances and time are probably key factors in determining how healthy our diet will be. Perhaps we should include one's ability and desire to prepare food too!

Are you in control of your eating?
Those of us who enjoy eating have to be in control!
Those of us who eat because we are hungry have to be in control!
Those of us who don't eat enough have to be in control!
Those of us who eat too much have to be in control!

There is a National Food Guide to help us make wise choices when planning meals and buying food. We have Canada's Food Guide and our American neighbours have a very similar Food Guide Pyramid.

It definately takes time to plan meals, purchase groceries and prepare meals! The Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners help you with this time factor and ensure that you have a plan that encourages healthy eating. It is based on Canada's Food Guide, so offers in 8 different packages based on age, a planner that guides you to be in control and plan healthy meals.

By going to http://www.theeatinggame.ca/resources/default.asp you can access:
1) a suggested food list, to help you make a wider variety of choices
2) a weekly planning sheet, would could become your grocery list

By using the Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners you will be better able to
1) control calorie consumption, to ensure more or less as needed
2) control food costs to what you plan as necessary for a healthy diet
3) control food wastage by buying only what you need and following the plan!

The package includes a copy of Canada's Food Guide which explains healthy food choices and serving sizes; the knowledge we need to have a good plan! This is a plan that will help us be in control of a healthy diet; to allow us to gain, maintain or lose weight as desired.

Planners are available for 8 age groups from age 4 to 51+ . They do require that one have skills to read and write or have assistance to do so. For those who can not read and write the same goals can be attained using The Eating Game

Dad Bought Meal Planners for Everyone

September 20th was my last day at The Pictou Weekend Market and it was a very good day! I always meet very interesting people at the market and this day was no exception. Today I was to meet a dad with 2 adult sons at home, both with disabilities and both with eating issues. One sometimes didn't eat enough, at least not a variety of healthy foods and the other son ate too much, too frequently between meals.

This dad wanted to know about The Eating Game and The Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners. The Eating Game caught his eye because one son is autistic, but perhaps too old for this. The Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners would be a good thing for both boys, one would maybe choose a wider variety of foods and the second would perhaps be able to restrict eating to the identified 6 meals.

Before he left my booth, he had also purchased a planner for himself and his wife. He thought it would be a good family activity to plan healthy meals together. Of course I agreed wholeheartedly that this sounded like a great idea!

Now we have 8 different Eater's Choice Meal Planners for ages 4 to 51+, so the resources are available for any family to decide to make meal planning a whole family activity. Work out a way to do this that suits your family and empower everyone with the tools to plan healthy meals every day!

Come back to this site and let us all know how you do this in your family and how it works out! Periodically we will have a draw from those who send in a comment with an email address. The prize will be a choice of 4 meal planners that you might give as a gift to a family you care about. Would make a nice gift for this December!

Don't forget to go to http://www.theeatinggame.ca/resources/default.asp to get a list of foods a weekly planning sheet you can print for your own use!

The Eating Game Story

The Eating Game was invented in March 2007 (patents pending in Canada & USA) for Ethan who was 6 years old and is autistic. At the time he was happiest eating just hot dogs and rice! He was very excited the first day he used The Eating Game because had hot dogs and rice for breakfast! - a story I like to tell to illustrate that a key feature of The Eating Game is that the child is in control of the choices! They like that!

The user needs to have only 2 skills:(NOTE: verbal or literacy skills not needed)

• be able to make a choice
• be able to match 4 colors (blue, yellow, green and red)

There are over 200 food pictures in four different food groups and colors: (1 inch pictures, 5 mil laminated card stock with a hook & loop button)

• Milk & Alternatives* - Blue
• Grains* - Yellow
• Fruit & Vegetables - Green
• Meat & Alternatives - Red

* pictures will support alternative choices made by those on CFGF diets or any other dietary restrictions

There are planning charts for each of the age groups in Canada's Food Guide: five are included in the book (2-3, 4-8, 9-13, females 14-18, males 14-18) but there are also 4 more that are available if needed(females 19-50 & 51+, males 19-5 & 51+). It is being used in some group homes and by folks in assisted living programs. The charts are also 5 mil laminated card stock with hook & loop buttons to accept the food pictures. There are storage pages to put the pictures on that the parent chooses to present to the child.

Initially the parent chooses the food pictures to present based on:

• foods the child can eat (special dietary considerations)
• foods the child has eaten in their lifetime
• foods available at the time
• foods the parent chooses!

Once the pictures are presented for the child's choice, it has to be totally their choice. They must choose pictures to match the colored squares on their planning chart. Once they have done this they have chosen to eat the foods recommended by Canada's Food Guide** for their age group. They can later be exchanged but the new choice must be the same color.
NOTE: The choice Ethan made of hot dogs & rice for breakfast only happened once, because then he realized he couldn't have it for lunch or supper! However, he was pretty excited to be able to make that choice which also convinced him he was in control!

** There are some pictures that Canada's Food Guide might not recommend, like chocolate cake with the "grains pics" but I felt they needed to be included. The reality is that these foods will be eaten and perhaps not all that bad a choice when made in moderation (and the parent is really in control of what is presented!) If a child who is a poor eater can start eating most of what Canada's Food Guide recommends then maybe they deserve a treat too!The cake or other choice could also be used as a reinforcer to enhance motivation!

Ethan was eating over 200 new foods in 15 months and he still (after 29 months) uses The Eating Game although is eating almost everything! Being able to make the choices and being in control is important. This makes mealtime very predictable and the visual supports are a great communication tool! Meals are no longer a surprise - pretty significant for a lot of kids with ASD!

NOTE: The Eating Game now has Patent Rights ~ US Patent #8,333,593 B2
          and Canadian Patent # 2,612,218   

Why Will He Only Eat a Few Foods?

Do you have a child who wants to only eat a few select foods? Can you share in a comment below what you do that helps your child? Maybe it will help another child too.

Many kids with autism, perhaps up to 75%, have issues related to eating. Like children who do not have autism there may be physical/medical reasons or there may be sensory issues(texture, taste, color, temperature, shape) or food allergies. These concerns are real and must be dealt with so as to ensure your child has a reasonably healthy diet.

I believe there is another issue for kids with ASD, and perhaps others. Typically children on the autism spectrum don't like surprises. They are able to manage and respond more positively in a predictable environment, where they know what to expect, what's coming next. Why would this be any different when it comes to eating/meals? Aren't meals very often a surprise, until we sit down to eat and what might your child do if the meal is not what they thought it would be? And would you know what they thought it would be? You probably would know if they will only eat a limited number of foods and that is what you always present to them. What they have done is created a predictable environment for themselves so they always know what they will be eating! Aren't they smart! And when they get tired of this group of foods they switch it up a bit for another undetermined period of time.

As a parent you are very concerned when your child will only eat a few foods and you will often try new foods but.................. in the end you never run out of their desired foods and you provide it on demand often because you are concerned about how little they eat! You are supporting and reinforcing their plan!And they know it and like it.

These observations led me to develop a program that would help kids make a wider variety of food choices, their choice. They would still be in control. They would use pictures, chosen and placed on a chart for 6 meals in a day. Now they have a very predictable meal plan for themselves and everyone else to know what they will be eating. It has created a structure that can become part of their daily routine. They can do this if they are not verbal too. They don't have to be able to read, write or speak. The only skills needed are to be able to make a choice and match 4 colors. Oh, and it is equally successful with children who are verbal, read and write and for children who are not autistic. It is The Eating Game!