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.

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.

Is Your Picky Eater A Constant Challenge?

What can a parent do to meet the constant challenges of a picky eater?

It can be an overwhelming task to provide a healthy diet for a child with a very selective, restricted diet. We know that a healthy diet is needed for overall best health, growth, learning and performance. As a parent you want your child to have every opportunity to be their personal best.

So what can you do?

• It is so important to rule out or address any medical issues (gastrointestinal or oral motor) that may be at the root of the problem with a family physician and/or paediatrician.


• Is it food allergies or intolerances? Try eliminating some foods that can be problematic: dairy, wheat, sugar, additives, gluten and then reintroduce one at a time, noting any adverse reaction. Consider allergy testing.


• Perhaps there are sensory issues at play. Record all the foods your child has eaten and those they consistently refuse. You can analyze and categorize this list: textures, tastes, temperatures, smells; to later discuss with a health care professional, occupational therapist or dietician.


• If all of the above concerns have been ruled out or properly addressed and you are still dealing with a picky eater then there is a good chance that you are dealing with a child who has learned how to be in control. Children needing to be in control in their environment (for varying and not bad reasons) learn at a very young age that they can do this with food.


Often your endless efforts to introduce new foods are unsuccessful and you are pretty much forced to give in to their plan. You, like many parents, never run out of the foods your child will eat and you probably provide these foods on demand in your effort to make sure your child is eating enough. This is understandable when you finally decide you have fought your last battle. A child has to eat and you will do what you can so they won’t be hungry.


So your child is in control of food choices. So now what do you do?


My suggestion would be to let them maintain control of their food choices but within parameters that you establish that will guide them to make healthier choices. This is your opportunity to teach your child some nutrition and independence in making choices. We know that children learn best in play situations, so try to make it fun, like a game. Use strategies and reinforcers that you know work. Make family meal planning part of your daily routine; let your child (children) take the lead.


If you are consistent and persistent with your plan you may soon be able to start making one meal for everyone and no longer have to deal with the constant challenges of a picky eater!

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!

It Can Be a Family Plan Too!

As many of you know I have been at The Pictou Weekend Market all summer and we will still be there until September 20th, every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm!

I have met so many nice people while at the market, I share my stories and they share theirs! We have shared stories about children & grandchildren with autism/aspergers; picky eaters and their endeavors to get all their children to eat healthy.

Early in the summer a family bought an Eating Game for their 3 girls to use together - a family plan! The girls plan together what they will eat the next day choosing from the choices mom and dad present! And they remind mom and dad when it is time to plan too!

Mom stopped by the market to tell me that it is working very well! She says the girls are all sitting down to enjoy the whole meal they planned.

Don't we all like to be in control in our lives? Children are no exception and they are constantly looking for ways to be in control right! How powerful The Eating Game can be .........Mom & Dad pick the foods to choose from, then the child(children) is in control. The real plus of course beyond the 'control' issue is that they are making healthy choices, establishing healthy eating habits, we hope for life!

Plan Healthy Meals

COMMENT below with a contact email address, tell me about a special project you are doing with a group of teens and I may be able to give you a special price on an order!

The Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planner is an affordable and easy to use product to help anyone plan healthy meals every day! For just $10 you will get a planner for your age group( based on Canada's Food Guide recommendations), a copy of Canada's Food Guide and a dry erasable pen. This planner is reusable, to be used every day!

There is not much we can buy for $10 and it could be the beginning of a lifetime of healthy eating - a healthier you! Maybe you can think of lots of folks you would like to wish "Be Healthy". This would make a great gift for anyone in the following age groups:(separate planner for each age group)

- 4 to 8 years (those who are reading and printing)
- 9 to 13 years
- Females 14 to 18 years
- Males 14 to 18 years
- Females 19 - 50 years
- Males 19 tp 50 years
- Females 51+ years
- Males 51+ years

Think of all the occasions to give this planner as a gift!Would make a great stocking stuffer for anyone and everyone! It would be great to give one to each member of the family so all could plan meals together.

What a great teaching tool for children, learning young for a lifetime! For children with disabilities who would need a plan with pictures to place on a chart there is a product for them too called The Eating Game. Many children, now internationally, are eating healthier planning healthy meals themselves every day! They are having fun doing it too! In some families the children are using The Eating Game together - imagine they are working cooperatively planning healthy meals! A great family gift from mom & dad, grandparents, godparents, friends, aunts & uncles!

NOTE: for info re The Eating Game go to www.theeatinggame.ca
(link at top right of this page)

NEW ! Eater's Choice for Children

In response to requests, we have created Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners for Children. We will now add two more packages to this line of products: Children ages 4 - 8 years and Children ages 9 - 13 years.

Many children with autism respond very positively to visual supports and as Temple Grandin has explained so well, many think in pictures! So The Eating Game is a solution that will support these children in developing much healthier eating habits.

Now, for many children with autism (and those without autism of all ages!) visual supports can be needed and valuable but can be written words rather than pictures. So now the Eater`s Choice line of products will be an excellent tool for them to improve their eating habits!

It is always helpful when developing new products to get feedback from others - Thanks to those of you who contact us with comments and or requests. We also appreciate any testimonials that come our way and of course a picture to support your words would be great too! Let`s us know how we are doing.