How to introduce tooth friendly food and drinks
Overview
Introducing tooth-friendly food and drink to children involves more than just selecting the right items; it’s about creating the right environment, routines, and meeting your child’s needs. This guide offers practical tips for mealtime, tailored to autistic children, with advice from parents and early years professionals.
Don't give up
Introducing new foods to children takes time and patience. Research shows that children may need to see a new food 15 times or more before trying it, and even then, they might only take a small taste. It can take longer for them to happily eat and include it in their diet.
Start at your child’s pace. Always offer foods they can safely explore or taste, without pushing them too quickly. Every child is different, and forcing them can create negative feelings about food.
Instead, celebrate small wins, like accepting a new food beside their usual dish, smelling or touching a new food with a utensil or fingertip or taking a small bite before removing it from their mouth. These small victories are important steps forward in their food acceptance journey. Remember, the goal is to make mealtime a positive experience, promoting a healthy relationship with food that will last a lifetime.
Below, you’ll find advice from other parents and professionals, as well as ways to get ready to introduce tooth friendly foods and drinks, mealtime times, and non-mealtime activities you may find helpful.
