| When you come home, you are tired, your child with | | | | taste and evaluate. |
| autism is tired, your family is exhausted, everyone | | | | Be sensitive to the needs of your autistic child, of his or |
| wants to eat. You want to prepare the meals that are | | | | her dislikes of certain foods. Each person in your family |
| to be kept simple for your autistic child and the whole | | | | has a unique personality and may react to foods in a |
| family. But, how? | | | | different way. This can be an education for you and |
| You may not want to eat off of good china, but | | | | your child. |
| having the family set a time for dinner brings the whole | | | | Remember, that you are feeding children, so they |
| family together. It creates closeness, conversations, | | | | should have their portion as a child and not as an adult |
| connecting in the days events and it encourages the | | | | within the family. Do not put too much on their plate. |
| family to understand one another in a positive | | | | They can always ask for more if they desire. |
| way.You are concerned about meals that you want to | | | | It is wise when preparing simple meals with an autistic |
| keep simple and can be prepared easily. In addition, the | | | | child in your family, to try to encourage them to |
| concern for proper nutrition and time saving effort. | | | | participate in helping you at meal-time, with your |
| Parent(s) and caregiver(s) have to decide what would | | | | supervision. For example: bringing food to the table, |
| be enjoyable for meal-time preparation, that can be | | | | setting the table, clearing some of the dishes to the |
| kept simple for the whole family to enjoy. Having a | | | | kitchen, when you are finished. Educate your child as |
| child with autism may be challenging for the family at | | | | to what foods you will be eating at meal-time and |
| meal-time. | | | | perhaps, tell him or her, what the foods contain as |
| In order to fix healthy good meals for your family and | | | | nutritional value. |
| your child with autism, is to understand the needs of | | | | Keep your meals simple for preparation and fun. Serve |
| your child and the rest of the family at meal-time, this | | | | your meals in a bright and attractive room that is not |
| will allow you to keep the preparation for meal-time | | | | dull. Be creative, arrange the foods on the plates in |
| simple. | | | | interesting and attractive designs, according to their |
| One of the things you can do, is, create an | | | | textures colors, shapes and flavors. |
| environment for your child or children, by being aware | | | | Eat with your children and let them know how good |
| of the different ages and what each individual child can | | | | the food tastes, or what their thoughts are about the |
| eat. By you understanding how they grow and | | | | foods that are on their plate, and what they think of |
| develop, this will educate you on the appropriate foods | | | | the taste. Join in on their conversation. Respect them if |
| to serve them. Keeping the preparation for meals | | | | they say they do not care or like the foods that they |
| simple, will bring your family together easily. | | | | have received, and try to introduce another kind at a |
| Remember, to keep in mind and be observant with | | | | better time, or prepare it differently. |
| your child who has autism, for his or her eating habits, | | | | Give positive input and feelings to your autistic child and |
| so you can try to coordinate it with the rest of the | | | | family. Allow your child to leave food on the plate if he |
| families schedule, or make changes to prepare meals | | | | or she does not want it. They have choices too. |
| that are kept simple. | | | | Sometimes if you make your child clean up his or her |
| To keep your meals simple in preparation, present your | | | | plate, they may become overweight or rebel against |
| children with a variety of nutritious foods. Encourage | | | | those foods in the future. |
| favorable attitudes toward food, good eating habits, | | | | Enjoy your child by keeping your meal-time preparation |
| and not being afraid for them to try new foods to | | | | simple with fun and filled with enjoyment. |