Summer Mealtime Struggles: Helping Kids Deal With Tricky Food Situations

Camps, Vacations, and Other Summer Activities Can Cause Stress for “Picky Eaters” and Those With Feeding and Swallowing Disorders

Summertime brings food off the grill, vacations with relatives and friends, and new mealtime environments such as day or sleepaway camp. Although these situations can create challenges for children who have difficulty eating, there are ways that families can help limit summer stress around meals—and even thrive, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

“Picky Eater” or Disorder?

There are many reasons why a child may struggle with eating. For some, it’s a phase—a natural part of development where they are establishing independence. This is especially common during the toddler years. For other children, it may be due to sensitivities to certain textures or smells, developmental disorders, or feeding and swallowing disorders.

So how can you tell the difference between a child who’s “picky” versus one who has a feeding, swallowing, or other disorder? Here are some signs to look for:

• coughing during meals
• pocketing food (holding it in their mouth)
• eating only foods with certain textures (e.g., only soft foods, or only crunchy foods)
• having trouble chewing
• having a “gurgly” or hoarse voice during or after eating
• not gaining weight or growing

Regardless of whether a child is displaying these signs, parents and caregivers should trust their instincts and get an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist who specializes in feeding and swallowing if they have concerns. For children ages birth to 3 years, families can connect with their local early intervention program to request a free evaluation. Generally, children ages 3–5 years can be evaluated through the local school system (as can school-aged children). Private speech-language pathologists also can help. You can find a searchable database of these professionals at www.asha.org/profind/.

Why Is Summer So Challenging?

Summer interrupts a child’s familiar routines. A day at home or at camp may look completely different than a day at school. A child may even be going to new camps each week—each with their own way of handling meals. Any of the following situations may cause a child stress:

• Limited food options. A camp may provide set meals for kids and may offer little to no choice about what they can eat. Even if a child can bring their lunch, a camp may have specific rules or requirements (such as no foods that need to be heated up or no nut-based foods). A child may also be served unfamiliar foods when visiting family members and friends and/or while traveling.

• New mealtime schedules or settings. A child may be eating earlier or later in the day at camp than they are used to. They may also be eating outside—or they may have less time to eat than they typically do.

• Changes in services. Some children might see a speech-language pathologist or other professional at school for help with their feeding and swallowing—or have other services during the school year that aren’t available over the summer.

Tips For Handling Picky Eating

Below are some ways that you can help your child become a more well-rounded eater:

Serve a variety of foods. It can take multiple exposures to a new food—up to 10 or 15 times!—before a child decides if they like it. Summer offers many fruits and veggies in season to experiment with, but it’s important to let kids decide what they eat. For some children, simply allowing a new food on their plate is progress. (Note: If you can’t afford to feed your child in a balanced way, contact organizations like Feeding America for help.)

Get kids involved in food preparation. A more relaxed schedule for many families during the summer makes it the perfect opportunity to take your time preparing meals, to explore new food possibilities, and to allow kids to develop their cooking skills. Including your child in food preparation exposes them to different textures and smells. This can make new foods less scary. They may even want to taste-test as they cook with you!

Make meals fun. Mealtime is about connection and family time. It’s much more than just food! Pack a picnic, have dinner at the pool, or plan some meals with special themes (such as breakfast for dinner, a taco bar, or make-your-own-pizza night). Look through cookbooks or children’s magazines such as Highlights for fun meal ideas. Children learn through play, and making food fun may encourage them to try something new.

Build on what your child already likes to eat. If they eat chicken nuggets, have them try a chicken patty. Or a homemade chicken nugget. Or a fish stick. Or chicken parmesan. Continue to take foods one step further, gradually expanding your child’s universe of acceptable foods.

Prepare your child for summer changes. Talk about the food that will be served at camp or at grandma’s house—or the fact that you may not know everything that will be provided. Get as much information in advance about what will be available and what their choices will be. Talk through what they can do if they don’t like any of the foods provided to them.

Make a backup plan. Although children should be given a chance to eat what is served to them, it’s okay to bring familiar foods in an environment that can be overwhelming, like a loud barbecue or a day at the beach.

Seek expert resources and advice. Learn more about feeding challenges in children from ASHA. Charts of feeding milestones—telling you which feeding skills and behaviors you should expect by age—are available on ASHA’s website. If your child isn’t meeting milestones or you have any concerns, contact a certified speech-language pathologist who specializes in feeding and swallowing.

What If My Child Has a Feeding and Swallowing Disorder?

Below are some ways to help your child have a successful summer with food and positive experiences with eating:

Talk to camp staff about ways to make meals and snacks at camp successful and safe. A child with a feeding or swallowing disorder may require special food preparation such as thickened liquids or specific food textures. Discuss your child’s medical needs with camp staff ahead of time, and provide them with detailed instructions for food and liquid preparation.

Involve your child’s medical team members, including your pediatrician and speech-language pathologist, to help the transition to camp go smoothly. They may be able to provide ideas and strategies—specific to your child’s needs—to make your child’s time at camp successful.

Seek support from those you trust. New activities, like camp or a barbecue at a new neighbor’s house, can feel scary and overwhelming when you are worried about your child’s medical needs. Having a strong support system—including your child’s physicians, speech-language pathologist, family members, and friends—can help you and your child overcome fear and stress. That support system can also help everyone get out there and enjoy some sunshine—and embrace all that the summer season has to bring.