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The ABC of Child Care: M is for Mealtime Interactions

M is for Mealtime Interactions

I wrote about food in child care previously but see mealtime interactions as a separate and equally important issue. Mealtimes in a quality child care centre provide for a relaxed, social environment and the promotion of good nutrition and healthy eating habits, both of which are important to growth and development in childhood and later life.

Centres should;

  • Schedule regular times for meals and snacks that meet the needs of the children
  • Create a relaxed and pleasant social environment at mealtimes
  • Respect the children’s choices

Centre staff should promote positive ‘food-related behaviours’ at mealtimes, including;

  • Eating together as a social experience
  • Sitting and interacting whilst eating
  • Offering new food to try regularly
  • Providing healthy meals and snacks with a few choices
  • Letting children choose what to eat (from the healthy choices offered) and how much
  • Developing appropriate table manners
  • Encouraging children to stay at the table and talk or provide quiet activities for children who may finish eating more quickly than others

To achieve this, staff should;

  • Sit with the group so as to guide conversation
  • Encourage the children in social talk amongst their group
  • Eat some food offered with the children
  • Remain calm and accommodate the children’s increasing self-feeding skills and some ‘messiness’
  • Encourage a timely pace but not overly rush children
  • Positively encourage children to try a small sample of a new food first to minimize wastage

It is important that the mealtime environment is pleasant and relaxed. This type of setting greatly contributes to the children’s enjoyment of mealtimes. Strategies a Centre may utilise to achieve this include;

  • Tables for small groups of children to sit together
  • Opportunities for children to assist in setting up and clearing away the meal environment, in line with their skills and interest
  • Utensils of a size and style appropriate to the development of the child to encourage self feeding skill development
  • Serving bowls with food and drink in small jugs that children can serve themselves with assistance from staff when needed
  • Safe areas for children to stack used plates, cutlery and cups
  • Scheduled mealtimes to provide continuity and assurance for children with some flexibility for special activities, the weather and children’s individual needs
  • Effectively managed transitions and routines to minimise children’s waiting times for food

Missed an ABC of Child Care post? Check out A – L here.

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

Filed Under: Child Care

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Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. miss carly says

    April 23, 2010 at 11:19 AM

    I love letting children self-serve, I think that it is such an important skill.

    I have been in some centres where talking isn't allowed/promoted and then once I took over the room, I would sit with the children and start conversations. Showing them that socialising is something that we can do during meal times too.

    Great post!
  2. angela says

    July 20, 2017 at 2:52 PM

    i have a question how people feel about progressive lunch times in a kindy aged room? my coworker loves the idea but i believe it doesnt promote a social routine for children who begin school soon.
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