Free Holiday Food Explorer Kit
Part of the free Holiday Sensory Toolkit. This mini‑pack lowers pressure at meals with a Try‑It Plate and a Food Explorer Star Chart—perfect for big holiday dinners and picky phases. Download the free printable kit below or get it by email.
← Part of the Holiday Sensory Toolkit
OT‑informed • Low‑pressure
What’s inside
- Try‑It Plate with four no‑pressure steps: Look • Smell • Touch • Taste.
- Food Explorer Star Chart to celebrate tiny wins (no removing stars).
Use it alongside the First–Then Schedule for predictable mealtime breaks.
Email the kit to me
Instant email with the Food Explorer Kit + link to the full Holiday Toolkit. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.Preview the pages
How to use it (2 quick steps)
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1) Agree on no‑pressure rules
Looking and touching count as wins. Use the Try‑It Plate for micro‑portions and let your child place the food.
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2) Celebrate tiny steps
Mark stars for any brave step. Keep it positive; never remove stars.
More holiday help
🍴 Tools that make picky-eater nights easier
When “picky eater season” hits—new smells, textures, and big tables—keep it low-pressure: use gentle exposure plus the right tools.
- At the table: weighted lap pads for calming proprioceptive input
- Waiting calmly: a small, quiet fidget in the lap
- Lower the noise: sensory headphones if the room gets loud
Food Explorer FAQs
- How do I keep this truly low‑pressure?
- Model curiosity: “I’m going to look and sniff this.” Praise attempts only. Kids can spit into a napkin if needed. No “one more bite” rules.
- What if we have allergies or dietary rules?
- Swap in safe foods. The tool teaches exploration, not specific foods. You can also do a “smell only” or “touch only” round.
- How often should we use the chart?
- Short rounds a few times per week work best. End on a win (stop while they still want more).
- Printing tips?
- Cardstock looks great but regular paper is fine. Grayscale works. Laminating makes the plate/chart reusable with dry‑erase markers.