Navigating the Holiday Season with Eating Challenges
The holiday season is often joyful, festive, and full of celebration, but for families navigating eating challenges, this time of year can bring an entirely different kind of pressure. With a change in routine, busier environments, and food expectations rising, mealtimes can quickly feel overwhelming. If eating is already challenging during the year, the holidays may amplify those challenges, not because families aren’t trying, but because the season adds layers of sensory, emotional, and social demands. A good place to start is recognising that regulation and safety forms the foundation of any successful mealtime. Holidays tend to stretch children’s nervous systems: late nights, travel, noisy gatherings, different smells, and unpredictable days can all impact how their body feels. Supporting regulation with familiar routines, quiet moments, or sensory strategies helps children feel grounded enough to participate in mealtimes without becoming overwhelmed. When a child’s body feels safe, their capacity to cope, explore, and engage increases significantly.
Food safety is just as important. Holiday tables are often filled with foods your child may never have seen before, and unfamiliar options can feel intimidating for restricted eaters. Bringing your child’s preferred foods along is not only okay, it’s also protective. Offering a safe plate gives them reassurance that they won’t be pressured, and this sense of safety lays the groundwork for future flexibility. When children know their needs will be respected, they are more likely to approach new experiences with curiosity over time. It can also help to talk with hosts ahead of time. A brief message or conversation explaining your child’s feeding needs can reduce misunderstandings and ease the pressure of the day.
The social landscape can also be tricky, especially when well-meaning family members offer unsolicited advice or comments about your child’s eating. Remarks like “just make them try it” or “they’ll eat when they’re hungry” can feel frustrating and invalidating. Gently redirecting these conversations by explaining that you’re following a low-pressure, child-centred approach can protect your child from feeling scrutinised. Your role is to advocate for their emotional safety, and you’re completely within your rights to set that boundary. Amid all this, it’s important to remember that progress doesn’t always look like eating a new food. Sometimes success is simply staying at the table, tolerating a new smell, remaining regulated in a busy environment, or enjoying the social connection of a shared meal. These quieter wins are still meaningful and deserve to be acknowledged.
Finally, give yourself permission to keep things simple. It’s okay to skip events, leave early, stick with familiar foods, or adjust traditions to support your child. Holiday joy isn’t created by perfect meals, it’s created by the sense of connection, comfort, and safety your family feels. You know what your child needs, and you’re already doing so much to support them. The holiday season can still be meaningful and enjoyable, even with eating challenges. With preparation, compassion, and realistic expectations, your whānau can navigate this time with more calm and confidence.