Mealtime is one of those eternal parenting struggles. When our kids are little they often have fits over what we serve them, throw food on the floor, refuse to sit still, etc. Even older kids can cause issues by being super-picky eaters or so engrossed in their screens that it barely feels like we're having a family dinner at all. But it doesn't always have to be so hard to share a meal together. Many parents have shared their mealtime hacks to make things less stressful.
For the 15 best tips to make eating together more enjoyable, keep reading.
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Light a Candle
TikTok user @auticorrect was elated to find that lighting a candle at dinnertime resulted in some of the calmest evening meals with her 3-year-old. She found that he happily watched the flame while eating, and she let him blow out the candle at the end of dinner. It's a great visual way for children to see time passing and to have something to focus on that's not a screen.
Just Add One New Food
Getting our kids to try new foods can be such a battle, but developmental therapist @baby.toddler.teacher posted an Instagram video with a clever tip. She shared that because it can take 10 to 15 times of offering a food before a child actually tries it, she just adds a new food to the child's regular dinner plate to familiarize them with it.
Maybe they'll try it, maybe they won't. But it's about making it commonplace so it's less stressful than sitting down to an entirely new meal.
Model Interactions With New Foods
Another way we can encourage our kids trying new foods is by modeling the behavior ourselves. Feeding therapist @chikidsfeeding posted a TikTok video encouraging parents to serve themselves the same foods as their child and to talk about the items in a neutral way. We can ask questions like, "I wonder which food is crunchier?" to get the child engaged, even if they just play with the new food a little.
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Make a Charcuterie Tasting Platter
Who doesn't love a charcuterie plate? When she noticed her son getting extra picky, TikTok mom @sageesoul assembled a snack charcuterie board to get him to try new things. This can be an effective way to get kids to see and experience new food items, because the portions will be smaller and more manageable.
Let Them Help
Nurse practitioner and TikToker @dakotafelckowskiwellness said in a video that one of the best ways to get kids interested in eating new foods is to involve them in the cooking process. They can help add premesaured ingredients or stir so they feel a little more ownership over the end result — and therefore may be more likely to try the food.
Make Dishes Easier
Especially in big families, doing all the dishes after a meal can be exhausting. But TikToker @tryagainmomtok has a helpful hack for that. She bought several restaurant-style serving baskets, and she lines them with biodegradable wax paper for every meal.
She said her kids love the novelty of feeling like they're at a restaurant, and cleanup is as easy as just throwing the wax paper away.
Ditch the High Chair
For toddlers who are growing restless in their high chairs during mealtime, consider giving them a little more freedom. That's what TikToker @genevievecrebbin did to a lot of success. She set up a small playroom table next to their regular dining table for her two children to sit at. She said even though they do occasionally get up through the meal, they usually sit back down and eat more as the meal wears on.
No Screens for Parents
Our kids love to copy us — both for better and for worse. That's what makes behavior modeling so helpful, TikToker and therapist @littlestepsgiantleaps said in a video. If we want our little ones (or even our teens) to be able to get through a meal without being so dependent on screens as a distraction, the best place to start is by also not going on our phones at the dinner table.
Make Mealtime Storytime
Another way to ditch the screens while encouraging family bonding is by turning mealtime into storytime. Different people can even trade off reading the book if there are older children in the family. The kids will likely be too engaged in the story to throw tantrums or to complain about the food. Hopefully they'll just calmly eat while listening, like in this TikTok video.
Dinner Can Be in the Afternoon
There isn't a hard-and-fast rule that dinner always has to be around 6 p.m. If it works better for a family, move up that time to when the child is usually most hungry. TikToker @organically_gvd started feeding her toddler a nutritious dinner-type meal at 3 p.m. post nap.
That way, her child is eating more of the dinner instead of filling up beforehand on snacks and not eating any of dinner come 6 p.m. Then, if the child is truly hungry later, a small snack or two will suffice.
Parents Should Stay Seated
Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta said in a TikTok video that she makes sure everything the family could need for the meal is already on the table before she sits down. This includes napkins, extra water, condiments, etc. Once she's seated, she's staying there intentionally. "My presence is gonna anchor my kids and help them stay seated," she said.
Encourage Independence
In the same video, Chelsey also recommended that parents let their children exercise a little independence at mealtime. Maybe that means pouring their own water, putting food on their plate, or cleaning up their own spills.
"It's a great way to sort of foster agency at mealtime," Chelsey said. "I want them to do as much as possible."
Use Regular Plates
When it comes to fostering independence and treating children more like adults, using real plates instead of silicone or plastic ones can be helpful.
"I found that my toddler and my baby handle real heavy ceramic plates more carefully than any plastic bamboo or silicone ones," TikToker @montessori.mothering said in a video. "Ceramic plates are heavy and they make sound when you put them down. This feedback actually helps toddlers and babies learn that plates stay on the table."
It also helps transition to going to restaurants and using real plates there.
Go to Restaurants
Having a peaceful dinner out with the kids is the dream, and we can make it a reality. Parent coach Mandy Grass recommended on TikTok that parents practice before going out. Run through how restaurants work, what the kids can expect, and how to order so they have a frame of reference once there.
TikToker @kendraworth said in a video that she keeps her toddler entertained with quiet toys, brings a spillproof cup, and she makes sure to order the child's food first to avoid long wait times.
Take the Pressure Off
If we're stressed, it's pretty likely our kiddos can pick up on that. When we worry if they're eating enough, trying a variety of foods, or sitting still through the meal, we can put too much pressure on the situation.
"When we let go of the guilt, shame and stress we carry, we are able to come to the table with a more positive light," nutrition coach @nourishinglittlebites said in an Instagram video. "Our peace and regulation calms their body, creating a more inviting and positive mealtime."
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