Food Chaining Examples for Picky Eaters

The food chaining examples in this article can help you add new foods to your child’s diet. However, it’s important to first understand what food chaining is, and how to implement it. If you haven’t yet read up on the basics of food chaining, it may be helpful to read the article “Food Chaining for Picky Eaters – How to go from selective to successful eater”.

Food chaining is ideal for extremely picky eaters and can be highly effective. This process uses small changes to the characteristics of preferred foods to slowly work toward acceptance of new food. You can read more about the concept of food chaining here.

Food chaining is often used by speech therapists, occupational/feeding therapists, and registered dietitians when working to increase the food acceptance of extremely picky eaters.

In this food chaining example, we start with a fan favorite: the chicken nugget.
Chicken nuggets (may need to chain to chicken sticks/fingers)–> breaded fish sticks–> breaded fish fillet to change the shape–>baked fish fillet

How to start food chaining

Here is a basic overview: Firstly, start by identifying foods your child likes and readily accepts. Then identify the traits of these foods. For example, are these foods crunchy? Salty? Orange? Make a list of texture, color, shape, flavor, and temperature (is it cooked?). These are the traits you will link to new foods.

Secondly, you can begin making small changes to only 1 trait at a time. For example, change the shape of the food, then the brand, then the texture, and so on.

Food Chaining Examples

Let’s dive into some food chaining examples.

In this example, we start with baby carrots.
Baby carrot–> carrot sticks–> sliced red bell pepper sticks(can use orange or red) –>bell pepper rings–> red bell pepper ring with an egg cooked inside.

Need more ideas? Check out these examples:

Goldfish crackers–>Cheez Itz–>Saltine Crackers–>Saltines with cheese slices

French fries–>potato wedges–> homemade potato wedges-> baked potato–> mashed (chunky) potatoes–> mashed (smooth) potatoes

Potato Chips–>salted plantain chips–> banana chips–>banana slices–>whole banana

Cookies–>Fig Newtons–>jam toast–>jam sandwich–>bread with sliced strawberries–>fresh strawberries

Granola bar–>crumbled granola+dried berries–>blueberries

Mac n’ cheese–> macaroni pasta with alfredo sauce–> new pasta with alfredo sauce -> pasta with 1/2 alfredo, 1/2 tomato sauce–> pasta with marinara sauce

Strawberries–> grapes–>grape or cherry tomatoes–> tomato slices

Chicken nuggets–>change brand of nuggets–>homemade chicken nuggets–> homemade tenders–>baked chicken breast

For more help with food chaining and picky eating, talk to your pediatrician or pediatric dietitian. You can also get more great information here!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top