What's on Your Plate? Supporting Self-Regulation and Healthy Eating Through Family-Style Mealtimes by Sarah Braaten, Ph.D.

What if mealtimes could offer more than an opportunity to eat? In early childhood settings, everyday experiences around the table can create meaningful opportunities for children to practice independence, develop self-regulation skills, and build healthy eating habits.

In the second session of this two-part series, Sarah Braaten, Ph.D., will explore the benefits of family-style mealtimes and how this approach can support preschoolers' development. You'll learn what family-style meals look like in early childhood settings, including how children can participate in serving themselves and how educators can model healthy eating habits.

Building on the four core guidance strategies introduced in Part 1, we'll explore how educators can intentionally incorporate these techniques into family-style mealtimes. Discover how mealtime interactions create opportunities for children to practice essential self-regulation skills, such as waiting, sharing, and taking turns, while developing healthy eating habits through greater involvement in their own food choices and eating experiences.

Through practical examples, you'll discover how to implement family-style mealtimes, overcome common challenges, and create positive eating experiences that support children's development.

Join us to explore how intentional mealtime practices can turn an everyday routine into a meaningful opportunity for learning and growth.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the defining characteristics of family-style mealtimes and their developmental benefits for young children.

2. Explain how family-style mealtimes support the development of self-regulation skills and healthy eating habits.

3. Apply the four core guidance strategies during family-style mealtimes and identify approaches to overcoming common implementation challenges in early childhood settings.

Disclosure: Sarah Braaten holds a financial interest in Enhancing Childhoods, LLC and may reference it during this session.