Food is medicine during eating disorder treatment. It gives your body the nutrients it needs to heal. Your child will need your support as they learn to care for their body again.

4C’s of Meal Support

• Stay Calm
• Be Confident
• Be Consistent
• Be Compassionate

Use the Following to Help Support Your Child During treatment:

• Speak up for your child.
• Fight the eating disorder, not your child.
• Take charge of all food shopping, meal planning and prepping, cooking, and serving meals and snacks.
• Do not buy food that is diet, light, fat-free, low sugar, or low carbohydrate.
• Remove food wrappers that show calories or nutrition information when possible.
• Keep your child out of the kitchen while food is being prepared.
• Have your child use the bathroom before eating. Do not let them use again until 30 minutes after eating a snack or 60 minutes after a meal.
• All meals and snacks should be eaten while sitting at a kitchen table, dining table, or counter.
• Sit with your child for all meals and snacks.
• Talk to your child’s school about meals and snack support. Ask if someone can sit with them while they eat.
• Set time limits for eating: 15 minutes for snacks and 30 minutes for meals.
• If food is not finished in that time, give a drinkable form of nutrition. This is also known as a supplement.
• If your child refuses the supplement, they may need more support. Let your treatment team know.

What is a Supplement?

A supplement is a drink that provides nutrition. Your child has a plan for meals and snacks. All food and drinks at each meal and snack should be finished. If your child does not finish everything, give a supplement. This helps make sure your child gets enough nutrition.

What are Options for Supplements?

Commonly used supplements include:

• Ensure Plus (8 ounces)
• BOOST Plus (8 ounces)Generic forms of these products are ok. They must provide 350 calories or more per 8 ounces.

Use this Chart to Know How Much Supplement to Give at Mealtime.

You will need to give your child a supplement drink based on how much food they eat. Each bottle of supplement is 8 ounces.

• Black = Food on the plate.
• White = The food is gone. Your child ate it.

If There is Any Food Left on the Plate, Try To:

• Help your child finish their food.
• Offer one other food choice your child may eat instead.
• Consider giving 2 ounces of supplement.

Use This Chart to Know How Much Supplement to Give at Snack Time.

To Learn More, Review This Resource:

https://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/recovery/meal-support/