Food refusal and “picky eating” not only affects health and nutrition but can also disrupt social development and overall quality of life for children and teens. This course offers behavioral strategies for parents to address challenges at mealtime and expand dietary variety. Participants will learn to reduce anxiety, increase food acceptance, and promote long-term healthy eating habits.
Description
Picky eating and food refusal can create significant challenges for children, adolescents, and their families—impacting nutrition, family relationships, and social participation. This training provides practical, evidence-based strategies to address food selectivity and reduce mealtime stress. Participants will explore the behavioral, sensory, and emotional factors that influence eating patterns and learn step-by-step approaches for helping children expand their diets in a positive, sustainable way. Through the use of structured routines, reinforcement, shaping, and gradual exposure techniques, this session equips caregivers and professionals with tools to promote calmer mealtimes, increase food acceptance, and support healthy, enjoyable eating experiences across home, school, and community settings.
Objectives
1. Identify common factors contributing to food refusal and selectivity—including behavioral, sensory, and emotional influences.
2. Develop structured mealtime routines that increase predictability, reduce stress, and foster positive eating experiences.
3. Apply evidence-based strategies such as reinforcement, shaping, and gradual exposure to expand food acceptance and address challenges like brand selectivity, limited diets, and sensory sensitivities.
4. Support parents and caregivers in managing behavioral challenges and promoting consistency across settings (home, school, community).
5. Promote strategies to reduce food-related anxiety and build long-term healthy eating habits that support physical and social well-being.
Our Presenter
Stacey Ollivier
Stacey Ollivier is Director of ABA Programs, Row Psychiatric Services, LLC. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a Licensed Behavior Specialist in Pennsylvania and holds a master's degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Temple University.
She has designed and implemented the ABA & Play program, an initiative aimed at providing evidence-based behavioral support to children aged 4 to 8 years. Stacey also has extensive experience with organizational behavior management spending six years as Director of Professional Development and Training. Stacey offers private practice consulting and specializes in parent training and support and leadership training.