Bite By Bite

Plate Position: Position tray within 6 inches of torso so elbow does not overextend.
Load vs. Lift: If utensil loading is hard, staff can pre-load spoon; student must lift spoon to mouth independently.
Finger Foods: Acceptable for snacks/sandwiches. Emphasize one piece brought to lips at a time.

A multi-day structured feeding sequence designed to gradually build student mealtime independence, transitioning from guided food-to-mouth initiation to sustained chewing, swallowing, and solo lunch completion. Includes visual cue supports, progressive reward charts, clinical tracking logs, and paraprofessional guidance protocols.

EGE Gist

Hand To Mouth

Focuses on the foundational step of self-feeding by targeting utensil or finger grasp and independently bringing food up to the mouth. Students use visual cards and an introductory bite token chart with staff using least-to-most physical fading.

Chew And Swallow

Builds on bringing food to mouth by reinforcing bite pacing, thorough chewing, and safe swallowing before the next bite is taken. Incorporates a 10-bite paced placemat tracker and comprehensive staff data collection.

Solo Lunch Hero

Consolidates bringing food to mouth, chewing, and swallowing across the entire mealtime session with natural reinforcement and self-monitoring. Features a weekly lunch mastery reward board and clinical fading protocol for staff.