Level Up Your Plate: Gamifying ARFID Exposures for Kids

If mealtimes in your home feel stressful, tense, or even a little defeating, you are not alone. For families navigating Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), eating isn’t just about preference. It can feel scary, overwhelming, and hard for a child (and family) to manage.

The good news is that there are evidence-based treatments that are effective for ARFID. In addition, there are ways to support your child at home that are practical and empowering. One approach that can make a difference for kids is turning food exposures into something more playful and motivating. In other words, turning it into a game.

What Is ARFID?

ARFID can look different from child to child, but it often shows up in a few key ways. Kids and teens with ARFID may:

• Avoid foods based on texture, smell, taste, or appearance
• Fear negative consequences like choking, gagging, or vomiting 
• Seem uninterested in eating or get full quickly, making it hard to eat enough
• Have very limited “safe foods” they feel comfortable eating
• Struggle to get enough nutrition or variety in their diet

Importantly, ARFID is not about body image or wanting to lose weight. Instead, it is driven by anxiety, sensory sensitivities, low interest in food, or a combination of these. From a brain and body perspective, certain foods can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, or even threatening. So when your child with ARFID refuses a food, it’s not about being difficult. It’s their way of responding to something that feels scary or hard to tolerate, or sometimes a signal that their body isn’t registering interest in eating.

Because of that, approaches like pressure or pushing “just one bite” can sometimes have the opposite effect. Even with the best intentions, these approaches can reinforce the feeling that the food is something to be wary of, which can make avoidance stronger over time.

Why Exposure Is the Key

The most effective way to help with ARFID is through gradual exposure, which means slowly and repeatedly interacting with feared foods in small, manageable steps. Over time, through support in therapy and practice at home, the brain learns: “Nothing bad happened. I can handle this.” These repeated experiences can also help rebuild awareness of hunger and fullness cues, making eating feel more natural and less effortful over time, particularly for children with low interest in eating.

But here’s the thing. Exposure work takes time and repetition which can feel easier when it’s engaging and fun for kids. That’s where gamifying comes in.

Step 1: Create a “Food Level System”

Think of exposures like levels in a video game. Start with very small, doable steps and build up gradually. You can even create a visual chart or poster together.

Example Levels:

• Level 1: Look at the food
• Level 2: Touch the food
• Level 3: Smell the food
• Level 4: Kiss or touch it to the lips
• Level 5: Take a tiny bite
• Level 6: Chew and swallow

Let your child help design the levels when possible. That sense of ownership can make a big difference.

Step 2: Add Points and Rewards

Kids can be more motivated when there is something to work toward. Assign points to each level:

• Looking = 5 points
• Touching = 10 points
• Smelling = 15 points
• Touching to lips = 25 points
• Taking a tiny bite = 40 points
• Chewing and swallowing = 60 points

You can then let them “cash in” points for rewards like:

• Choosing a family movie
• Picking a treat
• Earning extra screen time
• Staying up a little later

Keep rewards small and frequent. The goal is to keep it motivating and low-pressure. 

Step 3: Celebrate Trying, Not Eating

This is one of the most important mindset shifts. If your child:

• Touches the food but won’t taste it
• Takes a bite and spits it out
• Tries and feels anxious

That still counts as a win. You might say:

• “That was really brave”
• “You moved up a level today”
• “You practiced facing something hard”

When kids feel successful for trying, they are much more likely to keep going.

Step 4: Lower the Pressure Around Food

Pressure is one of the biggest barriers in ARFID. Try shifting your language to:

• “We’re just getting to know this food”
• “Your job right now is just to try this step”
• “We’re practicing, not perfecting”

Reducing pressure helps your child's brain shift from “this is threatening” to “I can handle this” which helps willingness grow over time.

Step 5: Make It Sensory-Friendly

Many kids with ARFID are dealing with real sensory discomfort. You can support this by:

• Letting them explore food with hands first
• Offering very small portions
• Pairing new foods with “safe” foods
• Allowing preferred utensils or plates

Think of it as helping their body and brain learn it can handle the experience, even if it still feels uncomfortable.

Step 6: Expect Progress to Be Messy

Some days will go great. Other days might feel like progress has stalled. That is completely normal.

Exposure is not about instant change. It is about building tolerance over time. Even small interactions with food are helping your child’s brain learn something new. Consistency matters more than perfection.

When to Seek Extra Support

While many families can start using these strategies at home, ARFID can require additional support, especially if:

• Your child’s food list is very limited
• There are concerns about growth or nutrition
• Anxiety around food feels intense or overwhelming
• Mealtimes are highly distressing for the whole family

A trained provider can guide this process in a safe and structured way. Programs like InStride Health offer specialized, evidence-based support for kids and teens with ARFID and can partner with families to build these skills more effectively.

The Takeaway

Helping a child with ARFID is not about forcing bites or winning battles at the table. It is about:

• Building trust
• Reducing fear
• Practicing bravery in small steps
• Increasing comfort with new foods
• Growing interest in eating over time

When you turn exposures into a game, you are giving your child a way to approach something scary with curiosity instead of dread. So start small. Make it playful. Celebrate every step. And with time, those small moments of trying can turn into real progress.