Look How FarFood diary for a child
A food diary for kids with picky or selective eating — one week of food log on one page: what was offered, how much was eaten, where and with whom, and what you noticed.
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1 page · black and white · no sign-up
Why it helps
Selective eating is common in autistic children, and memory is not reliable: one bad dinner can feel like a bad week. A week on paper shows what is actually eaten, what is refused and which new foods were tried — useful for you, and for anyone you ask for advice.
What is on the sheet
One page for a week: a table with fourteen rows — day and time, what was offered, how much was eaten (none, a little, most, all), where and with whom, what you noticed — and three boxes at the bottom: eaten without fuss, refused, new foods tried.
How to keep a food diary for a picky eater
- Write each meal or snack soon after it happens: the time and what was offered.
- Tick how much was eaten: none, a little, most, all.
- Under “What you noticed”, write facts: texture, brand, plate, who was there, how your child reacted.
- At the end of the week, fill in the three boxes at the bottom.
When to show it to a specialist
Show the diary to your child’s doctor, a dietitian or a feeding therapist if the list of accepted foods is getting shorter, your child is losing weight, has trouble chewing or swallowing, or meals often end in distress. Two weeks of entries help them see the whole picture. The diary is not advice on what to feed — that is a question for them.
Questions parents ask
How long should I keep a food diary?
One to two weeks is usually enough to see what your child really eats. Keep it again before an appointment or after a change.
Should I write down portions in grams?
No need. “None, a little, most, all” is enough for a picture of the week. A dietitian may ask for more detail later.
Is this a meal plan?
No. The diary records what happened. What to offer and how to widen the menu are questions for your child’s doctor or a dietitian.
Can the school fill it in too?
Yes — ask them to write lunch on the sheet or in the home–school log, and copy it in the evening.
These sheets are for observations. They do not diagnose and do not replace your child’s doctor or specialist.
