Fort Drum families explore healthy eating habits

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (WWTI) – Families at Fort Drum were able to try some new foods earlier this week.

Parents and children explored different flavors, colors, shapes and textures that can make food an everyday adventure during a class Wednesday, October 16 inside the Soldier and Family Readiness Division’s Enrichment Center at Fort Drum.

The Family Advocacy Program and Exceptional Family Member Program staff members joined forces with U.S. Army Medical Activity Department dietitians to present Sensory Eating Adventures for families to discuss the particulars about eating habits.

Children are usually told not to play with their food, but that notion was debunked. Trays of food were turned into fruit and veggie kabobs, an edible sensory bowl and a Dino Island. In the spirit of Halloween, family members also learned how to turn an orange pepper into a Jack-o-Lantern.

A lot of kids who have sensory issues or are picky eaters have had some sort of bad experience with food. So, we want to try to erase those bad experiences with fun experiences, which, for children, is play. Getting them to play with fun-shaped food is a better way for them to touch it and now they’re more likely to try eating it.

Nicole Wetzel, Fort Drum FAP educator

Attendees used a variety of tools to change the way food looks, which they used to make creative kabobs by mixing up shape and color patterns on the stick. The Dino Island recipe was a way to create a jungle on a plate, with sweet potato volcanoes and trees made from broccoli and asparagus.

Kim Lawton, Fort Drum EFMP system navigator, said they deliberately designed it as an “adventure” rather than a lecture about picky eating. Lawton went onto explain that picky eating may be due to sensory processing issues. She added sensory processing is unique to every individual, and children process sensory stimuli differently than adults.

“So, what you might view as a tantrum over certain foods may be a sensory meltdown,” Lawton said. “Whether it’s the smell of the food, the touch of the food, or the look of the food, their brain is not able to process that and causes a behavioral response because their senses are being overloaded.”

Families can join the FAP team again for a Monster Pop In and Paint event, from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, October 24 inside the Enrichment Center. For more information and to register, call 315-772-5914 or message them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FtdrumFAP .

Family members also can attend the next Sensory Workshop, scheduled from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 1 at the Enrichment Center, to learn more about sensory processing and how it affects one’s behaviors.

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