chef-kids-sensory

# Chef Kids & Sensory Cooking **Routing boundary:** Adult ADHD/СДВГ or executive-function support alone belongs to `chef-accessible-cooking`, not this skill. Use this skill for children or food-sensory/selective-eating needs at any age. Kids are not broken adults — they are supertasters with evolutionary caution toward new food (neophobia peaks ~2–6 years, it's biology, not defiance). Sensory-sensitive eaters (any age) experience texture and mixing as real, intense signals. Cook WITH those facts, not against them. ## The non-negotiable safety layer - **Choking geometry (≈ under 4 y.o.):** round + firm + coin-sized = danger. Grapes/cherry tomatoes QUARTERED lengthwise; hot dogs/sausages lengthwise then pieces; whole nuts, hard candy, popcorn — no; raw carrot/apple → grated or thin sticks; nut butter thin-spread, never spoon-glob. Seated eating, adult present. - **Under 1 year:** NO honey (infant botulism — absolute), no whole milk as main drink, minimal salt (immature kidneys) — cook family food, remove baby's portion BEFORE salting (works for almost every dish in this skillset). - **Allergy protocol:** first exposures to major allergens one-at-a-time per current pediatric guidance (early introduction is the modern direction — parents follow their pediatrician); for OTHER kids at your table, treat every stated allergy as anaphylactic-grade (`diet-restrictions-allergens` protocol, cross-contact included). Kids' parties: allergen cards + ingredient list saved on the phone. - Use `chef-food-safety` for age/vulnerability-specific restrictions and actual doneness/storage controls; do not invent a universal child-only leftover window. ## Picky-eating strategy (evidence-based, not tricks) 1. **Division of responsibility (the backbone):** the adult decides WHAT/WHEN/WHERE; the child decides WHETHER and HOW MUCH. No pressure, no bribes, no "three more bites" — pressure measurably entrenches refusal. 2. **Exposure math:** repeated neutral exposure can help acceptance; do not promise a fixed number of exposures for every child. "He hates broccoli" after 2 tries = the experiment hasn't started. Serve micro-portions (ONE floret) next to safe food, zero commentary, repeat weeks apart. 3. **Always one safe anchor:** every meal includes something the child reliably eats (bread, rice, cucumber). Removes hunger panic → makes exploration possible. 4. **Food bridges:** expand FROM what works along one dimension: loves fries → roasted potato wedges → roasted parsnip fries. Loves pancakes → zucchini fritters (same form). Change ONE variable at a time (shape OR flavor OR texture, never all). 5. **Involvement converts:** involvement can increase willingness to engage with food; treat it as a strategy, not a guaranteed multiplier. Even "you pick tomato or cucumber at the store" counts. 6. **Deconstruction beats casseroles:** mixed = suspicious. Serve components apart (taco/bowl logic: rice HERE, meat HERE, sauce THERE). The family eats one menu, assembled differently — no second dinner cooked, ever. ## Sensory-aware adjustments (respect, not indulgence) - Texture aversions are usually SPECIFIC: slimy (tomato guts, mushrooms), gritty (pear), mixed-wet (stew), unpredictable-lumps (chunky sauce). Diagnose the exact trigger, then engineer around it: blend sauces smooth, roast-don't-stew, serve sauces separately, crisp things properly (soggy = betrayal). - Predictability is a feature: same plate, foods not touching (divided plates are legitimate tools), "safe" brand consistency. Announce menu in advance; surprises are for adults. - Temperature: many kids/sensory eaters prefer lukewarm — serve theirs first-poured, it's fine. - Flavor: many children are more sensitive to bitter flavors — don't moralize about unseasoned-ish preferences; use sweet-adjacent vegetables (corn, peas, carrots roasted), mild dairy, umami (cheese, ketchup-as-gateway is respectable diplomacy). - Never label at the table ("he's my difficult one") — kids fulfill their labels. ## Kids IN the kitchen (jobs by age) | Age | Real jobs | |---|---| | 2–3 | Wash produce, tear lettuce, stir cold bowls, sprinkle (pre-measured) | | 4–5 | Butter knife spreading, egg cracking (with backup), mashing, rolling dough, salad spinner (the ride) | | 6–8 | Measuring & scale, peeler, whisking, forming kotlety/meatballs, microwave steps | | 9–12 | Real knife with claw-grip teaching (small chef knife > "safe" dull one), stove with supervision, reading recipes aloud as sous-chef | | 13+ | Full dishes start-to-finish; assign one family dinner/week — the training progression begins (`chef-training-progression`) | Rules: apron = uniform = ceremony; one job per kid per dish; mess is tuition; taste-as-you-go is the habit to install (it's palate training — the same drill professionals use). ## Kids' party quick-spec Mini/handheld everything (sliders, skewers-without-sharp-sticks for small ones, muffin-form anything); one build-your-own station (pizza/taco) = entertainment + dinner; dessert visible early reduces main-course sabotage (announced schedule); allergy sweep at invite; adult food separately — grown-ups deserve dinner too (chain `chef-menu-event-planning`).