Sensory Needs & Nutrition — How to Use This Worksheet
Eating is a sensory experience. Texture, smell, flavour, temperature, appearance, noise, lighting and environment can all influence whether food feels manageable.
Use this worksheet to identify your sensory preferences rather than trying to change or overcome them.
Start with textures that feel comfortable and those you find difficult. Then explore flavours, smells and temperatures.
Think about presentation too. Does it matter whether foods touch? Do particular plates, packaging, colours or brands provide predictability?
Then consider your eating environment. Noise, bright lights, other people, strong smells or distractions may affect your ability to eat.
Use what you discover to identify adaptations that could make eating easier.
Sensory needs are needs — not bad habits.
The final section asks you to identify one sensory need you would like to respect more.
