Eating & Table Manners

​By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 9, 2019
The following adaptations can help the student develop independence and confidence in locating, identifying, cutting, and seasoning foods. These skills can be practiced at home so the student feels confident in transferring these skills to new settings. 

Locate Place Setting

Encourage the student to use the following techniques:
  • Locate the edge of the table with the back of curled fingers.
  • Move both hands forward, maintaining contact with the table surface
  • Instruct the student in standard place settings to know where utensils and items should be. (e.g. fork on left, spoon and knife on right, glass in the upper right of the plate, etc.)
  • When possible,  and if the person has usable vision, use a contrasting tablecloth or placemat and dishes to help the person locate the items. 

Orient to Contents on Plate

Instruct the student in the following possible techniques:
  • Provide the student with a description of the contents of the plate related to clock positions.
  • Explore contents of the plate by tapping lightly with a fork to locate and identify foods.
  • Instruct the student to be aware of non-consumable items that may be placed on a plate. 
  • Instruct the student to ask the server to leave off the plate foods that the student doesn't want including non-consumable foods. 

Cutting Foods

Advise the student to locate which edge of a knife is used for cutting by running the edge of the knife along the edge of the plate as opposed to using the finger. Stab the meat with the fork and use the edge of the fork prong to guide the knife. 

Spreading Semi-Soft Foods

Instruct the student to locate the edge of the knife used for cutting (see above). Place the flat edge of the knife at the end of the stick and slide it along the stick. Have the student place the pat of butter in the center and use a systematic pattern to spread out to the edges. 

Salt & Pepper Foods

Instruct the student to tell the difference between salt and pepper by shaking the containers slightly. Salt is heavier than pepper. Advise the student to shake the salt or pepper directly into the hand and then apply it to food. Teach the student to use tactile discrimination skills to tell the difference between sugar packets, creamer and salt/pepper packets. Tear the top corner and don't completely remove as it may fall in food. 

Use Fork and Spoon

Instruct the student to use a slice of bread (or other "pusher" item like a knife or other piece of food) in the non-dominant and help push the food onto the fork, 

Using a Pusher to Eat

​Discuss how some foods such as burgers, hot dogs, and fries can be eaten with fingers, but other foods need to be eaten with utensils. Discuss strategies for locating food on a plate and how a “pusher” such as a piece of bread or a chip can be used to help get food ono a utensil. This is more socially acceptable than using your fingers to scoop and get food onto your utensil.

Cafeterias & Buffets

While independence is ideal, buffets pose a particular challenge for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Advise the student to ask for assistance from a sighted person to avoid accidents or contamination of food. The sighted person can describe the food while holding the tray. Instruct the student how to stabilize drinks on the tray

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Eating & Table MannersClothing IdentificationTelephone
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