What is the Stoplight Method? And Why is it Helpful?

Elisabeth Kraus, MA

Division of Responsibility (DOR) gives the job of deciding “what’s for dinner” to the adults! And that’s great – until you have no idea what to offer your new and learning eater. And that’s where “The stoplight method” comes in!

The stoplight method is a way of thinking about what you offer your child to eat. It recognizes that a plate full of new foods can be really intimidating to brand new eaters, and so it suggests that you limit how many options you offer at each meal and snack to 2-3, including the drink! It also suggests that you pair familiar foods with less familiar foods by thinking about classifying foods as “green foods,” “yellow foods,” and “red foods.”

A “green food” is a food or drink that your child likes! Or is at least very familiar with! A green food is one that your child is happy to eat, or if weaning, is at least happy to touch, play with, and explore.
A “yellow food” is a food or drink that your child might be familiar with, but isn’t always interested in eating. This could be a food or drink that your child has seen before, but hasn’t been interested in tasting.
A “red food” is a food or drink that your child has either never seen before or a food that your child has adamantly refused to engage with.

When preparing your child’s meal or snack, use the stoplight method to choose what you offer: each offer including a “green food” paired with “yellow” and/or “red foods.” This way, you can be assured that there is something on the plate that your child likes and is happy to engage with! And while engaging, they are also being exposed to newer foods, tastes, and textures.

When you use the stoplight method consistently and with lots of patience, your child has the chance to grow their repertoire of accepted foods! Slowly, most children begin to explore the less familiar foods until those foods move up into the “green” category! So, in short, the stoplight method helps caregivers to think through what they offer their child, and it helps children to explore new tastes and textures without pressure or obligation.

And the less pressure they feel, the more space they have to explore! And the more space they have to explore, the more children feel empowered to eat and learn to love new foods!