Food and drink vocabulary

Also called Mealtime vocabulary, Food set, Eating and drinking words

Choosing what to eat is the first thing most boards teach. Saying that it is wrong, too hot, too much or making you feel sick is the part that gets forgotten.

What it is

Food and drink vocabulary is the words for what a person eats and drinks and everything around it: the items themselves, but also "hungry", "thirsty", "more", "finished", "hot", "cold", "yuck", "different", "too much", "feel sick". Meals happen three or more times a day, which makes them the most frequent, most predictable and most motivating place to communicate there is.

It is also where the most damage is done by a thin vocabulary. A person who can only say "juice" and "biscuit" can be fed, but cannot tell you they are choking on lumps, that the food is burning their mouth, or that they hate fish.

Who it can help

Everyone who eats, so everyone. It is a strong starting vocabulary for small children and for anyone new to a board, because the reward is immediate and the situation is repeated daily. It is crucial for anyone with dysphagia or on a modified-texture diet, where "wrong" or "too thick" can be a safety report, and for people in care homes and hospitals who are fed by strangers on a schedule.

A food board is not the same as a menu. Offering two pictures to choose between is a choice board; a food vocabulary lets the person comment, refuse and explain as well as pick.

How it works

A good set has two halves. The items: drink, water, milk, tea, juice, bread, cereal, fruit, meat, vegetables, pudding, snack. And the words about eating: hungry, thirsty, more, finished, another, different, hot, cold, nice, horrible, too much, not enough, feel sick, help. The second half is the same at every meal whatever is on the plate, so it is the half to teach first.

The Talk board has a food and drink set and a separate kitchen set among its 14, and the describing and needs cards combine with them: "more" plus "juice", "too" plus "hot", "not" plus "fish".

Item vocabulary needs personalising. The board says "cereal"; the person eats one brand from one bowl, and a photo of that box will be pressed more than a drawing of any cereal.

Getting started

At every meal this week, model one non-item word: "hot" when it is hot, "finished" when you finish, "nice" when it is nice. Offer real choices between two things and honour the choice; see offering choices.

Add "different" and "no more" if they are not there, and accept them. A refused meal that is heard is a success for the board even if it is a nuisance for the cook.

If the person is on a modified diet or has swallowing difficulties, make sure "wrong", "cough" and "help" are within one press at the table, and tell the whole team what they mean.

Where to get help

A speech and language therapist covers both communication and swallowing; the NHS route is via your GP or, in hospital, the ward team. Communication Matters for AAC vocabulary. Mencap has guidance on eating and drinking support for people with a learning disability. For swallowing difficulties, see dysphagia in the Health A-Z.