Meal support groups are 60-90 minutes and provide a safe and supportive environment for people to connect with peers, give and receive and support, and work toward your eating disorder recover. During meal support you can expect:

• Empathetic support during the meal, while encouraging them to complete their meals and snacks during an allotted time frame (30-45 minutes, and 15-30 minutes)
• A calming atmosphere, with light-hearted conversation for mild distraction
• Gentle reminders to resist eating disorder behaviors at the meal (manipulating food, body-checking, etc.) and encouraging more normalized eating behaviors
• Occasional time updates to encourage normalized pacing of the meal, as eating disorders can cause individuals to either eat very fast or very slow
• Participants set their own intentions for the meal, which they decide whether to share. Examples of intentions include eating the food on their plate, incorporating a feared or challenging food, or eating a meal recommended their dietitian.
• After meals are completed, meal support is continued for 45 minutes. This helps to discourage acting on any eating disorder urges such as purging or body-checking and allows for needed support as emotional distress can peak after eating.