For the most part I use kibble to reward behavior or to mark something I want to see repeated. Food rewards come in three types, low value (like their daily kibble), medium, (cheerios, novel kibble) or high value (chicken, hotdogs or cheese). Now we can dump their portion in their food bowl and have them get excited to see that bowl, or we can use that excitement to our benefit. Food is currency, pay well, don't be a mean boss. Paying with food does a few things, it helps the dog/human get past the awkward delivery, it eliminates grabby puppies, teaches patience and co-ordination


Say the word "Yes" and deliver kibble every time. Yes becomes a marker word for them, that you like what they are doing. It will become more important as you train.
For the first bit, hand deliver whole meals via small handfuls.  Wait quietly for the pup to sit. Say "Yes" and deliver a small handful. Once the pup is maintaining a sit position and eating out of your hand move onto transitioning. Deliver 1/2 the meal one kibble at a time and half by handful, mix it up. Start with a handful, deliver a few individual and continue to deliver more and more individual. The handfuls just keep interest high. This does a couple of things, teaches you to deliver treats (as you go forward delivering them 1/second will become the norm) and increasing the pups ability to focus and stay engaged.  Once the pup is good at eating the kibble and you are able to feed the whole portion in less than 5 minutes, start changing your position. Stand, sit, sit in different chairs (do this while you are on the toilet, use that down time!). Getting the dog into a heel position is a great loose leash starter.  Sip a coffee, deliver a few kibbles. Work it into your day, elongate the exercise, shorten it... Finally change the position your hand is holding the kibble, tuck it in your palm with your thumb covering it. Tuck a kibble between your fingers,  or fingers half curled closed. Teach gentle. If they aren't gentle, they don't get the kibble. Not all hands work like ours do. The more ways we can have become the norm, the better. 

Silence the corrections, this will be the first exercise for you, to drop the verbal corrections or directions. Let the pup work it out. Let the pup choose their behavior and figure out how to get the kibble. Remember the goal is to build muscle memory, for you both, you want this to be natural so you can focus on the behavior/position and to reward effectively. 

Build this in as many places as you can think. In as many positions, with the pup standing/sitting in as many places. With chicken roasting. Distractions, roll a ball gently, squeak a toy (short squeak work to more enthusiastic). The end  goals are to have you be more rewarding than the environment. To build the relationship, and to make this a fluid exchange

Once the pup is solid on hand feeding, you can move onto some games! 
Adding a bed for them to sit/lay (preferably) down on. This is called a boundary, which will be useful in future training

Play "Airplane" so the food comes to the mouth, not the mouth to the food. Don't yank it away, but calmly back the airplane up if the pup comes forward.

Put the bowl of food in reach.  If the pup comes for it, simply cover it. They choose to sit = food comes to them. (also helps teach that the world is not their business) food on the floor, on a plate on the coffee table. On the counter (helps discourage counter surfing). Shuffle the food from hand to hand. Line the kibbles up on your leg (if you're sitting) and feed one at a time.

You can/should also change the items the pup is sitting on. Soft, squishy, crunchy. Front yard, driveway, car. On the bed, on the step, on a piece of plywood. Tarp, garbage bag, slippery, rubbery, any texture you can think of! 

Once the pup is onto the games, vary the rate of reward (ROR). This is what drives it home for them. If you're watching TV, build up to waiting for a commercial break. The more random the timing the better, just like a slot machine. The anticipation is half the fun.  Build endurance and patience. 

With the bait bags being worn, you can easily reward anytime they are settled. Playing with a toy, chewing an appropriate toy, on their boundary (bed) or offering a "sit". If it's calm and you think of it.... reward it!

Dogs repeat what gets rewarded.  If you like something they are doing, pay them. Weird sit? pay it. Funny greeting? bouncy down? On a paddle board? Friendly? Waving to get your attention? Make you laugh? Pay it! That's the good stuff, the stuff you will continue to find endearing. The stuff that melts you.

Pay with their food.