Chewy foods I can send to school... Help, I'm stuck!

[QOFE]

DS is 8 and has ASD diagnosis. He's had a very difficult time with some extremely challenging behaviour at his mainstream primary and for a while it looked like he would have to move to specialist provision but following some serious input from Occupational Therapy around his sensory processing issues there has been a turnaround and he is doing incredibly well at the moment.

Among the things that have worked well and made a difference is frequent small snacks throughout the day. The OT identified that chewing calms him, but he won't entertain a special chewing necklace as he hates anything that makes him look "different". So the suggestion was made to send "chewy food" for his snack box which is kept at school. So far it's been dried apple rings and dried mango but I'm bothered about the effect on his teeth, but I can't think of anything else that is a) chewy, b) vegetarian, and c) nut free.

Any ideas?

Something like this ? www.thevegankindsupermarket.com/products/kings-black-bean-sauce-flavour-veggie-jerky-25g?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googleshopping&variant=15975742963806&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2sDxor6y4gIVx_hRCh3g7wO4EAQYASABEgIkafD_BwE

Or could he have a bracelet instead of a necklace?

What about celery and carrot sticks? Would they be chewy enough? A piece of cheese?

Ooooh, the teenager loves that veggie jerky, I can't believe I didn't think of it! Not sure if he will go for it but definitely sending a bag in after half term to see how it goes down.

He's funny about putting non food items in his mouth (years of me bellowing NOT IN YOUR MOUTH have finally sunk in ) which is the other barrier to chewy jewellery. I think he'd really go for chewing gum but can't imagine school allowing it.

My dd has sensory issues and she loves pasta

What about those flap jack type bars

I send carrot sticks and chewy bread in his lunch every day! I should have added the criteria that the snacks need to be long life so they can live in a box under his workstation at school :)

Flapjack bars would definitely go down well with him but they're also so sweet... maybe I need to just accept a lot of sugar as the price we pay for an almost end to the violent meltdowns though!

The outer bit of a baguette is quite chewy

It's funny, the more I learn about ASD and sensory processing disorder the more I see it in myself! I spent my school years chewing paper almost constantly I'd rip strips from the back of my work books and chew them til they went to total mush.

What about fruit leather, prehaps an american thing. But i found this rescipe www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_fruit_leather/
Or those fruit roll up type of things

Or the fruit bars with the bear on.

Dried apricots gave a bit of chew

I can't get a link to work but Fruit bowl school bars are quite chewy. They could work?

Dried mango is very chewy.

Sorry missed the bit about apple and mango.

Can you make flapjack squares with a natural sugar replacement such as stevia?

Dried fruit is what we are sending at the moment, I'm just fretting that it's basically the same effect on his teeth as him having toffee 3 times a day!

Also I think the abundance of dried fruit is making him fart quite a lot

Malt loaf bars? Maybe not chewy enough, I'm not sure?

What about popcorn?

To be honest, I'd just ask the school about chewing gum, I'm sure they would rather that than violent outbursts!

I have a chewy one too, but he's a bit older and was getting through several metal pens a week (not good with a very expensive brace!).

He has these at the moment on the end of his pens.

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Sensory-University-cspt1000-TOPPERS/dp/B075CL8K6S/ref=sr_1_9?s=gateway&keywords=chew+stixx&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1558644755&sr=8-9

What about liquorice root!
www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/liquorice-root-1kg.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwiZnnBRBQEiwAcWKfYorVT1UpYcHkCmZEqgA20TPRK2AyEFjXicO3uhNxzRWfkQiH3GUTRBoCkmEQAvD_BwE

I know he has said no to chewy necklaces, but have you looked on this website? They have chewable lanyards as well as other more discrete items. www.chewigem.co.uk/shop/?product_cat=chewellry

My ds has a skull necklace that we shortened so it’s more of a key ring. He has it on his pencil case (I’m ignoring the hygiene implications) but they also do lanyards and pencil toppers.

Otherwise I’d ask the school to allow sugar free gum

You can get chewy tooth brushes
fuzzybrush.com/
Good for teeth and school might let him have them if they’re not keen on gum.

Bagels are chewier than bread.
Messy but how about corn on the cob?
Peppers, carrots and cucumber sticks- more crunchy than chewy but could work.

Perhaps those Goodies fruity flapjack bars? Or malt loaf?