Why don't some people (especially kids) like their food touching?

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just curious really.

Do people who don't like food touching cope well with things like chunky chicken and veg soup? or is it a no-no?

I'm one of those people. There are certain foods that I've never liked touching - wet and dry foods could never touch, so scrambled egg and beans for example. No idea where it comes from and I don't really eat food now so it's not such a problem.

My 8 year old can't cope with two tastes in her mouth at the same time even if she likes both foods. She doesn't eat soup or anything in a sauce or shepherd's pie etc, literally everything has to be separate unless it's sweet (e.g. will eat apple crumble & custard).

Does it matter why?

Some people like it some people don't. No need to look for an explanation of personal choice.

I absolutely cannot cope with beans or sauce touching egg, no, just no.
I don't know why.

my youngest doesn’t like any of her food touching and will eat all, for example, her beans, followed by all of her chips, then finishes with the ‘main’ part of the meal, eg; pie. She has autism. That’s not to say everyone that eats like that has autism, before I’m jumped on. 😁

Actually, come to think of it, I can’t abide wet food touching, as it often ‘leaks’ into each other. 🤢

I have problems with certain textures - for example wet foods mixing with dry foods, so I can’t tolerate something like gravy on chips. It’s repulsive to me. But foods that are the same sort of texture mixing would be fine for me.

No idea why it’s that way. I don’t see why it should matter to anyone else though, my food preferences don’t really affect them.

No idea where it comes from and I don't really eat food now so it's not such a problem

You don't need to eat?

People are just different. I mean I'm fine with foods touching but can't stand stuff like tomato ketchup splurted all over the food rather than a dipping splodge. I end up leaving the covered bits.

Sensory issues mostly. I can't have certain combinations on the same plate in case they touch. I'm forever asking for side orders of certain things to ensure they don't touch. Then I eat them separately.

It's the textures, I can't get past it. It wouldn't be the end of the world but it would make me feel so nauseous if certain food touched that I couldn't stay at the table.

Temperature of foods has to be exact too. Which is a real faff when eating out.

Autism and sensory processing disorder are strong in my family. I don't have autism but I certainly would tick all the boxes for SPD if assessed.

can't stand stuff like tomato ketchup splurted all over the food rather than a dipping splodge.

Oh no! The very thought of that! 🤢

you know sometimes when things get too much? like the TV is on, someone is talking loudly on the phone and your DS insists on practicing the violin all at the same time, and your head starts buzing because of all the noise? It's like that, but in the mouth.

@gamerchick

No, I have Crohn's disease so have a liquid meal replacement most of the time. When I am well enough I do eat but a very limited diet and only dry foods.

No, I have Crohn's disease so have a liquid meal replacement most of the time. When I am well enough I do eat but a very limited diet and only dry foods

Ah I'm sorry to hear that man

Problems with good touching is a mild form of OCD, a sensory processing disorder.

What's chunky chicken?

What a brilliant way to put it, QueenBlueberries. I’m going to remember that one when people (wankers) start quizzing as to why my youngest eats like that.

I think nearly everyone starts out not wanting food to be mixed, one flavour at a time and then that changes as we grow up. I know I had to actively encourage my child to, say, have peas and mashed potato on the same fork. Some people never lose that contamination reflex of two foods touching each other. Others prefer one texture per mouthful.

As I say, I actively encourage my child to mix her food, some things taste better when mixed with something else and you'd never get that if you never try it. I'm fairly adventurous with food and now I have a child who is also adventurous. I realise that I'm pretty lucky and some children will never get past the ick factor.

Everyone is different - & I genuinely am not a fussy eater, but I really can't stand Egg & Tomato mixed/touching, it tastes metallic and like having tin foil on my teeth.

As a PP said, Tomato Ketchup squirted all over any food is a big no, but a pile for dipping is okay.

Some wet food makes dry food slimy if it is on the same plate. So fish fingers next to garden peas, the wet from the peas makes the fish finger coating slimy.

don't get me started on cross contamination from pick n mix

That’s not to say everyone that eats like that has autism, before I’m jumped on.

Yeah but lots of us do... ASD can be funny like that. No wet things touching dry foods! Ick!

I can't have certain foods touching because it ruins my eating order. For example, I would eat peas before cauliflower, but if they touch I am then in a dilemma and have to alternate mouthfuls (which is wrong). Gravy can only go on certain things. Carrots cannot touch anything as they taint everything.

Yep I have everything separate and eat one item at a time starting with least favourite. Veg first then chip then main for example so I end on a ‘high’ in my mind. If I have things like curry i’ll get tikka and use the sauce to ‘dip’

*"What's chunky chicken?"

Chicken and vegetable soup..but chunky, not smooth...

I hate my food touching unless I make it touch right before I eat it.

I couldn't eat rice covered in curry, it's a control thing for me. I'm not good with textures either.

you know sometimes when things get too much? like the TV is on, someone is talking loudly on the phone and your DS insists on practicing the violin all at the same time, and your head starts buzing because of all the noise? It's like that, but in the mouth.

Thank you so much for that description. I wish I'd been able to use it to explain the eating behaviours of the highly autistic children I used to teach.

I also have issues with irritating clothes, so lace or a rough seam and I hate labels in clothes too.

I also can't bear the noise of people eating and drinking, sniffing, breathing etc so I clearly have some sensory issues