How do you get protein if you're funny without meat?

[Mounjarooo]

Am realising as an adult I am autistic (Have an assessment soon)

I can't deal with meat. I like it but it freaks me out.
If I eat something and it has fat or gristle I can't eat another bite.

Sometimes it just smells weird or I think about animals

But I have constantly low iron and need to improve my diet.

I eat very bland UPFs alot of the time.

I'm the same with eggs
I eat them but then the other day there was something black in the egg white and I threw up and now can't think of eggs again!

I need high protein low risk things!

Chickpeas, lentils, green yoghurt, tofu, protein powder, peanut butter

Lentil and tomato soup is simple to make and good for both protein and iron.

I’m vegetarian since childhood and also realising I’m autistic, realising in my 50s.

if you have low iron, something I’ve suffered from many times being anaemia, eat more green veggies. I have a ton of spinach and orange juice at the same time as helps your body absorb it better. There are also other combinations of veggies and fruits.

if you need more protein most veggie options nowadays help with that, also nuts, chickpeas, mixed beans, lentils, eggs (use them as an ingredient if you can’t face them alone. I eat all of those things each week.

Tofu is very easy to make, you heat some soya milk (Asda own brand 50p a litre works fine), add 2 - 3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice, and sieve the curds from the whey. You can then press it into a block or burger shape, fry it or marinade it, or use it as fake scrambled eggs.
I'm not sure if you'd struggle with the curd part though - can you tell yourself its just yoghurt? I sometimes find if I have a story ready for a gross situation, it works out fine.

Also take floridix. It's liquid iron easily brought in chemists or Amazon. Tastes pleasant and really lifts your energy.

Pulses if you can cope with the texture. Red lentils cook down to nothing and are good in soups and dhals.

Cottage cheese - the best one by far is Longley Farm full fat. Nothing else compares. In most supermarkets and a lot of other places in Yorkshire but I believe it might be harder to get elsewhere.

I'm vegan.

I usually start the day with a green smoothie. Spinach or kale, banana, apple juice, a touch of lime juice if I fancy a bit of zing, a tablespoon of milled glax seed and whatever fruit we have (I like fresh kiwi & frozen pineapple).

Lunch is often home made baked beans on toast or a lentil-based soup or salad. Or falafels & hummus with salad or in a wrap.

Dinners include fajitas (mushroom instead of chicken), veggie curry or chilli, nut roast, lentil shepherds pie...

Loew fast real Greek (not Greek style) yogurt, at what you wanted but have a pot a day. Porridge, again got lots of protein. Nuts and but butter which can be added to produce or yogurt. How are you with fish and asked dish like salmon? Cottage cheese mixed in things or spread on things again a high source.

Dependent on your weight it determined how much protein you need to eat in a day. There's always protein bars to to up in the if day when you just can't do it not ideal as a mainstay though hope that's a free ideas

Honestly in your situation I would probably use protein powder /shakes and an iron supplement like Floridax, like someone suggested further up the thread. Having difficulties with food is really tough. My son has sensory processing disorder and a close friend's daughter has ARFID, it's not a choice to struggle with food. I would try and take the pressure off yourself. If you're able to try a new food then great, if not it's fine, you're doing your best. Also in terms of UPF - they are not all created equal. If for example, one of your safe foods is chicken nuggets, you could look for a brand that has a shorter list of ingredients /less additives. Wishing you all the very best 💜

I'm likely ND and I feel your pain on this - I also have low iron, as well as vitamins B and D.

I was recommended spatone sachets - the apple flavour ones, as a way of boosting getting iron in. It's hard for the body to absorb iron from supplements, but apparently the iron water, and with vitamin c (which the flavoured one is) is both stomach friendly and easy to absorb.The downside is that to get your rda of iron from them you need 3 sachets a day which isn't cheap, though it is often on special offer.

Green leafy veg are a vegetarian source of iron, and have the bonus of almost always providing their own source of vitamin c for absorption. The downside is the vast quantity of these that you need to consume to get the same amount of iron as you would from a piece of red meat 🙃

I eat lentils or chickpeas most days. I've also found a love for tofu if done in the air fryer.

I would persevere with trying to eat some less problematic meat (what about making a lasagne with lean beef mince? And find an iron supplement that your body can tolerate, making sure that you are getting vitamin c or that it is in the supplement.

OP I'd take iron supplements if your iron is low. I'm perimenopause and need to eat more protein, I've just bought a protein/collagen powder that dissolves in water and has no taste. That's been great as u just have a drink with meals when my protein is lower than it should be. I have been eating Greek yoghurt, nuts and seeds too. I've got into the habit of having Greek yoghurt with a spoonful of jam and mixed seeds mixed in for an easy breakfast.

Protein bagel and cheese spread with veggies for lunch etc

• Hemp seeds: 30% protein
• Seitan (wheat gluten): 25% protein
• Lentils: 25% protein
• Peanut butter: 25% protein
• Nuts: 20% protein
• Tempeh: 20% protein
• Tofu: 12-20% protein
• Quinoa: 15% protein
• Quorn: 15% protein
• Chia seeds: 15% protein
• Eggs: 12% protein
• Beans: 8-12% protein
• Thick Greek yoghurt: 10% protein
• Chickpeas: 8% protein
• Avocados: 2% protein

The vegan meatloaf is easy but incredible. Nice with gravy or with peanut butter instead of bread when peckish.

This meatloaf - incredible for Christmas Day and lots of protein.

Oooo just in time for Christmas. Thanks @Theextraordinaryisintheordinary

I'm pretty good with fish if it's not too fishy. But again if there's something 'wrong' with it or I get a bone I can't finish it.

It's not really a texture issue, it's a 'this is something dead/an eggs a chickens period ' type thing 😅

Of I had lentils and there was something weird it wouldn't bother me, I'd pick it out because it's not meat.

I'm 10stone.

Thankyou.
My daughter has just been NHS diagnosed ARFID so I have alot of food struggles in the house.

That's so helpful thankyou.

What foods are you ok with?
It’s easy for us to say that you can get everything you need from a vegetarian diet but it’s more than not having meat for you.

Would you be ok with protein powder? Myprotein do a nice vimto one and as long as it’s properly shaken the texture is just like juice.

Can you cope with fish. Salmon, white fish, tuna - if funds are tight canned tuna, mackeral, sardines.

Nuts. I make my own granola (Nigella's recipe) and include a couple of Brazils ( for selenium) and a handful of walnuts etc every day.

Oh my god this is me!!!!!! I thought it was just me. I LOVE meat and eggs but i cant cope with it for the same things- gristle (vomit) blood flecks in the egg 🤮 etc. Im not autistic that im aware of. Its hard cos i have a toddler to feed and he needs protein! We do eat meat and eggs, just not every day. Other days we have other protein sources like beans and pulses etc

I'm also aware of nuts and things being quite calorie heavy which scares me as I've lost a lot of weight and am really worried about regaining

I can eat most things, I don't have a limited taste pallet, I just fell into the habit of not cooking or eating well.

I hate mince though! I use quorn mince in all recipes that require it

I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat eggs, I eat protein yoghurts from Aldi. They are nice and thick and creamy