Bad food children

[plutooo]

I was chatting to my sister the other day who said her kids have nuggets and chips 4 out of 7 nights and pizza and pasta the rest. Her youngest has asd and a very fussy eater so she gives them what she knows they will eat

I did think this was quite bad and nicely tried to tell her so but then she said I'm sure there must be some kids out there who do the same or worse and turn out ok

Is she right? Is it not such a big deal?

Well it’s not great but sometimes getting any food in children, as opposed to wasting fresh home cooked food they won’t eat and having hungry children, is sometimes all you can do, especially if they have ASD and have a problem with textures/tastes/unfamiliarity etc.

She knows it's not ideal and she doesn't need you judging her.

It's not ideal but she's doing what she has to (ie doing her best)

Look up ARFID. It’s a real eating disorder common in autistic children.

Between nuggets and chips and starvation, I’d choose the nuggets and chips.

My DS is the same - a cycle of pasta, chips/sausage or chips/nuggets. Might occasionally get a cottage pie in there but it's difficult dye to ASD, food aversions and food allergies. I'd love him yo eat a full and varied diet but it's just not possible

Everyone’s fighting a battle of some sort..that’s hers. If they get some fruit throughout the day and maybe a vitamin supplement, they’ll be fine.

My DD2 pretty much ate only those things throughout her childhood. She is now a tall, healthy adult who eats pretty much anything. If your child refuses to eat then you will give them what they like just so they are fed.

She's doing her best

My eldest is on a rotation of
Pizza
Sausages
Fish fingers
Pasta

He refuses to eat anything else. Of course I know it's bad, but I'd rather he ate something than nothing at all. He's small and can't afford to lose any further weight. We are currently looking into whether he has sensory processing disorder or autism.

My other child eats whatever we do.

I would hate to be judged on my son's eating when I am doing my absolute best to get any food into him.

You have no clue unless you have a kid that doesn't eat! Don't be so judgy

Of course it’s not ideal but since becoming a parent I’ve learned the sobering and humbling lesson that it’s often down to luck and not parenting if your child eats/sleeps/talks well etc. So don’t be so quick to judge. I’m sure there’s a reason why they eat a diet with such a lack of variety.

So her DC has ASD and you're on here criticising how she feeds them? Fucking Hell. I'm glad you're not my "D"Sis.

Time to read up on ARFID, ASD and develop a bit of empathy and just maybe put your energies into helping your DSis instead of slagging her off.

What do you think she should be doing differently OP? What are your tips on how to get a child with ASD to try new foods?

If she does I'm all ears. Getting DD to eat enough calories to keep her alive is a daily struggle.