Need new recipes for foster child who hates certain textures

[flamingnoravera]

I have a 12 year old foster child with me who hates the following:
Mashed potatoes
Baked spuds
Porridge
Cereals
Toast (too crunchy)
Stew and casseroles
Anything sloppy
Spicy food
Pepper or chilli flavours

My repertoire of stews and casseroles with baked spuds is ruled out. My curries are out. I cooked a baked Spanish rice and chicken dish this week, she didn't like the rice (texture).
She likes pasta but I cannot eat it every night.
She has FASD which explains the sensory stuff. I am finding it much more difficult than I thought I would to feed her. We eat together so it has to be adult food that I and my son aged 22 can eat too.
She loves chinese food (I don't), ketchup and mayo which she will pour over anything. I have not owned a bottle of ketchup before her arrival. She likes chips (guess what Mrs healthy eater doesn't eat them, she won't eat sweet potato chips either).

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm running out.

chicken stock (either organic cites or home made), add a few small bits of broccoli, maybe very small carrots squares and peas, throw some chinese noodles but be careful not to overcook them.

*organic cubes

*organic and low salt......

Can you make a stir fry but to your tastes? Or is it noodles you don't like? Or if you're making a casserole when you're prepping the ingredients could you put some aside and cook them on a tray for her? If she likes ketchup would she accept other sauces and eat vegetables dipped into things? Maybe get her onto home made tomato sauce as well as ketchup.

Poppadoms, bread (ciabatta, naan bread, garlic bread) roast chicken and roast potatoes.

However, I would suggest going very gently in this issue and be prepared that you may have to do two separate meals at times.

TeX mex without peppers? Like quesadilla with chicken/ beans / cheese guacamole on the side, mild salsa sour cream etc if likes sauces.

Tofu with broccoli and soy sauce

Fish and chips

Risotto has different texture to rice?

Could you not do plainish food as an alternative eg. Sounds like she doesn't like wet food ...
roast chicken bits plus carb - new potatoes? my ds is not a potato fan but will eat them just and if desperate can turn into potato salad with squirt of mayo so healthy eaters can have plain.

Have had occasional success with sweet potato wedges..(they do them in nandos so if shes a fast food fan thats your ref point!)
Gammon steaks/pork chops
Burgers- not necessarily unhealthy
Egg- omlette or scrambled ?

If she likes chinese is that with rice or noodles?
you could do a stir fry with quorn for healthier or seafood/chicken then you can add chilli at the end - ds also is v sensitive to chilli

homemade pizza then you can have toppings to suit

I would find the carbs she will eat then rotate!

Pizza. You can then add more varied toppings to yours.

Would wraps work as carb given rice and potatoes are problematic? teriyaki Is nice as a marinade and you can put veg she doesn't like on yours.

Would lasagne be too sloppy? There are nice versions with chicken etc so you dont get bored of pasta and tomatoey sauces.

Will she take wedges as an acceptable chip alternative? Roast potatoes?

If she likes pasta then try brown rice pasta to add variety?

Chinese - try spiralised veg instead of the noodles - same texture, neutral taste, but mixes it up a bit.

Will she take the meat from a casserole without the juices? So you could serve hers as meat, maybe frozen peas (heated of course!) and chips or pasta whilst the rest of you have it as your standard casserole?

Bolognese?

What has she eaten in the past?

Can you cook very plain for her and then gently encourage her to try some of your sauces? So next time you do Spanish chicken, just do a plain chicken breast for her, that sort of thing? Or if you're having fish pie, do some fish fingers alongside it for her? No pressure to eat your stuff but very welcome to try it.

Ketchup and mayo on everything - yep been there! There are lower sugar and salt versions if it would make you feel better.

How about pizza? Can do some lovely adult pizza toppings for you and son - goats cheese and red onion maybe? Spinach and egg? Whatever - but also have a portion of ham and pineapple or whatever she likes too. Big bowl of salad and garlic bread.

Been there. It's hard.

Great suggestions so far. I'm going to head out and get some pizza dough.

The issues with stir fries is that I have to cook and watch her at the same time and stir fried are so easy to burn if I have to leave it and do something for her. I try to pre-prepare food so it needs minimal input when she gets home. We have U.K. Eat early so we can fit all her routine in and have time to chill before bed at 8 to avoid meltdowns.

I'm going to try a frittata tonight with potato wedges and tomato salad.

Omelette or tortilla. If she wants to watch you and copy you that could be a goer as she can choose her own fillings.

Would she have pasta bakes - I do one with ratatouille and shell pasta and cheese sauce? Or ones with less sloppy sauce but more pasta? Again you can get her involved I. Cooking those if she likes.

I would gently encourage her to try some of your dishes, it's usually a 5 try before you don't like it in most places.

She will try everything, she is brilliant at having a go, but she gags on some textures such as dal, risotto style rice (basmati steamed is fine).

Re the stir fries and watching her, can't she stand or sit on a stool in kitchen and watch you?

The frittata meal sounds great as does pizza dough, then you can look into other variations on it eg calzone (folded pizza) etc.

Don't rule out stuff like potato waffles eg with home made burgers etc. they're not that evil. Home made burgers you can prepare day before and leave in fridge.

Oh the basmati sounds good! How about a very lightly spiced chilli con carne with plenty of cheese and soured cream?

That's great she will try everything, bless her.

She also has ADHD and standing on a stool near a gas bob after her meds have worn off is, unfortunately not safe. I had hoped for cooking with her but it has to be at the weekend in the mornings when her meds are helping her to be calm enough to cook.

I suppose I have to accept that I will have to completely change my eating habits to more grilled meats, fish, etc wth salads and dippy sauces.

Have you taken her shopping with you. If she recognises food that she is familiar with that might be the place to start. My son is similar and likes dry food, meat, ham, and fish. No sauces, gravy or dressings. If she likes chips, would she be willing to try the frozen sliced potatoes from Iceland. Quick to put in the oven or pan with a few oven baked vegetables

If she eats rice thats v handy..you could steam pakchoi above rather than stir fry ... have some hoisin or soy to dress

this is a good chinese style - as the chicken comes out dryish for those that are not keen on wet- I like a tray bake as easy to prep early then just serve..(was a childminder with tiny kitchen!)
can flex the ingredients for allergies etc

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sticky-chinese-chicken-traybake

this was another i use a lot
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/hit-n-run-traybaked-chicken/
as could adapt serving to taste -goes well with rice

ds doesnt like carbs mixed in a bake so no to a pilaf but will have a bake with plain rice on the side....

wraps another favourite - again can be done with chicken/pork or quorn ..

Don't underestimate bread as a dinner carb and also what you can bake in the oven (as safer) if you would normally grill or fry there is generally a way to bake..
If you slow cook what about pot roast (like brisket- i put veg and beans and flavouring at the bottom with lots of herbs/spices and lump of meat on top - so it can be cut separately...or pulled pork?

Meatballs?

Shopping is difficult, if we do it in the morning when she us calm it is fine, but whole she's at school it's better to do if then because after 4pm her meds are wearing off and supermarkets are a big no no. When I have taken her she picks out the highly branded ready type foods which I really don't want to buy or eat for more reasons than I can list. She's been with me 4 weeks so we are still finding our way.

How long are you going to be fostered with her OP?

My friend has a DD (now older) with the same syndrome and ADHD and I agree with you re safety (though she was on Ritalin all the time apart from holidays).

Anything you could prepare overnight would work well, if you fancy making it yourself or buying it what about cheese etc flans or quiches? They can be stored in fridge, you can make pastry for next day.

I agree with avery I have garlic bread with our pasta bake and last night when out at a French restaurant I had nice bread in basket. Bread and butter with fish and chips (home made, breaded cod etc) would work. Oven baked chips etc. fish cakes?

I've just thought, not great but good with sauces or butter, those pasta ravioli things (Gino someone?) that you boil in water for a minute or 3, you can add a salad and they come in spinach and cheese, bolognese etc fillings and quite good nutrionally. They also don't have the crunch factor and the filling not very sloppy.

Maybe with anything with a sauce encourage her to use bread to mop it up, help eat it.

Steak, chips, Broccoli

breaded chicken with mayo? salad on the side?

Small Lettuce leaves, washed and separated to eat as snack.

Definitely get ketchup and mayo so she can eat some comfort foods she is used to whilst getting used to her new situation. Food is about control too, so I wouldn't impose too much at the moment as she is just getting used to her new family and home. good luck. Bless her.

Is she a fish fingers, chicken goujons type of girl? Could you make your own of those - our toddler/preschool two like these but have moved on to fish cakes - we get them small ones and ourselves fancy ones. Or turkey twizzlers for her and chicken cordon bleu for you, moving her up to the adult version gradually?

The nice thing about those sorts of foods is you can put them in the oven on a timer.

I was going to say wedges too.

And filled pasta, good idea. Very quick.

The pre-chopped veg/noodles/sauce you can get is ready in about 3 minutes. So not too much time to have hot oil cooking.

You can buy frozen chinese flavour chicken thighs in Lidl or Aldi. Could this be an idea with basmati rice and a steam packet of veg (or microwaved peas and sweetcorn).

Of course you can do your own coating and have some plain, some BBQ, some tikka etc if you got a pack of thighs.

If she will have basmati rice have you tried cous cous?
Maybe gnocchi? Somewhere between pasta and potato. How about making your own nachos from baked tortilla wraps and a tomato based mince with grated cheese and sour cream? Most know kids like things that resemble crisps and sour cream not a million mile off Mayo! If she seems familiar with Breadcrumb clad kiddie food maybe introduce her to mash through croquet potatoes you could also make fishcakes. How about making your own burgers, use the familiarity of a burger (in a bun with ketchup and cheese if required) to introduce new flavours and textures you could try a bean or veggie burger.

superfly She is with me for a year as a theraputic placement. I am working in a team with school, SWs and specialists. Her needs are many and I want her to enjoy eating and cooking. She has done cooking at school this week and came home with spaghetti she had cooked which we ate yesterday .

Tonight has been hard, but she ate the fritatta and initially liked the tiny new potatoes quartered and baked with a bit of salt then needed mayo but that was fine. Finally she is asleep and her cheese sarnies are in the fridge for school lunch tomorrow.

Breakfast is a challenge too. I thought I might try crumpets tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. Keep em coming, I will be trying them all!