ASD and eating

[eating]

Have namechanged.

I have ASD and really struggle with eating. I lose my appetite very easily and can't eat large portions. It's less because of appetite and more that I can't deal with a lot of stuff on my plate.

I really struggle with healthy food. I eat a lot of junk food - take away sandwiches and crisps mostly. I really want to be healthy but I struggle with the textures and smells - especially with fruit.

I am slim but I really want to be more healthy and just don't know what to do. I find it hard to talk about in real life because I find it embarrassing. I really like soup and that is a good way to be healthy as I just blitz vegetables and stick together - but i can't live on just that.

I find cooking so overwhelming and have a barrier up. I just want some advice?

Thanks in advance.

Stock* - not stick!

Hopeful bump?

Hello OP, I have ASD too and your post rings a lot of bells.

Yes soho is great as you can pack a lot of nutrition into it very easily and simply. You probably could in fact live on that .

However I hear your concerns. Would your GP refer you to a dietician as they might be able to help you come up with some emails that are simple to prepare but maximise your nutritional intake, in the meantime perhaps add a multivitamin and multimineral to your day so that you are boosting what you are taking in,

Hope that helps a little bit.

“Soup” not soho.

No advice but I'm the same, my diet mainly consists of soup and fruit. I got offered a referral to the eating disorders service but that was more for diagnosis, and I don't think that's appropriate because the eating issue is a symptom not the cause. I've been looking for a dietician with an interest in ASD but haven't found anyone appropriate. That might be worth looking into if you can afford it?

(And Christmas is a blooming nightmare. Food everywhere and I just want a Cup a Soup!)

Ds has asd, and eats a lot of eggs. Omelettes, scrambled, eggy bread, baked in a nest of mashed potato... Eggs are fantastic.

Thanks all. I think trying to get an appointment with a dietician would be a good idea. I don't want to be like this for the rest of my life! It's helpful to know I'm not the only one.

Sounds like ds. One thing I find helpful is thinking of what would be a good but simple diet 100 or more years ago - maybe porridge for breakfast, bread and cheese and fruit for lunch, soup or stew for dinner, day in, day out. Very little variation. No reason not to eat similar food every day.

I have exactly the same problem. It's got really out of hand over the past year - I used to be able to go home for lunch but a change in jobs and a house move means I now have to stay at work and eat in the canteen. The combination of noise, smells and people sitting very very close to me makes it even harder to eat anything. I also eat the same thing every day because trying to eat different things feels really overwhelming! My lunch consists of 1 packet of crisps and 1 yogurt, then I usually eat a few plain oatcakes at my desk. Nowhere near enough food and not healthy at all.

My new years resolution is to write down all the types of food I feel able to eat at work and Google some ideas based on that for some healthier lunches.