I'm having trouble getting DS (nearly 9, probable Aspergers, used to eat more diverse foods) to eat well at the moment.
We used to have treats like choclate spread, etc in the house for weekend. We had snacks like crisps for after school on Fridays, but not every day. I used to feel that I was managing well.
After a prolonged tricky period, especially with behaviour and getting to school on time, I really loosened up on rules around food. I thought I was being smart, picking my battles, but now I'm not so sure. Now, I've looked at his diet and realised it is very high in sugar and junk food in general, and I think this is contirubting to his difficulty in keeping control of his behaviour. He defnitely gets angry/has meltdowns when hungry or tired. I also think the amount of sugar may be stopping him from sleeping well.
Any advice on how to get back to a better diet? Unfortunately, lots of foods are now off the menu for a variety of reasons, mostly sensory, but some because they have learned at school that they are "bad" (either for the environment or for health). Sadly, the bad for your health message doesn't work that well from me.
We meal plan together in advance, but invariably it slips and he ends up eating chocolate spread sandwiches for breakfast, school lunch (being monitored this week to see what he does actually eat), full packed lunch style snack after school, and then refuses to eat dinner even though he is hungry because he doesn't like it (whatever it is), then loads of toast before bed.
He won't sleep if he's hungry, and will be a total nightmare to get to bed. Should I just get over it and send him to be hungry if he won't eat dinner? Is there a more gentle way to do this?
He will eat random healthy things (specific fruits and veg that I have available all the time), but meals with his siblings are a struggle. I know that there are sensory issues here, and that the stress of sitting at the table with them makes him likely to explode. He hates the way they talk loudly, etc... Any tips on how to make this a bit more harmonious?
Final bit of info, he's very active, probably a bit underweight, and needs to eat a lot (more than a typical adult most days).