Last month, after my usual morning routine, I had to sit down with my family and have breakfast. That morning, we all had some healthy protein pancakes, made with whole oats. I’m
not the biggest fan of oats, nuts, peanut butter, and the like, so I was a bit hesitant to eat the meal. But after 22 minutes, I built up the courage to gulp it down without puking. This little scenario got me thinking: How do sensitivities affect the food choices of neurodivergent people? Well, after doing some research, I found that the hypersensitivities of those with autism can impact their food choices. For example, the autistic individual might avoid a tomato due to its squishy texture. In my case, I was hesitant to try oats, and I still despise nuts and peanut butter due to their respective textures. But these sensitivities aren’t just limited to texture. Taste, smell, and sight can also be factors in the food choices of those with autism.
The term for this is called food aversion. Food aversion isn’t just limited to textures, taste, or sight of the food. Some aspects of food aversion can include needing to have specific eating routines at meal times. For example, the individual may prefer to eat at a certain time, have the food on a certain plate, eat the food with certain silverware, or have a certain brand of food in order to have their meal. For me, I like to go out to eat once a week and I strongly prefer homemade macaroni and cheese over the Kraft brand and anything similar to it, mostly due to the taste and texture, which fall hand-in-hand with the routine I like to have. But the new question is how can we approach food aversions without stressing out the neurodivergent individual?
My suggestion would be to be patient with the individual when it comes to approaching food aversions. Urge them to try a new food at least once a week at the dinner table. If they don’t like it, just let it go. In life, it’s always better to choose your battles. However, some may argue that having food aversions means that older neurodivergent individuals might not get a nutritionally balanced diet. So how should that be approached? You can still have a balanced diet without having to shove foods you dislike down your throat,
both figuratively and literally. For me, while I don’t like tree nuts, peanuts, or oats, I’ve been working on having more vegetables, kicking some caffeinated beverages, and limiting how much I eat in a single sitting. The point is you can eat what you want without compromising your sensitivities to certain foods. As long as you’re eating healthy, you’ll be set for life. So the next time you see a food that you might be sensitive to, just remember that you don’t have to put it in your body if you don’t want to. It’s all about being healthy in the end.
Kadin is a college student, writer, and activist who is on a mission to help people better understand Autism. Throughout his life, he was told he wouldn’t be successful because he was on the spectrum. But time and time again, he proved the naysayers wrong. His goal in life is to inspire people with his story and help bring attention to Autism in the world.
