Eating Habits

[Kari Suttle]

Ever since i was really little, even as a toddler and preschooler, i've been such a picky eater. Mostly, its cause the texture of a lot of food bothers me. Like I genuinely like the taste of meat, but unless the texture is just right it bothers me too much to eat, to the point i'll gag on it trying to swallow it. Same goes with fruit - the taste is fine, the texture not so much. I'm trying to get over that, though, because eating so poorly all my life has started to affect my health. I have a lot of vitamin deficiencies from it which doensn't help the fact i've always been somewhat underweight no matter how much i eat.

Currently, i'm just trying to get over my aversion to fruit by working on it slowly...starting with applesauce and fruit cups (the not so healthy fruit in flavored syrup kinds) and moving from there. I like smoothies, but they're pretty well impossible to make at someone else's house. I'm not sure how okay the parents would be with me using their blender every day even if i cleaned it by hand after using it. I'm trying to work on my meat consumption too, since meat is a much more long standing issue with me. To the point i wont eat meat with spaghetti even if its in the sauce, i hate them together. But its summer and dad got a new grill that works way better than the old one, so i'm trying to get better about eating meat that way. Not so much forcing myself as, if it looks good (which it always does with the new grill) picking the best looking piece and eating it with rice or bread or whatever's on the table, cause pairing them together its better that way. For me anyways. Just, has anyone else has such problems with food textures? If so, how'd you get over them? I live at home and i'm taking college classes online while working full time babysitting a toddler and working weekends as a cashier, so i buy my own food even though i live at home but it has to be quick and portable. Any advice is appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Peace]

Ever since i was really little, even as a toddler and preschooler, i've been such a picky eater. Mostly, its cause the texture of a lot of food bothers me. Like I genuinely like the taste of meat, but unless the texture is just right it bothers me too much to eat, to the point i'll gag on it trying to swallow it. Same goes with fruit - the taste is fine, the texture not so much. I'm trying to get over that, though, because eating so poorly all my life has started to affect my health. I have a lot of vitamin deficiencies from it which doensn't help the fact i've always been somewhat underweight no matter how much i eat.

Currently, i'm just trying to get over my aversion to fruit by working on it slowly...starting with applesauce and fruit cups (the not so healthy fruit in flavored syrup kinds) and moving from there. I like smoothies, but they're pretty well impossible to make at someone else's house. I'm not sure how okay the parents would be with me using their blender every day even if i cleaned it by hand after using it. I'm trying to work on my meat consumption too, since meat is a much more long standing issue with me. To the point i wont eat meat with spaghetti even if its in the sauce, i hate them together. But its summer and dad got a new grill that works way better than the old one, so i'm trying to get better about eating meat that way. Not so much forcing myself as, if it looks good (which it always does with the new grill) picking the best looking piece and eating it with rice or bread or whatever's on the table, cause pairing them together its better that way. For me anyways. Just, has anyone else has such problems with food textures? If so, how'd you get over them? I live at home and i'm taking college classes online while working full time babysitting a toddler and working weekends as a cashier, so i buy my own food even though i live at home but it has to be quick and portable. Any advice is appreciated, thanks in advance.

Yes, I share in both your aversion to most foods (for one reason or another) and your size and health issues. You can make many things ahead of time to take with you, and many things are portable. I am on a very strict health diet, so I appreciate how difficult it is to be away from home and have special food requirements.
I would suggest making it a point to try one new thing every day, or every week. You will likely be surprised at how your diet will evolve. I would suggest eating as healthy as you can. Steer clear of diet products and chemical laden foods. Splenda sweetener is made from Chlorine Bleach and sugar, most ice cream contains Propolyne Glycol (antifreeze) and so on. No GMO's, and if it does not say it on the package, you can bet it has it in there. No fast food dining and NO SODA. At least try to limit these things for your best chance at a successful outcome.
Remember, you will only eat what you have, and you will only have what you buy.

 

[Judge]

My brother: "So basically you're allergic to food?"

Me: "Uh huh. Sure looks that way when it comes to animal fat and grease."

Gastroesophagial Reflux Disease. (GERD) An acronym I wish I never knew about.

 

[Kari Suttle]

Yes, I share in both your aversion to most foods (for one reason or another) and your size and health issues. You can make many things ahead of time to take with you, and many things are portable. I am on a very strict health diet, so I appreciate how difficult it is to be away from home and have special food requirements.
I would suggest making it a point to try one new thing every day, or every week. You will likely be surprised at how your diet will evolve. I would suggest eating as healthy as you can. Steer clear of diet products and chemical laden foods. Splenda sweetener is made from Chlorine Bleach and sugar, most ice cream contains Propolyne Glycol (antifreeze) and so on. No GMO's, and if it does not say it on the package, you can bet it has it in there. No fast food dining and NO SODA. At least try to limit these things for your best chance at a successful outcome.
Remember, you will only eat what you have, and you will only have what you buy.

Yes, I agree with what you said about no GMO's and chemical-laden food. The family i work for eats mostly organic foods, and I've caught onto that a bit myself even though my family thinks its sort of stupid. Right now i'm just trying to eat healthier, and when i feel more comfortable with my choices i'll start switching over to organic varieties as i find them. I prefer organic or at least natural variants where feasible, though walmart doesn't have much in that department. I've been limiting my soda to one can a day in the mornings, though eventually i plan to phase that out too. I like your idea of one new thing a week - this week i've already decided my new item will be fruit cups. Eventually i'd like to switch over my sandwich condiments to organic, too.

 

[Kari Suttle]

My brother: "So basically you're allergic to food?"

Me: "Uh huh. Sure looks that way when it comes to animal fat and grease."

Gastroesophagial Reflux Disease. (GERD) An acronym I wish I never knew about.

I used to get the same reaction from my family, lol. Eventually they quit bothering me about it, fortunately. Whether that's cause they simply gave up or if they connected the dots finally, i don't know. So what's GERD?

 

[Judge]

I used to get the same reaction from my family, lol. Eventually they quit bothering me about it, fortunately. Whether that's cause they simply gave up or if they connected the dots finally, i don't know. So what's GERD?

A nasty combination of my esophagus opening and closing at the wrong time, letting acid move up into it when it shouldn't. Causing EXTREME pain where whatever was going down needs to come up. In a hurry. Very ugly condition. Limits what I can safely eat.

Forget chicken, or steak....when I cook ground beef you should see me have to strain the grease from it.

 

[Kari Suttle]

A nasty combination of my esophagus opening and closing at the wrong time, letting acid move up into it when it shouldn't. Causing EXTREME pain where whatever was going down needs to come up. In a hurry. Very ugly condition. Limits what I can safely eat.

Forget chicken, or steak....when I cook ground beef you should see me have to strain the grease from it.

Yikes that does sound painful! And hard to deal with.

 

[Judge]

Yikes that does sound painful! And hard to deal with.

It's negatively impacting my quality of life. No joy in food...and going to a restaurant is an exercise in terror. Unless I'm already familiar with what's available that I can eat without problems. Some meds help...but they're no cure either. I'm still tempted to carry a flask. No booze...just Mylanta.

 

[Asterism]

Is the whole food issue a typical aspie thing? I've never really looked into it.

I've hated meat since I was a small child and stopped eating it altogether as soon as I reached the point where my parents could no longer coerce me into eating it. The texture just creeped me out. It's as though I could feel all the muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels. I know that's a bit absurd, but every touch of it against my tongue or lips evoked these sensations of disgust. Similarly, I can't eat anything that's slimy or too smooth, like mayonaise or mushrooms.

Everything has to be uniformly crunchy to just the right degree or it starts evoking an involuntary gag response. Fortunately, most vegetables work just fine for me when cooked just a little bit, so I'm actually not at risk of eating poorly. Still, it's really a challenge when going to a restaurant for the first time, since it's pretty much guaranteed that 95 percent of the things on the menu will elicit a creeped out response from me when I consider what they might feel like in my mouth.

I've gotten considerably less picky over the years and started cooking things from scratch that suit me, but when I was younger it was always a source of embarrassment and just another example of something that I always tried to hide in order to avoid the unwanted comments and judgments from others who viewed it (and me) as odd. Now I just tell people I'm a vegetarian, which seems be a cool thing for many, so it avoids the embrassement of the more honest answer of just being creeped out by so many kinds of food.

 

[Judge]

Is the whole food issue a typical aspie thing? I've never really looked into it.

I just figure it's reasonable to conclude a basic correlation of social maladjustment with gastrointestinal issues to widely varying degrees. Beyond that its likely that our sensory issues may include taste, texture and olfactory issues as well.

 

[Kari Suttle]

Is the whole food issue a typical aspie thing? I've never really looked into it.

I've hated meat since I was a small child and stopped eating it altogether as soon as I reached the point where my parents could no longer coerce me into eating it. The texture just creeped me out. It's as though I could feel all the muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels. I know that's a bit absurd, but every touch of it against my tongue or lips evoked these sensations of disgust. Similarly, I can't eat anything that's slimy or too smooth, like mayonaise or mushrooms.

Everything has to be uniformly crunchy to just the right degree or it starts evoking an involuntary gag response. Fortunately, most vegetables work just fine for me when cooked just a little bit, so I'm actually not at risk of eating poorly. Still, it's really a challenge when going to a restaurant for the first time, since it's pretty much guaranteed that 95 percent of the things on the menu will elicit a creeped out response from me when I consider what they might feel like in my mouth.

I've gotten considerably less picky over the years and started cooking things from scratch that suit me, but when I was younger it was always a source of embarrassment and just another example of something that I always tried to hide in order to avoid the unwanted comments and judgments from others who viewed it (and me) as odd. Now I just tell people I'm a vegetarian, which seems be a cool thing for many, so it avoids the embrassement of the more honest answer of just being creeped out by so many kinds of food.

Haha yeah i'm that way about meat. Most of the time the texture just feels sickening to me and i can't get past it save once in a blue moon when dad cooks it juuuuust right. Vegetable have always been an issue with me for the same reason, green beans with cheese and any sort of potato is the best i get with them and even that's reluctant, unless its thrown in a soup. Its always been a source of embarrassment for me. I think when i graduate college and move out it'll be easier, at least, because then i'll be able to learn how to cook things just the way i want them and it will hopefully not be as big of an issue to me at that point.

 

[wyverary]

Yes, I share in both your aversion to most foods (for one reason or another) and your size and health issues. You can make many things ahead of time to take with you, and many things are portable. I am on a very strict health diet, so I appreciate how difficult it is to be away from home and have special food requirements.
I would suggest making it a point to try one new thing every day, or every week. You will likely be surprised at how your diet will evolve. I would suggest eating as healthy as you can. Steer clear of diet products and chemical laden foods. Splenda sweetener is made from Chlorine Bleach and sugar, most ice cream contains Propolyne Glycol (antifreeze) and so on. No GMO's, and if it does not say it on the package, you can bet it has it in there. No fast food dining and NO SODA. At least try to limit these things for your best chance at a successful outcome.
Remember, you will only eat what you have, and you will only have what you buy.

I can't resist a quick fact-check on one of the issues you raised (though not the only one that needs one), that of propylene glycol. It's not ACTUALLY antifreeze (though it has some antifreeze properties) and is quite safe: NeuroLogica Blog » OMG – The Chemicalz

However, trying a new thing each week is an excellent suggestion. It's best to vary one's diet as much as possible. There are a wide variety of foods that can give you the nutrients you need, so find what you like best (or at least can tolerate the most). Fresh food is ALWAYS better than processed or pre-packaged, so cooking skills come in handy.

 

[Kari Suttle]

I can't resist a quick fact-check on one of the issues you raised (though not the only one that needs one), that of propylene glycol. It's not ACTUALLY antifreeze (though it has some antifreeze properties) and is quite safe: NeuroLogica Blog » OMG – The Chemicalz

However, trying a new thing each week is an excellent suggestion. It's best to vary one's diet as much as possible. There are a wide variety of foods that can give you the nutrients you need, so find what you like best (or at least can tolerate the most). Fresh food is ALWAYS better than processed or pre-packaged, so cooking skills come in handy.

Yeah, i know there is a lot of controversy on whether or not GMO's and dyes and such are safe or not. I don't have any training in chemistry or nutrition, so I can't claim to 'know' anything based off of web research alone. I just know that me personally, i don't feel comfortable knowing something unnatural that i can't even pronounce the name of is in my food. Like you suggested, i plan to move towards eating fresh foods instead of prepackaged as time and my own personal tolerance allows. I don't do change well, and right now there's a lot of change simply with having to make my lunch every morning to take to work. But its a goal of mine, to eventually be okay with eating a variety of fresh foods - meats, fruits, and veggies. I felt the best this week after eating grilled chicken and rice for dinner so i'm running with that as my motivation.

 

[Sander]

I myself eat as much fresh food as possible. Fresh vegetables and fruits are important to me. Anything canned I taste and it makes me feel uncomfortable and a little nauseous after I've eaten it. So far I don't have any further problems with other foods.

As much as having problems with the foods texture I can't really help.

All I can hope for is that it gets better soon for you guys!

 

[Tarragon]

I was like this too. I turned veggie a few years back, not because I have any problems eating meat anymore, but its cheaper and I wanted to give it a go. I eat quorn all the time, and wonder if that might be a good thing for you to try instead of meat because of the texture.

I'm not trying to convert you to being a veggie, just thought I'd mention an alternative which would help

 

[Kari Suttle]

I was like this too. I turned veggie a few years back, not because I have any problems eating meat anymore, but its cheaper and I wanted to give it a go. I eat quorn all the time, and wonder if that might be a good thing for you to try instead of meat because of the texture.

I'm not trying to convert you to being a veggie, just thought I'd mention an alternative which would help

Yeah, veggies are cheap. Unfortunately i have just as much of an issue with them, as well. I'm attempting to try steamed veggies, since the family i work for steams veggies sometimes and they seem much more appealing that way and have a more palatable texture at the very least. But currently the only time i'll eat veggies is if its green beans with cheese, soup with veggies in it, or any form of potato. If they had single serving frozen veggies i'd try them that way cause i hate canned veggies but i can't find them, and when i can its broccoli which i'm not open to eating. Quorn, did you mean corn? But yes, i think i'd like veggies provided i can find ways to cook them to my liking. I'm not good at cooking, unfortunately.

 

[Tarragon]

Yeah, veggies are cheap. Unfortunately i have just as much of an issue with them, as well. I'm attempting to try steamed veggies, since the family i work for steams veggies sometimes and they seem much more appealing that way and have a more palatable texture at the very least. But currently the only time i'll eat veggies is if its green beans with cheese, soup with veggies in it, or any form of potato. If they had single serving frozen veggies i'd try them that way cause i hate canned veggies but i can't find them, and when i can its broccoli which i'm not open to eating. Quorn, did you mean corn? But yes, i think i'd like veggies provided i can find ways to cook them to my liking. I'm not good at cooking, unfortunately.

Nope, it's called quorn.

Welcome to Quorn

 

[Fox]

I love love love meat. Chicken and turkey in particular, I could eat poultry everyday easily. Other than that I eat sweets, dairy, and grains. That's it.

I do NOT like fruits and vegetables. The taste is just...bad. I put it in my mouth and I promptly spit it out and do whatever I can to get the taste out of my mouth.

I also do what I can to avoid crunchy foods. Potato chips are a big no no in my diet. I don't like overheated tortillas either if they become crunchy. It makes me think my teeth are breaking and it freaks me out.

On a similar note, does anyone have any advice to handle the "just try it" people? My ex's mom was obnoxious about it. She kept going on and on about "you have to try everything at least once" even after I told her I have tried things and not liked it. I shouldn't have to be objected to and forced to eat things that I already know I don't like!! I don't know how to handle people like her though!!

 

[Kari Suttle]

I love love love meat. Chicken and turkey in particular, I could eat poultry everyday easily. Other than that I eat sweets, dairy, and grains. That's it.

I do NOT like fruits and vegetables. The taste is just...bad. I put it in my mouth and I promptly spit it out and do whatever I can to get the taste out of my mouth.

I also do what I can to avoid crunchy foods. Potato chips are a big no no in my diet. I don't like overheated tortillas either if they become crunchy. It makes me think my teeth are breaking and it freaks me out.

On a similar note, does anyone have any advice to handle the "just try it" people? My ex's mom was obnoxious about it. She kept going on and on about "you have to try everything at least once" even after I told her I have tried things and not liked it. I shouldn't have to be objected to and forced to eat things that I already know I don't like!! I don't know how to handle people like her though!!

My mom is like that. Eventually i think she just gave up on it when i persisted in listening to what she said and not replying but just simply not eating whatever it was she insisted i would like if i just gave it an honest try. She always told me when i tried something but didn't like it that i just didn't give it an honest try and dad would agree. I think if they'd been more open and supportive and not forceful it would have been better. Now that i'm around the family i work for a lot more than my family, my eating habits are improving on their own and the family i work for just talks about how they eat and why just to explain themselves, they don't force any of it on me much less demand it like my parents did when i was growing up. To be honest, i just avoid family meals when possible, that's what its come to. Its not a healthy way to deal with it though. What worked on my forceful, judgemental, narrow minded mother has been to just listen but respect my own tolerances and simply not eat it as told to if i know its not something i can tolerate. She gave up eventually.

 

[tlc]

How about GERD and achalasia? That's me. Best way for me to describe GERD is battery acid boiling up into the back of your throat and filling up your lungs. Achalasia is where food gets stuck on the way down and if you're lucky you wait, if not so lucky you gotta go puke it up and sometimes it's a battle for hours. Both are caused by the muscle at the end of the esophagus that doesn't work right. It stays open and you get GERD. It stays closed and you get achalasia. Rarely a happy medium. Then what does make it down sometimes turns into IBS. So sometimes I wonder why I even bother eating.

So between the three, I don't eat a whole lot. And other than that, I only eat when I'm hungry. And many things I don't eat. No salad dressings, no condiments except pickles or relish, no sour cream, no yogurt. No meat or eggs or anything that is not fully cooked. But meat gets stuck so easily I tend to avoid that anyway.