Food problems!

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Uhhh

I'm in a place where I've just about run out of foods to eat. I am extremely picky and have problems with certain foods. When I find some things I like to eat, I basically eat only those foods for months until I get burned out. Once I'm burned out, I pretty much don't want to eat it at all, ever. Some things will make me gag, even though I was fine eating it every single day for a month straight. I went grocery shopping on my phone (instacart, so I don't have to physically go), and all the things I normally buy are just not appealing anymore. Plus I'm a vegan (also lactose intolerant), so a ton of stuff is ruled out there. I'm extremely health conscious, so anything with food coloring, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, soy, artificial flavoring, etc. is automatically ruled out too. I've noticed that I've been hungrier because I don't have anything I want to eat! I've been eating less because I can't bring myself to eat something I don't like anymore. I can't stand this! Has this happened to anyone else? Any ways fix this? Force myself? Be more creative in food making? I'm thinking back on foods that I used to eat constantly, maybe 3 years ago... and I still don't want to eat them again yet.

I would think the first thing you should do is to go to a physical store. Perhaps, you're more likely to find the foods you like there.

I believe online shopping for food yields less variety.

Moreover, if you're at the store, you could actually look at what you're buying.

Generally, the plainer the food item the easier it is for the stomach and the more palatable, long term; to a large extent, I live on boiled rice with soy sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy. You don't need anything fancier than that. Were used to covering everything in thick sauce and loading food with artificial (poisonous) flavourings. There's something to be said for the ascetic diet, and I, for one, have always been comfortable with it.

You might be suffering from orthorexia or ARFID. My sister has the former, while I struggled with AFRID as a kid and still have it to a certain degree today. I bring up these labels because the way to cope with them is different, even though they look similar on the surface. ARFID can be dealt with by slow and steady exposure, which is how mine was fixed (but not before my growth was seriously stunted ). It's characterized by a disinterest in food combined with anxiety associated with certain colors, textures, packaging, or even number. Sufferers of orthorexia, on the other hand, often have an obsession with the details of foods, cutting out certain ingredients or oils, fats, carbs, etc. Rather than merely being a source of anxiety at mealtimes, as food is to ARFID sufferers, orthorexics also tend to hyperfixate on food. Therapy is absolutely necessary to overcome orthorexia, and anxiety meds might be prescribed to ease the person into a more laid-back approach to eating.

If you are constantly checking the labels on food packaging, you probably have orthorexia rather than ARFID. Speaking as someone who has had the latter, food barely registered in my mind as something that existed most of the time. It only became a problem when someone put it in front of me, at which point I would become upset because the color would be wrong, the number of pieces wrong, the plate wrong, etc. I emphasize this because most of the advice you are given here will be relevant to ARFID because it's more common in autism, while orthorexia is usually ignored, even though females with autism and OCD are more susceptible to it than to ARFID. You should probably look into both. I can't stress this enough: the treatment for these conditions is very different. It's important to make the distinction.

The important thing is to eat a varied diet so you get a little of this and that. I know how it is to have a pile of great food at home, but if you only order online, well - that is what you can get.

If the stress of shopping gets to you, go shopping when everyone else isn't there, like early mornings or late evenings. Early weekends are usually even more empty and i barely see anyone when i go at that time.

Well, I believe like Ichinin in the varied diet concept. The OP said they would eat nothing but one food for a month or longer. This has to be unhealthy! So part of a healthy change would be to eat small quantities of several foods.

An efficient way to get a "balanced" (varied) diet is to make larger quantities of dishes and serve them later as leftovers. For instance, you might make a stew, eat it two days, freeze some for later. I usually find a salad stays fresh for a second day, too, so I make more than I plan to use in one seating.

I can't comment on the eating disorder thing because I am not knowledgeable in that subject.

OK. So, to avoid "burnout" on a particular food, don't let yourself eat it more than 2 or 3 times a week. Over time, this will lead to many more potential foods to choose from because you won't be burned out by so many of them.

I think this might be an area where rational and routine directions by your intellect could overcome the tendencies of your temperament.

I notice myself that I tend to eat the same foods over and over again, but I haven't had the kind of burn-out that the OP has. What do you think is the main issue? Are you afraid of additives? It it certain textures, tastes, colors or smells? It sounds like whatever the issues might be that it is certainly causing you a lot of stress. That isn't good either.

I'd suggest getting some professional advice and possibly using a meal-replacement of some sort while you get this sorted out.

I found out that by cooking for myself, I can eat all sorts of foods.

For instance, I found I couldn't eat fish sticks anymore. Instead I baked fresh haddock covered with a butter/panko, with some freshly ground pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne for seasoning. It was great!