Picky/restricted eating

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It looks like it's been 9 years since the last post on picky eating so hope it's ok to open a new thread. Like one of the original posts, I had seen picky eating listed as a possible characteristic of ASD but I got away with it as a kid, eating just rice krispies, spaghetti and mcdonalds hamburgers for a long time. As a "grownup" my diet is more extensive now, but there are still a lot of things I just won't eat and it's hard to explain to people since it's not like I'm a vegetarian or keep kosher or something consistent like that. Mostly strong smells or weird texture or just makes me gag.

Anyway, I came across some book that was calling this "Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder" and wasn't sure if having an official name for it made it more legitimate somehow and if this was also related to autism.

The personal experience you have described sounds like a sensory issue (which is related to autism). The term you mentioned sounds like it's more about an eating disorder (which is not related to autism). I doubt that term fits.

I'm not a picky eater, although I do have some odd "rules" I go by when it comes to food, for example;
I won't eat baked beans in case they make me fart.
I don't like eggs because they taste of sulphur.

But otherwise I don't think I am a picky eater. My NT boyfriend on the other hand is a picky eater. He even cancelled his free food parcel he is qualified to get every week, because the food and drink brands in them isn't what he likes.

Seems like a valid disorder if it would adversely affect your health, though a better name would make more sense. That name makes it sound like just an attempt to normalize people. I definitely avoid certain things because I don't like the texture or overwhelming flavor (I frequently do not use condiments), but it doesn't cause problems so I don't care when other people find it weird.

"hard to explain to people"

Precious lil "people" keep making comments about the refined carbohydrates I cram into my ugly fat stupid head.

"That's not healthy"
Expensive
"Eew"
"Use a fork"

They are so full of themselves that they truly believe that they have a moral "right" to veto anything you do that they don't like


Just eat it.

You are not doing anything wrong

You don't have to explain it to anyone

Many Aspies have hypersensitivities. This can extend into the sense - taste.

Some Aspies have hypersensitivity in their gustatory system. Many become picky eaters as a result. They tend to have restricted diets. Many prefer plain, bland foods.
* Finds some flavors and foods too strong and overpowering because of very sensitive taste buds.
* The textures of certain foods can cause discomfort. They may only eat smooth foods like mashed potatoes or ice cream. They may avoid fibrous foods. They may avoid asparagus because of the slimy texture.
* Contrasts in texture between different foods are sometimes too great. As a result, some Aspies eat the food on their plate serially, one at a time
* It is just not the sensitivity to the taste buds of certain foods that are involved but the entire array of senses. It is also the texture, the color of the food, the temperature, the aroma, and even the order that the food appears on the plate.

For many Aspies their signs of hypersensitivity are on full display during mealtime. They tend to be picky eaters. They are sensitive to the texture of food, the taste, the smell and aroma, the temperature of the food (hot/cold), the way the food looks and the order that the food appears on the plate. It may not be possible to accommodate all these variations but it is possible to augment their intake by supplementing with vitamins, minerals and protein to ensure their restricted diet does not cause major health deficiencies.

I have been a picky eater since I was little. Having an egg allergy contributed to it, but there are many things that I dislike due to taste. I will not eat seafood, with the exception of fried shrimp. There is too much sulfur in fish for me. Asparagus tastes very sour to me, yet I can eat lemons and limes without an issue. Avocados are too much like the texture of eggs to me, so I cannot have them. I am also very allergic to alcohol, so that eliminates certain foods that contain either beer or wine. I can get sick off of a beer brat from the trace of beer left over from the cooking process.

That reminds me:

My family would have a reunion picnic every year. I hated going to it because I could not tell what was in each dish easily. Often relatives would force me to “try” their food, but I was not interested unless I knew what it was made with. Most of the time, I would end up eating some fried chicken legs, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans for my meal. Those were items that my Mother would bring to it. If there were nothing that I could eat, I would go without until the picnic was over in the evening.