My Becca used to eat more of a variety of food when she was younger but as she’s gotten older she has gotten particular about what she eats. She certainly gets enough to eat but struggles sometimes with textures so she has shied away from certain foods. Such is the case with most children, but it can be even more challenging when you have a child with sensory sensitivities. Becca has only a few foods I know she will eat, and unfortunately fruits and vegetables are not on that list.
I am learning how to make certain adjustments to offer Becca healthier options while still giving her what she likes and staying within routine. For anyone with a child on the spectrum, you know how important it is to stay within routine - one thing out of place can derail an entire day. Becca prefers pasta for dinner. I have started swapping out traditional pasta for chickpea, lentil, whole wheat, or even bean based pastas. I am swapping ground beef for ground turkey or chicken (she typically will ONLY eat ground meat) and I started making my own spaghetti sauces. I infuse vegetables into the sauce - I steam them then blend into my tomato sauce and chicken stock until absolutely smooth. I add a slight bit of Ragu so it retains the taste she likes. It takes a few extra minutes in the kitchen and costs a few extra dollars but with these small adjustments, I am able to ensure that mealtime is still enjoyable for Becca but she is getting in some protein and vegetables. It’s a lot of trial and error and I will of course continue to offer her a variety of foods to expand her palate. But in the meantime, I have to always make sure that I have safe foods around that I know she will eat in case she doesn’t like my inventions. Having said all of this, I celebrate that for dinner today, my child ate chickpea rotini with ground turkey and a cauliflower-based spaghetti sauce, and she ate it with a smile.
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