5 Steps to Take Today to Help Your Picky Eater with Autism Add More Nutrients to Their Diet

Feeding a child with autism can present unique challenges, especially when they have food aversions, sensory sensitivities, or a limited diet. Ensuring they get the nutrients they need is crucial for their overall well-being and cognitive development. Picky eating in children with autism can often result in nutrient deficiencies, leading to a range of issues such as low energy, poor concentration, or even gastrointestinal problems. However, with the right approach, you can gradually encourage your child to explore new foods and increase their nutrient intake. Here are five actionable steps to take today to help your picky eater with autism add more nutrients to their diet, plus a delicious recipe to get started.

1. Start with Small, Manageable Changes

When introducing new foods, it’s important to start small and keep the pressure low. One of the best strategies is to begin by adding just one or two new ingredients to meals they already enjoy. For example, if your child loves pasta, you could try adding finely chopped vegetables, like carrots or zucchini, to their favorite sauce. The goal is to make the new food subtle but still present. Over time, you can increase the quantity as they become more comfortable with the taste and texture.

Children with autism often prefer routines, and sudden changes can cause distress. Introducing new foods gradually helps avoid overwhelming them. It also reduces anxiety around unfamiliar textures or flavors, which is especially important for children who are sensitive to these sensory inputs. Remember, progress may be slow, but each small step is a victory!

Tip:

Be consistent in offering the new food without forcing it. Even if they don’t eat it, continued exposure is key to helping them feel more familiar with the food. Research suggests that it can take up to 10-15 exposures to a new food before a child is willing to try it.

2. Make Food Fun and Engaging

Children on the autism spectrum often respond positively to visual stimuli. Making food fun and engaging can reduce anxiety around mealtime and encourage them to try new things. Consider turning mealtime into a creative experience by arranging foods into fun shapes or characters. Bento box-style meals that separate foods into compartments may also help children feel less overwhelmed by variety. For example, you can create a rainbow with fruits and vegetables or arrange food to resemble their favorite animals or characters.

Additionally, let your child play with their food. While traditionally frowned upon, allowing them to touch, smell, and engage with the food before eating can help ease their sensory concerns. The more comfortable they are with the new food, the more likely they are to try it.

Tip:

Use cookie cutters to make sandwiches, fruits, or vegetables into fun shapes. You can even let your child choose the shapes to give them more control over what they’re eating.

3. Involve Your Child in Meal Preparation

Involving your child in meal preparation can help them feel more connected to the food they’re about to eat. When children are part of the cooking process, they may become more willing to try new foods. Start with simple tasks like stirring ingredients, washing vegetables, or arranging food on a plate. As they become more comfortable, you can gradually increase their responsibilities in the kitchen.

This hands-on experience also provides an opportunity to introduce new ingredients in a low-pressure environment. By allowing your child to touch and smell the ingredients during the preparation process, you can reduce the anxiety that often comes with trying new foods. Moreover, involving them in cooking can be a fun and educational activity, promoting fine motor skills, cognitive development, and sensory exploration.

Tip:

Make grocery shopping an interactive experience by letting your child pick out one or two new fruits or vegetables. This involvement gives them ownership over what they’re eating and can increase their interest in trying it later.

4. Offer Smoothies Packed with Hidden Nutrients

Smoothies are a fantastic way to sneak in nutrient-dense ingredients that your child may otherwise avoid. The beauty of smoothies is that they can be tailored to your child’s preferences, masking less popular flavors with fruits like bananas, berries, or mangoes. You can add spinach, kale, or even avocado to boost the nutritional content, and your child likely won’t even notice these healthy additions.

Smoothies are especially helpful for children with sensory sensitivities, as they provide a consistent texture and flavor profile. They also allow for the inclusion of ingredients that may be difficult to incorporate into meals, such as flaxseeds (rich in omega-3s), chia seeds (full of fiber and antioxidants), or a scoop of protein powder.

Sample Smoothie Recipe:

Super Smoothie:

• 1 ripe banana

• 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks

• 1/2 cup canned pineapple in its own juice

• 1/4 avocado

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1/4 cup Coconut Cream

  * Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Serve with a fun straw to make it even more appealing to kids!

5. Be Patient and Persistent

Perhaps the most important step is to practice patience. Picky eating in children with autism is often deeply rooted in sensory processing challenges or routines, and it can take time to change their habits. It’s essential to remain calm and persistent, offering new foods without making mealtimes stressful. Create a positive environment around food, where trying new things is celebrated rather than forced.

Remember that every child is different. What works for one may not work for another, so it's crucial to be adaptable and open to different strategies. Over time, your child will become more familiar with new foods, and their diet will begin to expand naturally.

Tip:

Avoid using food as a reward or punishment, as this can create negative associations with eating. Instead, make mealtimes about exploring new tastes and textures in a relaxed, pressure-free environment.

Bonus: Nutrient-Packed Blended Spaghetti Sauce with Grass-Fed Meatballs and Gluten-Free Brown Rice Noodles

This easy, nutrient-dense spaghetti sauce is blended to hide veggies and combined with gluten-free brown rice noodles and grass-fed meatballs for a complete, nourishing meal.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 1 cup carrots, chopped

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 1 bell pepper, chopped

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (no sugar added)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef

• 1/4 cup almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

For the noodles:

• 1 box gluten-free brown rice noodles

Instructions:

1. Make the sauce:

   • Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic and onions until soft.

   • Add the carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper, cooking for about 10 minutes until softened.

   • Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

   • Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth (this hides the veggies!).

2. Make the meatballs:

   • Preheat the oven to 375°F.

   • In a bowl, mix the ground beef, almond flour, egg, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.

   • Form the mixture into small meatballs and place them on a lined baking sheet.

   • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

3. Cook the noodles:

   • Cook the gluten-free brown rice noodles according to the package instructions.

4. Assemble:

   • Serve the noodles topped with the blended spaghetti sauce and grass-fed meatballs.

Feeding a picky eater with autism can be tough, but with patience, creativity, and consistency, it is possible to expand their diet and ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need. By starting with small, manageable changes and engaging your child in the food preparation process, you’ll create a positive mealtime experience. Smoothies and veggie sauces are great tools for boosting nutrient intake without overwhelming your child. With these strategies, mealtime can become a more enjoyable, nutritious, and successful experience for your family.