[...] exactly what that's like. Mealtimes can be an absolute … … See the rest here: What is your “go to” food for you child with #Autism? » Lost and Tired ← AUTISM SPEAKS BRICK TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME WINNING FIELD GOAL Kids With [...]

 @BeckyDeanLehto Yes, over the time, it sure does change. She either discovers finally something else, or goes back to something she was obsessively eating before. 

@JenniferWhynott can I ask you what about that bothers you? I just want to better understand 🙂

 @lostandtired You may not believe this, but I actually got my (then 17 year old) son with Asperger's to eat zucchini. I steamed it, then put it in a blender with spagetti sauce. He thought the tiny green flecks were just the seasoning in the sauce and gobbled it down!

Does anyone else have a child whose "go to food" changes?  My daughter goes through periods where she wants one food all the time; sometimes ramen, sometimes a certain type of potato chip, sometimes plain spaghetti, sometimes chicken noodle soup, sometimes broccoli!  This also applies to drinks.  We went through a chocolate milk phase, a Gatorade phase and we are currently in a pink lemonade phase.  And then suddenly she will drop her "go to food" and move on to something else.  The salty food I understand, she has sodium depletion from her AED, but the rest of it ???  I've tried really hard to not let food become a power struggle but she is increasingly defiant about eating anything other than her favored food of the moment.  And of course I have to balance this with the example it sets for her younger siblings. 

After years of our son only eating 7 things, we met a wonderful behaviorist who specializes in food sensitivities.  She is currently getting her PhD.  She taught us that by introducing a new food followed by a tiny bit of favored food, we could encourage our son to eat new foods, the more he tried, the more of the favored food he would get, we then faded the reinforcement food.  It didn't take long and while he still has his favorites - bugers and mac and cheese, he will eat pretty much whatever is put in front of him, meat, poultry, fish, spinach, artichokes, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, not a fan of salad and we are still working on the improvement of fruit, but the approach has definitely worked and I highly recommend it.  It is not at all easy at first, but like any kid, if you hang in there and are consistent, the payoff will come.

Our son has PDD NOS, so we have the same problem with foods. He is very picky, never eats vegetables and its really hard to make him try a new food. İts very hard to discover his favorite foods or the foods that he may like to eat. Our go to food is omelette with corn flakes. He most eat that without problem. Our second option is fish fingers for the moment. Both are delicious and nutritious so i can recommend them. And another point is he changes the favorite foods time to time, so we always have to search new options.

Fish sticks and Gold Fish!

Right now our goto is potato chips..I know healthy right..LOL well they are organic, GF,SF and WF so it works. My 2 yo really likes crunchy foods and they are very calming to him so its always his appetizer:) AND watermelon but I get really tired of the clean up:(

Thanks to everyone for the posts..:)

Having written my post, below, I would add that our #1 go to food is yogurt. #2 is cereal with milk. #3 is almost any kind of pasta, as long as the sauce isn't chunky in style.

While I appreciate MagMinds' post about using ABA to increase the repertoire of foods, it is important to look at any medical issues first that may be causing the food refusal. I used to think that my son was gagging and choking on various foods because of a texture thing, like many kids with autism do. Then, while we were at the Peds GI office to address his bowel problems, the GI took a full history and perked up when I responded in the positive to any history of gagging, retching, or choking on foods, especially since my son had a history of reflux when he was little. One endoscope and a biopsy later, and we found out he had eosinophilic esophagitis, which was caused by some previously undiagnosed food allergies. He had all kinds of scarring an inflammation in his esophagus and stomach. With a change in meds for reflux and several trips to the peds allergist who specializes in this disorder, I can now say that my son eats almost anything I serve him, without refusal, and he no longer chokes or gags on his food. We found out that in addition to nuts (which we knew already) he had significant allergies to oranges, sesame, peas, and egg whites. With EoE, kids don't get the classic hives and itchy skin. They only have swelling in their esophagus and/or stomach pain, so it's easily misinterpreted as some other problem.

Chicken nuggets are a definite must keep in our house.  My daughter is a vegetarian just by her food choice alone. I don't think it's conscience like someone who proclaims they are one; she just seems to prefer it. So our go-to foods are bell pepper, mushrooms, cheese sticks, and bread, bread, bread.  I can't say enough, bread!  

For Max it's dried apricots that are SOFT not tough, mixed with ORANGE Goldfish crackers and put into a "bucket" (that's any old Tupperware container). Note the orange theme here?  : ) 

My son is becoming more open to new foods thankfully (veggies etc).  But occasionally he will protest and it's been a long day and I go to our fall back of pizza quesadillas.  A sprinkling of cheese, some pepperoni or chicken (and whatever else you like on pizza, he tends to be a bland eater like his mum) between two tortillas, throw it in a pan till cheese is melted, cut in quarters like a mini pizza, then dip in pizza sauce (he uses salsa to dip).  Quick, easy and it puts a smile on his face.  Who could resist 😉

 @lostandtired  @ciugola Colour themes? WOW! hehe.....our kids are so creative!

Food issues are so common in children of all colours, shapes, and sizes; the best is to use positive reinforcement, in ABA language we call it a DRA procedures, where we pair the undesired foods with  more reinforcing foods to increase willingness to eat it, engage with it and even look at it....it's not a miracle cure, nothing is, but I have had tremendous success with it....

@kat13 @Chloe123 i love bring people together to share ideas and experiences.

@kat13 @Chloe123 that's my name 🙂

 @lostandtired  @Chloe123 Rob*

 @lostandtired  @kat13  @Chloe123 Ron, I think you hit a very sensitive topic!

 @kat13

 I prefer my cereal dry because the milk makes it mushy

 @kat13

 I feel your pain! I have had those issues in the past

 @lostandtired  No, I haven't seen it (between school, work, and family) I really didn't watch TV for more than 6-7 years). This is my last semester, so would have to catch up on what I have missed over the last few years for sure!

 @lostandtired

My brother and I have this issue. My mother found us corelle divided plates and bought us some. We are in our thirties!!!

Considering my aspie only eats about 8 foods we keep those on hand at all times. noodles with parmers (parmesan cheese), apples, breadsticks, goldfish, brownies, string cheese, and milk. The only thing she will eat out of the house is donuts.