# Arfid and adhd making meals harder than they should be **URL:** \ **Category:** Eating Disorder\ **Created:** [October 2, 2026, 6:00am UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/arfid-and-adhd-making-meals-harder-than-they-should-be/52284 "2026-10-02T06:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roy\_Brown](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/d78d45/32.png) [@Roy\_Brown](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Roy_Brown)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 6:00am UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/arfid-and-adhd-making-meals-harder-than-they-should-be/52284/1 "2026-10-02T06:00:31Z")
Meals feel way more complicated than they should with ARFID and ADHD. It’s not just deciding what sounds good. Sometimes everything feels wrong because of texture or smell, and other times I forget to eat until I’m suddenly shaky and overwhelmed. I can buy food with good intentions, then completely lose track of it or get stuck staring into the fridge because preparing anything feels like too many steps. Even foods I normally tolerate can become impossible if I’m tired or distracted. I’ve been trying to keep a few safe foods around that require almost no effort, instead of expecting myself to cook properly every day. It helps a little, but I still feel guilty when a meal turns into snacks or I end up eating the same thing again. Does anyone else have low-effort meal ideas that don’t depend on motivation? ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Long](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Chad\_Long](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Chad_Long)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:02am UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/arfid-and-adhd-making-meals-harder-than-they-should-be/52284/2 "2026-10-02T07:02:19Z")
Roy, keeping safe foods on hand sounds like a sensible strategy, not something to feel guilty about. Eating the same reliable meal or grazing on snacks still counts as feeding yourself. I’ve found it helps to keep a few “assembly only” options available, like crackers with cheese, yogurt with a banana, peanut butter toast, or a frozen meal that needs one button. I’d also set a quiet reminder before the shaky stage hits, since hunger can make every texture and decision feel even harder. ---
**Author:** ![Cynthia\_Phillips](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Cynthia\_Phillips](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Cynthia_Phillips)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:02am UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/arfid-and-adhd-making-meals-harder-than-they-should-be/52284/3 "2026-10-02T07:02:54Z")
The fridge staring thing is so real. When I’m already hungry, even choosing between two foods can feel like a full task. I’ve had better luck keeping a short list of “no thinking” meals on the fridge, not a big meal plan. Stuff like a protein shake, toast with peanut butter, cereal, microwave rice with something tolerable mixed in, or a frozen meal I already know I can eat. I keep some of it where I can see it too, since food I forget exists might as well not be there. And snacks absolutely count. Repeating the same safe meal is a lot better than waiting until I’m shaky and then trying to cook. ---
**Author:** ![Alison\_Day](https://forum.sharedquill.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Alison\_Day](https://forum.sharedquill.org/u/Alison_Day)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.sharedquill.org/t/arfid-and-adhd-making-meals-harder-than-they-should-be/52284/4 "2026-10-05T17:01:38Z")
Roy, the “good intentions” food disappearing from the fridge is something I’ve dealt with too. One thing that helped was making a small basket in the fridge for foods I’m most likely to forget, instead of spreading them across different shelves. Seeing the basket makes the choice much easier. My most reliable low-effort option is a tortilla with cheese, folded and microwaved, plus whatever snack is tolerable that day. It takes about a minute and doesn’t require cooking or much cleanup. Repeating it is fine. Food doesn’t have to look like a proper meal to count.