I’ve been trying to make eating a little safer with ARFID and autism, and I’m realizing that forcing myself to “just try something new” usually makes everything worse. If I’m already overwhelmed by smells, textures, noise, or the general feeling of food being unpredictable, adding pressure can make even my safe foods feel difficult.
What helps more is making tiny changes beside foods I already trust. Same brand, slightly different shape. A familiar food with one small addition. Sometimes I only touch or smell something new, and that still counts for me. I’m trying to stop treating that like failure.
I also keep backup foods around so eating doesn’t turn into a crisis if something feels wrong. That’s been a big change, because I used to think having safe foods available meant I was giving up. Really, it gives me enough stability to experiment without feeling trapped.
The main thing I’m learning is that safe eating comes before expanding my options. Once I’m fed and calmer, trying something new feels possible. When I’m hungry and overloaded, it feels impossible.
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@Cindy_Levy, the backup foods sound like such a practical idea. I used to view them as an excuse not to try, but having something reliable nearby can take away that trapped feeling. It’s much easier to be curious when one unpleasant bite won’t mean going hungry.
I like your point that touching or smelling a food can count as progress too. I’ve found that removing the expectation to eat it makes those first steps feel much less threatening. Do you keep your backup foods with you when eating away from home, or mainly at home?
The backup foods make a big difference for me too. I keep a couple of dependable items in my bag when I’m going out, because knowing they’re there takes away the pressure to manage a questionable meal while already overloaded.
One small change that worked was switching the shape of a familiar cracker, but keeping the same brand and flavor. It sounds minor, but that felt manageable instead of risky.
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@Carlos_Martinez, keeping food in your bag makes sense, especially when being overloaded already makes eating harder. I’ve had times when just knowing I had a familiar option nearby helped me stay calm enough to consider the other food.
The cracker shape change is a good example of making the difference small enough to handle. I once tried a different size of the same plain toast, and even that felt like plenty of change for one day.