What to Eat During Autistic Burnout

Neurodivergent people struggle with food; with the taste, the look, the consistency, and the sensations it produces in our mouth. In my case, something might taste delicious but if it looks slimey, I would never eat it. It literally would make me feel sick.  On top of that, I need my brain’s permission to eat. I might have multiple “safe” options to eat but if my brain says no, then I won’t be interested and can’t eat them. Forcing myself to eat would cause gastrointestinal problems. It just won’t sit well with me.

Neurodivergent people also suffer from loss of appetite and the inability to recognize the feeling of hunger. I have been so immersed in a task that I forget that it is time to eat. I have spent whole days without eating because nothing seems good enough, not even my safe foods. And, I have lost my appetite when I am stressed or anxious. I literally feel no desire to eat anything on these occasions.

On top of all this, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by all the options and are so tired that cooking feels impossible.

However, we know how important eating is. We need nutrients to survive. Leaving the stomach empty for long periods of time might create or worsen stomach issues. Stomach acid starts eating at the stomach walls and it might create an ulcer. We might even become malnourished if we continue this behavior. That is why we need to eat or drink something, even if we don’t want to. 

I’ve decided to share with you a couple of options you can eat when your gut is acting out and you don’t want to or can’t eat.

Girl Dinners/Charcuterie Boards

Call it however you like, but you basically take a couple of things to snack on like crackers, cheese, ham, bread, nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit, popcorn and more. Whatever you want to combine, you can have. Candy or sweets don’t count as part of the meal.

Frozen Dinners

This is a great way to eat when you don’t have the energy to cook or even make a sandwich. It could be a a healthy meal or it could be a pizza. You can heat the meal in the microwave or an air fryer. You can also do this for breakfasts with frozen pancakes or French toasts.

Fruit Smoothies

Fruit Smoothies are my go to dinner. They’re easy, healthy and tasty. Most importantly they are not super heavy on the system before getting ready for bed. They are even bettter if you use a protein powder for extra nutrients. I specifically use Natural Valley Protein and Multi Vitamin Powder. It not only sustains me with the protein, but it also has multiple vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

I usually use almond milk as the liquid base, but you might use, any milk or juice you want. Apple juice, I believe, is the best one. Also, if you can, always use a banana. The banana helps make the smoothie creamier.

This is also the perfect way to consume vegetables. Add kale, spinach or carrot to your smoothie and you won’t feel the difference, yet have many more nutrients.

My favorite smoothie is mixed berries (strawberry, black berries, raspberries and blueberries), protein powder, banana, peanut butter and a bit of Nutella. I also make papaya, banana and peanut butter smoothies for days when I have an upset stomach.

Nutritional Shakes

These are my go to breakfast. When I was growing up I never ate breakfast. I’d rather sleep more and not eat, than wake up early to eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast caused me to have multiple bouts of gastroenteritis and my doctor said I needed to have breakfast. So now, every morning I have a nutritional shake. It has many of the minerals and nutrients I need, doesn’t take any work to prepare, and it only costs me about $1.25 each.

Unfortunately, you should not substitute every meal for a nutritional shake as they don’t provide all the nutrients you need. But, for a meal or a time of struggle, these are amazing.

Cereal

Cereal is the best. You can have sweeter options, more nutty, or high in fiber. You can have them dry or with any milk you want. They’re super easy to serve, delicious and the crunch level can make it really fun.

Toast

Not much to say about this one. Delicious crispy bread with your favorite topping: butter, peanut butter, jam, etc.

TL;DR

Eating is supper important. But it is also exhausting. Keep multiple, easy options for the days where you don’t feel like eating or cooking. Frozen pizzas and nutritional shakes can really make a difference in your life. If all else fails, at least snack on something or drink a glass of juice. Don’t leave your stomach empty and lonely. Remember that part of being an adult is doing the things we know we should do, even when we don’t feel like it. It might be difficult at first, but I know you and your stomach will feel better once you stop skipping meals.