Food Preferences Aren’t Something To Fight

Food Preferences Aren't Something to Fight: Tips for Eating Joyfully

BY ARIANE RESNICK

For about five years, I ate Straus Greek yogurt with crackers every day.

One to two times every day. 

I didn’t think of it as a “safe” food. I attributed my daily meal sitch to being a burnt-out private chef who no longer had the energy to cook for herself. And as a certified nutritionist, I knew my favorite combo was healthy enough that I didn’t stress about it. 

Eventually, my stomach decided it didn’t like that yogurt anymore, and since no other yogurt could compare, I was forced to move on.

When I got diagnosed with autism, I learned how very common repetitive food habits and cooking avoidance can be neurodivergent people. Food sensitivities and preferences can run as deep as ARFID or as shallow as having a dish you order regularly at your favorite restaurant. They can include loving crunchy textures, hating smushy ones, or needing to smell everything before you ingest it.

These sensitivities are often framed as something to overcome, but as a chef and nutritionist, let me tell you: food preferences aren’t something to fight. That just causes more stress than it resolves. What matters is that you’re able to get the nutrition you need while also accommodating the sensory needs you have, in a joyful manner. 

Think that sounds tough? It can actually be pretty simple – and fun. 

Here are some food and cooking tips for anyone who finds themself in a rut and is looking to eat healthfully without much effort.

Purchase Realistically, Not Aspirationally

Sure, canned beans are a little less nutritious than cooking dry beans yourself, but which are you actually going to use? Buying a can of beans means you get all the protein and fiber that beans have to offer, whereas buying a pound of dry ones often means you watch them grow old in the pantry as you feel progressively guiltier. 

Be real with yourself about what you’re up for, and purchase accordingly.

Add, Don’t Subtract

It’s overwhelming to think of removing our favorite foods from our diet, so a smarter focus is to add new foods in. Focus on adding one simple food at a time, preferably one that doesn’t involve any prep work. 

For example, if you hate to make a salad but you like tomatoes just fine, buy a few and eat them like apples. Once you’ve acclimated those into your daily routine, choose an additional second food. This IG reel of mine has a variety of suggestions on adding foods to your diet, and this one talks about how feeling good about your food choices aids digestion. 

Think One Pot, One Pan

Many complex dishes can be made into one pot or sheet pan. There’s no kitchen police watching over your shoulder, so have some fun, save some time, and throw things in together. Examples include tossing cut vegetables into your pasta water in the last few minutes of the pasta cooking and placing chicken or beef to cook in the oven directly on top of cut vegetables on a single tray. 

Use Your Freezer

When you do have the energy to cook, think about making dishes that freeze well. Soups, stews, and casseroles can all be frozen in individual servings and thawed months later for a quick, healthful meal. This is particularly good for people who get stressed by expiring leftovers. Make a batch of something, then freeze it in a labeled container. If you do this even a few times, you’ve got a week or two of dinners at your disposal. 

Play Around With Equipment

Cooking can be a fun sensory experience, so give a new tool a try. The easiest way to do this is to go to a store and play around with using different display items to see what feels good or even reminds you of stimming. 

There are potato mashers, cherry pitters, apple slicers, manual egg beaters, and more that you might enjoy using. A fun new tool could give you the energy and motivation you need to make a meal or to eat a whole-food ingredient more often.  

Bio:

Ariane Resnick, CNC, is the author of five books, including the first healthy Disney cookbook, the long-term private chef and nutritionist for pop star P!nk, and an advocate for marginalized identities.

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