Green Day
Holidays give us opportunities to insert a bit of variety in the lives of our friends with autism, especially those who are very resistant to changing routines and very resistant to tasting new foods. Saint Patrick’s Day is one of those special occasions custom-made for introducing some tasty tidbits to picky eaters and possibly expanding their repertoire of healthy foods in an enjoyable way.
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The fun starts by reading that classic book by Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham. The rollicking rhymes feature a person who is VERY resistant to trying new food in spite of the antics of Sam I Am who goes to great lengths to convince him that he will like eating green eggs and ham. The predictable, repetitive rhymes make this book a hit with many people of all ages with or without autism.
After reading the book, gather everyone around a table for some green snacks. Green snacks, you say? Yes. Lots of yummy foods are green. Of course, you must take into consideration any dietary restrictions or food sensitivities into consideration, but, once you start looking, you’ll notice lots of good green foods. You can have slices of green apples, green grapes, or slices of green pears. You can purchase crunchy, dry-roasted green veggies like green beans and green peas in the bulk foods section of whole food markets. You can serve fresh green veggies like celery sticks, broccoli trees, and thin cucumber slices, and slivers of sweet green peppers with a dip made with green goddess dressing.
Some options for green sweets for this special occasion include lime sherbet, green pistaschio pudding, or green grasshopper pie, or green jello with pear chunks.
If your friends with autism like scrambled eggs, you can make some Dr. Seuss omelets by stirring small chunks of ham and some finely chopped parsley in the eggs before cooking. My sons loved putting a drop of green food coloring in the eggs to make authentic Green Eggs and Ham.
Other green favorites are pancakes made by adding finely chopped or grated green apples and a dash of cinnamon to the batter. Again, adding a drop of green food coloring to the pancake batter or in clear Karo syrup makes “authentic” Dr. Seuss pancakes and syrup.
Families might enjoy planning a green meal for St. Patrick’s Day. The menu could include a chef’s salad with green goddess dressing, green beans with new potatoes, and a green fruit salad made with green grapes mixed with chunks of green apples and green pears. Squeeze a lime into some mayonnaise with a bit of sugar or Splenda for some yummy green dressing for your green fruit salad. If diets allow dessert, you could serve a thin slice of key lime pie or a small dish of green chocolate mint ice cream. And don’t forget to read Green Eggs and Ham one more time with the whole family for a bedtime story!
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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