VODcast: ONLY Peanut Butter??!?
What do we do if our child with autism will only eat peanut butter? She eats it on bread or crackers, but she NEVER eats anything else. No ice cream or fruits or veggies or meats or milk or candies. Just peanut butter – morning, noon, and night! Click to watch the Seesmic video or click “read rest of this entry” to read some thoughts about the topic of extreme eating habits of individuals with autism.
A dad expressed concern about his 6-year-old eating only peanut butter, so we took a quick look at the nutrition label. Although there are some issues with fats, peanut butter actually packs a pretty good nutritional punch with some potassium, iron, and fiber as well as eight grams of protein in two tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter. This beats catsup or Hershey bars or dry noodles or other exclusive food preferences of some individuals with autism.
Because his daughter does like eating her peanut butter on crackers and bread, dad can add some nutritional punch by offering only whole grain breads. He can also increase the benefit by purchasing organic peanut butter that contains no added sugars or fats. Because his daughter becomes extremely agitated if he introduces a different brand of peanut butter, he can secretively blend a bit of the organic peanut butter into her favorite brand. Some parents also stir in a bit of powdered milk to add calcium and other nutrients. Gradually stirring in just a bit over time helps the youngster adapt to the new taste without realizing a change has been made.
One of my students enjoyed making “ants on a log” by putting a hearty spoonful of peanut butter in a short celery stick, then topping with raisins. He inadvertently ate celery and raisins when copying my action of “eating two ants.” Later we added a mini-carrot stick to make “ants in a sailboat.”
So, the trick is to avoid nagging and fussing at picky eaters. Odd food preferences are a common by-product of autism. Over the years, I’ve discovered that we can often sneak in healthy, nutritious foods and make an adventure of meals and snacks.
We hope you will share your ideas. Just click to record a short Seesmic video reply or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com
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