Hi Acti-veg! I sent an ask ages ago mentioning my ARFID and what I had swapped. Well I’m in the process of making a more detailed list of stuff I’d like to get around to trying and I thought you or your followers could help (if you want to, I know this is a activism-based blog not a dietary blog).
Fruit&Veg: not too strong a taste or smell, consistent-ish texture, no strings or pulp. Is one better cooked than raw?
Tofu: Is it generally consistent? Is it quite plain tasting? Can you have it by itself with something on it? Best way to cook it?
Nuts are no-go
Lentils: what are they like? Can you have them on your own?
Thanks!💚
I'd love to help The good thing about the items you have included is that the taste and texture can vary enormously depending on how you prepare it, and what type you use. There is a lot of variety there.
For fruit, Banana is not strong tasting, if you peel it and remove any of the strings you externally, there aren't any inside. Some types or watermelon are very neutral s well, as are blueberries unless they're very fresh. Those three are all very different texturally, so that will give you some options in what to try.
For veg, broccoli and cauliflower are staples for a lot of people, not strong tasting and texturally quite similar. Starting with those and carrot as well would be a good idea- these are also all very cheap and can be purchased frozen if you are concerned about food going off. Garden peas are also great nutritionally and texturally consistent.
Tofu can be texturally quite different, there is silken which is very soft and you may struggle with that. Firm tofu will be easier to deal with for most people, just make sure you press and drain it before you fry it. You can also just freeze it then thaw it out in hot water, then dry in a paper towel to get rid of the liquid, that is the method that gets the firmest texture in my experience.
Tofu is extremely flexible, you can enjoy it with just about anything or on its own. It tastes very bland by itself, it soaks up whatever sauces or flavours you put it in, so you can control the flavour really easily. It may be best to get it at a restaurant first, so you know how it is supposed to look and taste.
Lentils are a great protein source, red vs brown taste quite different, I'd say brown lentils are more neutral in terms of flavour. Get the canned kind for ease, just drain them and boil for like 5 mins, then drain again for a consistent texture.
Can any of my followers with ARFID offer any suggestions? Feel free to disagree with the above - it is tough for me to imagine what it is like so I'm mostly making guesses based on texture and taste!
