The Optimal Food List for

An optimal diet is balanced and full of nutrients. This can sometimes be challenging for autistic
individuals since many have digestive and feeding-related issues.

People with autism are often deficit in certain nutrients, so a food list for autism will include foods with
these nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, eggs, and lean meats are good items to add to
your food list.

Some foods may cause gastrointestinal issues in autistic children. In some cases, implementing a
specialized diet, such as a gluten-free/casein-free or ketogenic diet, may work well.

It is important to work with your pediatrician and potentially a nutritionist to expand your child’s diet.

Eating Optimal Foods: Autistic Children & Problems With Food

Children with autism often have inadequate nutrition, partly due to food avoidances and aversions.

Poor nutrition increases the risk of later chronic illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease. Children who
grow up with poor diets are more likely to be obese, which is associated with several chronic illnesses.

Children with autism are more likely to have low calcium and protein, which can reduce brain
development, bone growth, and muscle strength. These issues may be correlated with problems with
cognition, balance, physical strength, and other aspects of physical development.

Feeding issues can be a major problem for autistic children, and the consequences can be serious if the
child ends up with nutritional deficiencies. Parents can help by employing various strategies to get their
children to eat a more diverse diet. Doctors and therapists are often involved in this process.

Autism & Dietary Struggles

Why is autism often tied to dietary struggles?

People on the autism spectrum have a developmental condition that manifests in a range of behavioral
differences and challenges. These can sometimes become evident as feeding problems. An autistic
person’s issues with food may manifest as:

 Rituals around eating.

 Pocketing food in their cheeks or sucking on food instead of chewing it.
 Strongly preferring certain foods.
 Avoiding certain foods.

People with autism are also at higher risk for gastrointestinal problems. Autistic children may also avoid
certain foods or develop strong texture or temperature aversions because of sensory issues.

In frustration, parents of autistic children may limit their child’s foods to only those they know will be
accepted. However, this is not a sustainable model to develop healthy eating and nutrition habits.

As you work with your child’s pediatrician and a nutritionist, you can begin to expand your child’s diet.
Over time, you and your child’s treatment team can develop a list of optimal foods that your child enjoys
as well as a list of foods to avoid that often result in digestive issues.

Diets to Support Positive Behaviors & Healthy Eating

Many parents with autistic children turn to specialized diets in an effort to support their child’s well-
being.

Several studies have shown that children with autism tend to shy away from healthier foods, like
vegetables and fresh fruits, in favor of more processed starches and snack foods. They may also struggle
to get enough protein, as the texture of several foods containing protein may be unappealing.

To encourage change in these behaviors, parents often try certain approaches to feeding problems. These
are the three most common diets for autism:

1. Autism MEAL Plan: This is not just a nutritional plan. Parents can train in this
behavioral approach so they can best help their children. Behavior therapies are often
among the most effective approach to addressing feeding problems in people with autism.
The autism MEAL plan focuses on changing behaviors toward certain foods.

This is still a relatively new approach to helping children with autism get their nutritional
needs met. Some studies offered parents training in autism MEAL plans for eight weeks
and found that the behavioral approach eased caregiver stress around mealtimes a great
deal. However, it was noted that children with autism did not have behavioral
improvements around meals or food selectivity.
 Further research is still needed to understand if applying this specific behavioral approach
can help children long term or if there is limited benefit to the approach.

2. Gluten-free/casein-free diet (GFCF): Many parents put their children on the GFCF diet,
especially parents of autistic children. Since both gluten, a wheat protein, and casein, a
dairy protein, can make digestive problems in autistic people worse, removing these from
a child’s diet can seem to make sense, but there is insufficient research evidence to
support this idea.

The gluten-free/casein-free diet may improve behaviors around food for a while, but it
can be difficult to make sure your child gets enough protein, whole grains, and amino
acids, which are often part of bread and dairy in Western diets. It’s important to find
other food options to meet these needs.

3. Modified ketogenic diet: This low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, high-fat diet can

help children with autism get needed protein for brain and muscle development while
removing potential sources of digestive discomfort like wheat. A focus on certain types
of protein can even help you remove dairy from your child’s diet if cheese or milk causes
them digestive distress.

Since this diet is tied to higher nutrient intake while removing certain irritants, it might be
more effective for autistic children than other diets. It is important to be careful of the
amount of fat that is consumed, as this can contribute to heart disease and obesity,
especially if your child struggles to eat other healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

Is There an Optimal Food List for Autistic Children?

A study found that the most common nutrient insufficiencies in children with autism were fiber, folic
acid, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B6, and B12.

Due to food preferences or obsessions, some children may have too much of one or two of these nutrients.
Food avoidances mean that many autistic children don’t have enough of these vitamins and minerals.

To help your child get the right balance of these important nutrients, try adding these foods to their diet
with the help of their treatment team:

 Beans like navy beans, pinto beans, and black beans

 Peanuts and peanut butter
 Sunflower seeds
 Eggs
  Seafood
 Chia seeds
 Soy milk
 Almonds and almond milk
 Dried figs and apricots
 Edamame
 Cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli
 Spinach
 Fortified breakfast cereal
 Lentils
 Dark chocolate, as an occasional sweet treat
 Lean beef, turkey, and chicken
 Chickpeas
 Oatmeal
 Green peas
 Mango
 Melons like cantaloupe
 Tomatoes and tomato juice
 Carrots
 Sweet red pepper
 Pumpkin
 Citrus like oranges and grapefruit
 Mushrooms
 Beet greens
 Butternut squash
 Avocado
 Rice
 Onions and garlic

Many of these foods offer multiple nutrients, so combining them in different ways through meal
planning can help your child get high-quality nutrients, avoid foods that cause discomfort, and slowly add
new experiences to your child’s eating habits.

Begin planning meals that contain several fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins, so there is a variety of
options. Sprinkle in new foods with tried-and-true options you know your child will like.

Potential Foods to Avoid

If you notice a particular food results in stomach issues or negative behaviors, avoid it. These are
common foods that may cause issues in children with autism:

 Milk and other dairy products

 Wheat products
 High-sugar foods
  Processed meats

Work with your child’s pediatrician and potentially a nutritionist to determine the best foods for your
child to eat. A behavior therapist can devise a plan to help you introduce new foods to their diet in the
optimal way.

References

 What Is Autism? Autism Speaks.

 Nutrition and Autism. Autism Speaks.
 196. The Autism MEAL Plan: Empowering Caregivers to Feed in Avoidant/Restrictive
Food Intake Disorder. (October 2019). Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.
 The Autism MEAL Plan: A Parent-Training Curriculum to Manage Eating Aversions and
Low Intake Among Children With Autism. (October 2013). Sage Journals.
 Gluten- and Casein-Free Diet and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children: A Systematic
Review. (March 2018). European Journal of Nutrition.
 A Modified Ketogenic Gluten-Free Diet with MCT Improves Behavior in Children With
Autism Spectrum Disorder. (May 2018). Physiology & Behavior.
 Nutrient Intake from Food in Children with Autism. (November 2012). Pediatrics.
 High-Fiber Legumes. (September 2018). Medical News Today.
 Folate (Folic Acid) – Vitamin B9. The Nutrition Source, Harvard School of Public
Health.
 Calcium-Rich Foods That Vegans Can Eat. (July 2018). Medical News Today.
 The Top 10 High Iron Foods. (August 2018). Medical News Today.
 Zinc. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.
 The Beginner’s Guide to Meal Planning: What to Know, How to Succeed, and What to
Skip. (March 2017). The Kitchn.
 Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet for Autism Spectrum Disorders: Can It Be Effective in
Solving Behavioural and Gastrointestinal Problems? (October 2020). The Eurasian
Journal of Medicine.