#I wish my ARFID was accommodated

[khizuo]

is it possible for me to be vegan when im so picky? i hate most all beans due to texture issues etc but i really wanna be vegan, im just worried I will hate most of the things and struggle to get enough calories

Hi anon! I'm really happy you want to make the choice to go vegan. While I personally never struggled with picky eating, I know that many vegans have, and it's totally possible to be vegan with food-related sensory issues.

Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian, I am just some vegan on the internet reading the opinions of other vegans on the internet. Please do not take any suggestions I make as some sort of vegan nutritional law and make sure to do your own research and, if you need further help, talk to a trusted medical professional (like a vegan dietitian).

Here are some suggestions that I've picked up from my personal research:

If you can identify any foods you like that are already vegan, make note of them and look out for them! Even if that list is tiny, it's a great starting point. Remember, vegan food isn't just vegetables — consider doing some research onto accidentally plant-based processed foods you can find in a store, too!

If there are foods that you like that aren't vegan, try making vegan substitutions for the animal-based ingredients. Some swaps are pretty easy to make—dairy butter for plant-based butter, for example. Some may be a little more difficult and require more experimentation. I can't promise you that every vegan substitution will always taste exactly the same as the non-vegan version, but, keeping that expectation in mind, I think they still may be able to help with the cravings for those foods, and lots of meat/cheese substitutions are pretty good. Also, the options and recipes out there for foods often conceived of as 'non-vegan' (i.e. burgers/cheese/creamy pastas/desserts) are endless. As with everything, take it slow and find what you like!

If cooking is a pain, try looking for convenient vegan foods. I'm personally a big fan of the vegan Nongshim ramen as a quick meal. Lots of store-bought breads are accidentally plant-based—add some nut butter for protein and that's a meal for me. If you're a soup person, look for for vegan ready-made soups.

Take supplements if you need them! Lots of vegans take a B12 supplement. Consider adding protein powder to some dish that you like if you don't like beans and you're worried about your protein intake. (Of course, please stay safe, do your due research, and talk to a doctor or dietitian if you can.)

Finally, this isn't really a tip, but I do want to say that not liking certain foods is something that's perfectly fine. You might try something and dislike it and that's okay. Vegans have no obligation to like every vegan food ever and diet culture can go to hell.

Above all, make the transition in a pace that is sustainable and healthy for you. It's much better for you and for the animals if you make a slow, sustained shift rather than trying to go vegan overnight and getting overwhelmed. Make gradual swaps, do your research, talk to a trusted medical professional, try to cook some vegan versions of your comfort meals, and of course, stay educated on animal liberation and anti-speciesism.

Below are some articles that I read that were helpful when researching this topic:

Here is a pretty straightforward article with tips on going vegan as a picky eater. Fair warning that parts of this article promote the anti-fat and ableist misconception of "vegan for weight loss/health", which is of course harmful diet culture stuff unrelated to veganism's literal stated intent. Fat vegans and disabled vegans are awesome and a vital part of the community. I really wish there was an article with this information out there that didn't promote these ideas, but I couldn't find one, so I will share this article with this heavy disclaimer. Take the good tips and leave the rest.

Here is an article by a vegan woman with ARFID about accommodations she's made to make eating more accessible for her. I know that ARFID is an eating disorder and not every instance of picky eating is ARFID, but I'm sharing this because I still think it was quite insightful and because I'd love to hear more from vegans with ARFID, as someone who doesn't have ARFID myself.

Also, not an article but I read a lot of stories from vegans on reddit who shared their experience going vegan as a picky eater. I'm sure there are also vegans on tumblr who also have food-related sensory issues, and if anyone who has wants to share their experience or add on to this post please feel free. As stated above, I personally did not really struggle with picky eating when going vegan so I'm very much open to receiving constructive criticism and other additions to this post.

[forthistleandbracken]

If somebody seems arbitrarily 'fussy' with food, it is not anybody else's business. I say from the experience of having suffered with ARFID since infancy and only being diagnosed with the condition in my late twenties after my nutritional deficiencies bore serious physical consequences: however much you feel another person's food struggles inconvenience and bother you, I am certain that you cannot fathom how much it bothers and hinders them. Many of those branded as 'picky eaters' whom I have personally dined with have evidently experienced sensory issues that they could not articulate, and for those who were potentially earnestly picky by choice... why is their plate your business?

I do not understand why a medical diagnosis is considered the barrier between a person being morally devoid and morally 'good', nor do I understand why people seem to gauge a person's moral compass and character based on their food palate at all. I have never understood why anybody else should care for what is happening beyond their own plate. It should not be a case of 'disordered by the privilege of a diagnosis' versus 'this person is fussy with food' determining whether or not they receive accommodation and the bare minimum of kindness.

I would rather accommodate somebody who is supposedly 'just picky' with food than let them go hungry or potentially have them undergo the indignity and humiliation of noticeably struggling at the table whilst trying to force down what they do not wish to or potentially cannot eat. You should not need to know that a person has 'medical permission' in order to treat them with human kindness, nor should it factor into that decision. Why this isn't the standard is beyond me. Fussy eaters: you are always welcome at my table.

as someone with ARFID i really couldn't care less about the distinction between "picky eaters" and "genuine eating issues." if you are an asshole to someone you see as "just picky" i will never, ever trust you. i've lived through the trauma of being shamed and humiliated for my eating needs.

frankly i think a LOT of "picky eaters" have some kind of sensory problems– autistic or allistic– and shame is never useful. i don't fucking care how annoying you think we are. if you've never lived through the humiliation of being the only one not eating at a dinner table, or having to choke down something disgusting you already know you hate because other people insist you don't know your own body, or getting a hunger migraine in a house full of food because none of its edible to you? you don't understand how awful it is to have food issues.

whenever i see people draw this distinction between being "just a picky eater" and "having a real problem" all i think is, who does this serve? most people don't even know ARFID exists. there are so many undiagnosed autistics, or just people with a variety of issues that aren't officially diagnosed. why do we need a medical label in order to be treated with respect and compassion? why did i need to be diagnosed as autistic for my family to realize the abuse they put me through for years because of my eating habits?

it's such an easy habit for neglected groups to fall into– the idea that a medical diagnosis can save us. that by appealing to the medical/psychiatric industry, we can be protected from abuse and given basic respect and resources. but the truth is that it should never have come to this in the first place. dignity doesn't come from an abled doctor telling you that there's a medical reason for your symptoms. it comes from being a person. once you accept that you need a Good Reason to have your needs respected, you doom yourself to neglecting and abusing those who have your same struggles because they aren't lucky enough to access medical recognition.

tl;dr solidarity with all "picky eaters" stop guilting people for having varying food needs, if we make you irrationally angry that's YOUR problem not ours, and abolish "children's menus" & replace them with simple-food menus for people of all ages