Calorie-dense and easy-to-eat, lunch ideas

[Anonymous]

I’m not OP but the people posting that a teen should all do this herself as so unhelpful. Some kids need help with Spanish, some need help with math, some need help with technology limits, some need help with eating. We get it that your teen is in a normal developmental path for eating. Count your blessings and don’t be a jerk to a parent whose kid needs some help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the same thing. The biggest thing I go is put it all in one container so she can see it all and eat it. When I do it any other way, half of the stuff comes back or unopened. Either a bento box or my favorite Ziplock 3 section (they never ever leak)

In the large section:

2-3 ham or salami slices rolled up with a slice of favorite cheese

PB&J or PB and banana - sliced. (I even cave and get overpriced Uncrustables because she eats them.)

Mini bagel with cream cheese and a touch of jam

Ham/swiss on a Hawaiian roll

Purdue short cuts chicken pieces with a cheese stick

In the other two sections it is usually homemade muffin or breakfast "cookie" which is calorie packed. She also loves goldfish and pirate booty so sometimes I do that. The other section I then put her favorite fruits but they have to be cut (but I dry them really good before packing so they don't get soggy.)

I never overdue it so it isn't overwhelming. We make a deal that she can not throw anything out and I won't get mad at her for what she didn't eat. It helps me gauge what she seems to like and doesn't. And it also lets me know how big of an after school snack to offer her.

These are great options. We also use the ziplock containers. LOVE them!

https://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Container-Divided-Rectangle-Count/dp/B01JLPJWQ2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1NR8G65QB907I&keywords=ziploc+lunch+containers&qid=1666891857&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjY0IiwicXNhIjoiMy4xMSIsInFzcCI6IjIuODcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=ziploc+lunch+containers+%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is she not packing her own lunch? This is the teen board. No way you are packing lunches for teens LOL

(Not OP) I actually *like* to cook and *like* to pack my kid's lunch.
Don't be so judgmental!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is she not packing her own lunch? This is the teen board. No way you are packing lunches for teens LOL

(Not OP) I actually *like* to cook and *like* to pack my kid's lunch.
Don't be so judgmental!

Another pp-- when they're picky about what they eat *and* underweight, packing their own lunch is the lesser issue. I pack my DS's lunch because he needs to gain about 20 pounds and *eating* lunch is far more critical than who packs it. If he was a great eater and a perfect weight, who packs lunch would be more of a priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is she not packing her own lunch? This is the teen board. No way you are packing lunches for teens LOL

Tween and teen board. She could be 11 or 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is she not packing her own lunch? This is the teen board. No way you are packing lunches for teens LOL

Tween and teen board. She could be 11 or 12.

Plus, who cares. Maybe the parent likes to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.

OP here. This is kind of going down a rabbit hole, but I need to think on this. I'm familiar with EDs because I was involved in the family therapy portion for the aunt, who has been hospitalized and admitted to ED clinics several times, and it was kind of awful. She also had a therapist. But I really believe that all of that intervention only made things worse for her for a long time. She had been tested for celiac throughout her life as well, but only tested positive for it about 8 years ago, and she has been doing well since then. She also had growth issues as a tween/teen and is very small. So I have all that in the back of my mind because I do see similarities. And yet I feel the treatment she received made her worse, and only exposed her to some pretty severe eating disorders, and in a way, she was kind of competitive in that environment -" who can go to the most extreme" that type of competitiveness, to get the sympathy, attention, care, and to some extent - envy of the others in treatment.

So I am fearful of intervention, because I feel it can sometimes make it worse. And this is such a complex, tricky thing that is different for each person, and with our child, she is so oppositional to any kind of intervention, it would be extremely stressful and challenging to take that on. Also, I do believe she is doing much better with breakfast and dinners. The lunches has been challenging because she seems to rarely finish them, and she says she doesn't have time.

Different poster here with a kid in recovery from multiple EDs. Don't try to apply the treatment experience for whatever happened with your aunt. Thinking and treatment have evolved a lot since then. I'd encourage you to research more. https://www.feast-ed.org/

*Calories in* is the most important thing. Once her brain and body are better-nourished/healed, a lot of the oppositional behavior drops. Undernourishment really screws with the brain's reward pathways and sets these kids into a negative spiral of feeling good when they starve themselves. You need to reset that. The quicker, the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

I’m so sorry. I think this really changes your post and your questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.

OP here. This is kind of going down a rabbit hole, but I need to think on this. I'm familiar with EDs because I was involved in the family therapy portion for the aunt, who has been hospitalized and admitted to ED clinics several times, and it was kind of awful. She also had a therapist. But I really believe that all of that intervention only made things worse for her for a long time. She had been tested for celiac throughout her life as well, but only tested positive for it about 8 years ago, and she has been doing well since then. She also had growth issues as a tween/teen and is very small. So I have all that in the back of my mind because I do see similarities. And yet I feel the treatment she received made her worse, and only exposed her to some pretty severe eating disorders, and in a way, she was kind of competitive in that environment -" who can go to the most extreme" that type of competitiveness, to get the sympathy, attention, care, and to some extent - envy of the others in treatment.

So I am fearful of intervention, because I feel it can sometimes make it worse. And this is such a complex, tricky thing that is different for each person, and with our child, she is so oppositional to any kind of intervention, it would be extremely stressful and challenging to take that on. Also, I do believe she is doing much better with breakfast and dinners. The lunches has been challenging because she seems to rarely finish them, and she says she doesn't have time.

Different poster here with a kid in recovery from multiple EDs. Don't try to apply the treatment experience for whatever happened with your aunt. Thinking and treatment have evolved a lot since then. I'd encourage you to research more. https://www.feast-ed.org/

*Calories in* is the most important thing. Once her brain and body are better-nourished/healed, a lot of the oppositional behavior drops. Undernourishment really screws with the brain's reward pathways and sets these kids into a negative spiral of feeling good when they starve themselves. You need to reset that. The quicker, the better.

She was actually eating much, much better, for at least a few years. And she was eating fine during the summer. But since she started MS this fall, I've noticed she has become pickier again and not finishing her meals. So I think stress really affects her eating behaviors. But you are prompting me to track her eating better, because now that I think of it, I am not sure if she is eating enough throughout the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

I’m so sorry. I think this really changes your post and your questions.

I've already pulled some great ideas from PPs. The muffins and the frittatas were mildly successful for her, so that's already a win right there!

Thanks everyone for all the ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.

OP here. This is kind of going down a rabbit hole, but I need to think on this. I'm familiar with EDs because I was involved in the family therapy portion for the aunt, who has been hospitalized and admitted to ED clinics several times, and it was kind of awful. She also had a therapist. But I really believe that all of that intervention only made things worse for her for a long time. She had been tested for celiac throughout her life as well, but only tested positive for it about 8 years ago, and she has been doing well since then. She also had growth issues as a tween/teen and is very small. So I have all that in the back of my mind because I do see similarities. And yet I feel the treatment she received made her worse, and only exposed her to some pretty severe eating disorders, and in a way, she was kind of competitive in that environment -" who can go to the most extreme" that type of competitiveness, to get the sympathy, attention, care, and to some extent - envy of the others in treatment.

So I am fearful of intervention, because I feel it can sometimes make it worse. And this is such a complex, tricky thing that is different for each person, and with our child, she is so oppositional to any kind of intervention, it would be extremely stressful and challenging to take that on. Also, I do believe she is doing much better with breakfast and dinners. The lunches has been challenging because she seems to rarely finish them, and she says she doesn't have time.

Different poster here with a kid in recovery from multiple EDs. Don't try to apply the treatment experience for whatever happened with your aunt. Thinking and treatment have evolved a lot since then. I'd encourage you to research more. https://www.feast-ed.org/

*Calories in* is the most important thing. Once her brain and body are better-nourished/healed, a lot of the oppositional behavior drops. Undernourishment really screws with the brain's reward pathways and sets these kids into a negative spiral of feeling good when they starve themselves. You need to reset that. The quicker, the better.

She was actually eating much, much better, for at least a few years. And she was eating fine during the summer. But since she started MS this fall, I've noticed she has become pickier again and not finishing her meals. So I think stress really affects her eating behaviors. But you are prompting me to track her eating better, because now that I think of it, I am not sure if she is eating enough throughout the day.

I’m concerned that you aren’t focusing more on disordered eating. It’s slow eating, picky, etc. If it is ARFID, muffins won’t fix it. A family member is battling this now. Your daughter is a slow eater, chokes, avoids foods, loses weight, etc. sending you best wishes…

[Anonymous]

Would she eat vegetarian chili with beans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.

OP here. This is kind of going down a rabbit hole, but I need to think on this. I'm familiar with EDs because I was involved in the family therapy portion for the aunt, who has been hospitalized and admitted to ED clinics several times, and it was kind of awful. She also had a therapist. But I really believe that all of that intervention only made things worse for her for a long time. She had been tested for celiac throughout her life as well, but only tested positive for it about 8 years ago, and she has been doing well since then. She also had growth issues as a tween/teen and is very small. So I have all that in the back of my mind because I do see similarities. And yet I feel the treatment she received made her worse, and only exposed her to some pretty severe eating disorders, and in a way, she was kind of competitive in that environment -" who can go to the most extreme" that type of competitiveness, to get the sympathy, attention, care, and to some extent - envy of the others in treatment.

So I am fearful of intervention, because I feel it can sometimes make it worse. And this is such a complex, tricky thing that is different for each person, and with our child, she is so oppositional to any kind of intervention, it would be extremely stressful and challenging to take that on. Also, I do believe she is doing much better with breakfast and dinners. The lunches has been challenging because she seems to rarely finish them, and she says she doesn't have time.

Different poster here with a kid in recovery from multiple EDs. Don't try to apply the treatment experience for whatever happened with your aunt. Thinking and treatment have evolved a lot since then. I'd encourage you to research more. https://www.feast-ed.org/

*Calories in* is the most important thing. Once her brain and body are better-nourished/healed, a lot of the oppositional behavior drops. Undernourishment really screws with the brain's reward pathways and sets these kids into a negative spiral of feeling good when they starve themselves. You need to reset that. The quicker, the better.

She was actually eating much, much better, for at least a few years. And she was eating fine during the summer. But since she started MS this fall, I've noticed she has become pickier again and not finishing her meals. So I think stress really affects her eating behaviors. But you are prompting me to track her eating better, because now that I think of it, I am not sure if she is eating enough throughout the day.

I’m concerned that you aren’t focusing more on disordered eating. It’s slow eating, picky, etc. If it is ARFID, muffins won’t fix it. A family member is battling this now. Your daughter is a slow eater, chokes, avoids foods, loses weight, etc. sending you best wishes…

I'm concerned and aware, and trying to do what I can without making it worse. I also suspect that she has mild autism, which affects her ability to feel hunger, heightens her sensitivity to certain tastes and textures of foods, and her ability to identify how her body feels when it is not well, and identify and process emotions/stress. I've read that EDs are often linked with autism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would she eat vegetarian chili with beans?

Yes - thanks, adding this to the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup isn’t going to be enough. Is this a private school? Most middle and high schools allow nuts.

Ravioli/tortellini with sauce would be my recommendation. Look at jarred sauces at the store and pick the one with the most calories. We use Rao’s Sensitive Marinara.

My teen is in recovery from anorexia, so unfortunately I have experience with this.

If she’s a slow eater AND a picky eater AND you have trouble with her weight, please look into ARFID. If it resonates at all, please get her treatment. You do not want this to persist into adulthood, and it can create health issues, short and long term.

She doesn't like anything with tomatoes, so sauce is out. Generally all condiments or sauces are out. Butter is a preferred favorite.

I read up on ARFID and it does resonate somewhat. But I would say she is much less pickier now, then she used to be between the ages of 6-8. She will at least try everything now. But the complete lack of interest in eating, lack of appetite, and also the frequent choking episodes (going down the wrong pipe), and lack of growth- that all sounds familiar. What does treatment look like for ARFID?

Her aunt also had a very severe eating disorder, but she says now that it was just undiagnosed celiac disease. We have tested multiple times for celiac.

EDs are genetic, so your daughter is at risk, regardless of symptoms. Celiac and EDs have a high co-morbity rate - in fact, I’ve read that everyone diagnosed with ED should be tested for celiac. It is very possible her aunt had both.

Treatment for ARFID is a mix of CBT, exposure therapy, food-chaining. You want someone who used evidence-based methods (they should use that phrase). Ask what specific methods they use. They should be able to back each one up. Talk therapy is a waste of time here, as is yoga, equine therapy, etc.

Lack of growth is a big red flag, btw.

I don’t know if this will help motivate, but picky eating can have a big impact on your social life later. Dating, lunch meetings at work, etc. My high school BFF was a crazy picky eater, and it has impacted her whole life.

OP here. This is kind of going down a rabbit hole, but I need to think on this. I'm familiar with EDs because I was involved in the family therapy portion for the aunt, who has been hospitalized and admitted to ED clinics several times, and it was kind of awful. She also had a therapist. But I really believe that all of that intervention only made things worse for her for a long time. She had been tested for celiac throughout her life as well, but only tested positive for it about 8 years ago, and she has been doing well since then. She also had growth issues as a tween/teen and is very small. So I have all that in the back of my mind because I do see similarities. And yet I feel the treatment she received made her worse, and only exposed her to some pretty severe eating disorders, and in a way, she was kind of competitive in that environment -" who can go to the most extreme" that type of competitiveness, to get the sympathy, attention, care, and to some extent - envy of the others in treatment.

So I am fearful of intervention, because I feel it can sometimes make it worse. And this is such a complex, tricky thing that is different for each person, and with our child, she is so oppositional to any kind of intervention, it would be extremely stressful and challenging to take that on. Also, I do believe she is doing much better with breakfast and dinners. The lunches has been challenging because she seems to rarely finish them, and she says she doesn't have time.

Different poster here with a kid in recovery from multiple EDs. Don't try to apply the treatment experience for whatever happened with your aunt. Thinking and treatment have evolved a lot since then. I'd encourage you to research more. https://www.feast-ed.org/

*Calories in* is the most important thing. Once her brain and body are better-nourished/healed, a lot of the oppositional behavior drops. Undernourishment really screws with the brain's reward pathways and sets these kids into a negative spiral of feeling good when they starve themselves. You need to reset that. The quicker, the better.

She was actually eating much, much better, for at least a few years. And she was eating fine during the summer. But since she started MS this fall, I've noticed she has become pickier again and not finishing her meals. So I think stress really affects her eating behaviors. But you are prompting me to track her eating better, because now that I think of it, I am not sure if she is eating enough throughout the day.

I’m concerned that you aren’t focusing more on disordered eating. It’s slow eating, picky, etc. If it is ARFID, muffins won’t fix it. A family member is battling this now. Your daughter is a slow eater, chokes, avoids foods, loses weight, etc. sending you best wishes…

I'm concerned and aware, and trying to do what I can without making it worse. I also suspect that she has mild autism, which affects her ability to feel hunger, heightens her sensitivity to certain tastes and textures of foods, and her ability to identify how her body feels when it is not well, and identify and process emotions/stress. I've read that EDs are often linked with autism.

Thanks for sharing this. This wasn’t how the original post was written (which was just seeking calorie heavy lunch ideas), so that’s why I was concerned.