This article shares a large list of mix and match autism lunch ideas for picky eaters.
Always looking for new lunch ideas? You’re not alone.
Autism lunch ideas can be challenging because so much goes into eating for kids with autism.
You want to make sure you are packing foods that your child likes and that will remain consistent in a lunchbox if you are packing a lunch for school. Look for lunchboxes that keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Because so many kids dislike when foods touch, it’s also helpful to have special containers that can keep foods separate.
Best Lunch Boxes for Kids
To help you find the best autism lunch ideas, you need to consider your child’s preferences. Not every food will work for everyone. Use the list below to find foods your child likes to eat.
Then, make lunches that include 1 main/protein, 1 fruit and/or veggie, and a fun snack.
Add your own food ideas and make a master list of autism lunch ideas that you can post to the fridge or inside the pantry for easy access.
Autism Lunch Ideas
Main dish/protein for autism lunch ideas
- Hard boiled egg
- Grilled chicken
- Nut or seed butter
- Rice and beans
- Yogurt
- Sausage
- Ground meat or alternative for tacos
- Meatballs
- Burger (beef, chicken, turkey, lamb etc or bean/vegetarian)
- Banana slice “sandwiches” with jam and nut butter or cream cheese
- Tuna/salmon/chicken salad
- Fish sticks
- Cold pasta salad
- Waffle or pancake (plain, cut in strips, with a spread as a sandwich)
- Lunch meat roll ups
- Soup or chili in a thermos
- Sandwich, wrap, bagel
- Oatmeal
- Hummus or bean dip
- Edamame
- Meat/cheese/tofu kebab
- Falafel
- Loaded baked potato
- Leftovers
- Tofu nuggets
- Ants on a log
Veggies for autism lunch ideas
- Raw carrot, celery, pepper, cucumber, jicama cut into favorite shape
- Salad with a favorite dressing or dip
- Cherry tomatos
- Leftovers
- Sugar snap peas
- Shredded carrot salad
- Coleslaw
- Pickled veggies
- Frozen peas
- Kale chips
- Guacamole
- Dried seaweed
- Steamed veggies
- Freeze-dried veggies
- Roasted veggies
Snacks for autism lunch ideas
- Rice cakes
- Crackers
- Pretzels
- Roasted chickpea snack
- Snap pea crisps
- Popcorn
- Veggie chips
- Pita chips
- Fruit gummies
- Trail mix
- Granola (bar or loose)
- Yogurt raisins
- Tortilla chips with salsa
- Mini muffin
- Low-added sugar snack bar (love these and these)
- Date balls
- Nuts and/or seeds
Fruit for autism lunch ideas
- Favorite fresh fruit (ie berries, mango, melon, peach, plum, grapes, banana, apple, pear, pineapple, citrus)
- Fruit kebabs
- Fruit chunks on a toothpick
- Apple sauce or pureed fruit pouch
- Fruit leather
- Freeze dried fruit
- No sugar added dried fruit
- Baked banana chips
- Fruit cup
My son is three years old and has autism but I if it can be so hard to get him to try new things he will just pick up fruit and if it is wet or something like that he will dry gag he just like crunch things.
Kristen, if your son likes crunchy try getting creative with trail mix; nuts, grains, dried fruit, chocolate, and yogurt coated items can help diversify his diet and introduce him to new foods in a more pleasing texture for him. Vegetable chips can be made at home by thinly slicing and baking in the oven or using a dehydrator.
Kids on the spectrum also usually have gastrointestinal issues, talk to a GI or allergist and maybe look into a swallow test to see if he may be suffering from something like Dysphagia. A cheap way to test out if he is having problems swallowing is to buy some simply thick and thicken some juice to see if he finds it easier and more pleasant to drink.
I have autism and I used to have a similar reaction to wet food and the way I worked around that was dried fruit or adding sugar to cut up fruits and slowly taking it away until I could tolerate it. A part of what made fruit so difficult for me was how inconsistent it was and the texture. (they can be mushier or sweeter or sourer and it’s very stressful) adding the sugar, although not ideal health wise, masks a lot of those problems. Slowly adding less and less sugar over a period of time where you can’t notice it makes the transition doable. I hope you’re able to work through it and awesome on you for reaching out for help, I wish I had the same resources growing up!
My daughter is 3 years old and she has autism and she will not eat meat or anything new. I need some help and advice on how to get her to at more and not just junk food
Me too. Any help for a 3 year old that is apprehensive about trying anything is appreciated. Mac and cheese, spaghetti, Pbj gets old and cereal isn’t healthy.
My son is 4 year and on the spectrum. He doesn’t wanna take anything new and he doesn’t eat veggies or fruits really. I don’t know what to do. He only eats pizza, quesadillas, bananas, apple sauce sometimes.
Please help.