Why do autistic people have comfort foods?

November 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to one study, up to 70% of autistic children have distinctive eating behaviors, a rate much higher than their neurotypical peers. For many on the spectrum, these habits often revolve around specific “comfort foods” or “safe foods” that provide a sense of stability and reassurance in an unpredictable world. Understanding the complex reasons behind why autistic people have comfort foods requires looking past simple pickiness and into sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and the need for routine.

Quick Summary

Autistic individuals rely on comfort foods for sensory predictability, emotional regulation, and to manage anxiety around mealtimes. This is often linked to heightened sensory sensitivities, the need for routine, and challenges with interoception. These eating habits are adaptive coping mechanisms, not just pickiness.

Key Points

Sensory Regulation: Autistic individuals often rely on comfort foods with predictable textures, tastes, and smells to help regulate their nervous system and prevent sensory overload.
Anxiety Reduction: The consistency of safe foods and mealtime routines provides a sense of control and predictability, which is crucial for reducing anxiety in an often-overwhelming world.
Interoception Challenges: Differences in feeling internal body cues like hunger or fullness can make consistent, familiar food a vital tool for ensuring adequate nutrition.
Adaptive Coping Mechanism: Refusal of new or unfamiliar food, known as food neophobia, is not stubbornness but a natural protective response that persists in many autistic people for longer than in neurotypical individuals.
Neurodiversity-Affirming Support: A supportive approach involves respecting food preferences and collaborating with professionals, rather than forcing or shaming someone into eating a wider variety of foods.

The Core Reasons Behind Autistic Comfort Foods

For autistic individuals, food is often more than just sustenance; it's a critical tool for navigating the world. The reasons for having specific comfort foods, or 'safe foods', are deeply rooted in core autistic traits, including sensory differences, the need for predictability, and emotional regulation challenges. These preferences are not a matter of defiance but are essential for managing anxiety and sensory overwhelm.

Sensory Processing Differences

Sensory processing differences are a hallmark of autism, with research suggesting that approximately 90% of autistic individuals experience sensory processing disorders. This means they may be hypersensitive (over-responsive) or hyposensitive (under-responsive) to certain sensory inputs, including those related to food.

Hyper-sensitivity: Some autistic individuals find certain textures, smells, or tastes overwhelming or even painful. This can lead to a preference for foods with very consistent, predictable textures and mild flavors, avoiding strong tastes, mixed textures, or pungent smells. For example, the unpredictability of a blueberry's texture (some are hard, some are soft) can be a sensory minefield, whereas a chicken nugget's texture is always the same.
Hypo-sensitivity: In contrast, some may seek out intense sensory input. This can manifest as a preference for crunchy foods (chips, crackers), chewy foods (bagels), or strong, distinct flavors, as these provide more pronounced sensory feedback. This can be a form of stimming (self-stimulatory behavior) to regulate the nervous system.

The Need for Predictability and Routine

Routine and predictability are fundamental to many autistic people's well-being, helping to reduce anxiety and create a sense of control in a world that can feel chaotic and overwhelming. Food preferences are a direct extension of this need.

Consistency is Key: Processed foods are often a prime example of this need for sameness. A specific brand of mac and cheese or chicken nuggets will taste and feel exactly the same every time, unlike a natural food like a fruit, which can vary in taste, texture, and ripeness. Brand loyalty is common because it guarantees a consistent experience.
Ritualistic Eating Patterns: Many autistic people develop rigid rituals around mealtimes, such as eating from a specific plate, sitting in the same chair, or having foods arranged in a particular way. Any deviation from this routine can trigger significant distress.

Emotional Regulation and Anxiety Management

Comfort eating is a common human behavior, but for autistic individuals, it is often a critical self-soothing mechanism to manage intense anxiety and sensory overload. In stressful or overstimulating situations, turning to a safe, familiar food can provide a sense of calm and control. The act of eating a predictable food can serve as a grounding ritual.

Interoception Differences

Interoception refers to a person's ability to perceive internal body signals, such as hunger, thirst, or fullness. Differences in interoception are common in autistic individuals and can directly influence eating habits.

Delayed Hunger Cues: Some may not register hunger until they are ravenous, leading to undereating. Having a set routine of eating safe foods at specific times helps ensure they get enough nutrients, compensating for unreliable internal signals.
Delayed Satiety Cues: Others may not recognize when they are full, potentially leading to overeating. The intense focus on familiar foods can sometimes lead to an obsessive eating pattern.

Comparison of Autism and Neurotypical Eating Habits


Feature	Autistic Eating Habits	Neurotypical Eating Habits
Motivation for Comfort Food	A coping mechanism for intense sensory and anxiety-related distress; part of a necessary routine.	A preference based on nostalgia, taste, or a mild mood lift.
Food Variety	Often limited to a narrow range of "safe foods" with predictable qualities. Neophobia (fear of new foods) is more common and persistent.	Generally wider variety, though personal preferences and food dislikes exist. New foods are typically approached with less anxiety.
Mealtime Rituals	Rigid and highly specific rituals (e.g., brand, plate, food separation). Deviation can cause significant distress.	Flexible and adaptable routines. Minor variations are generally tolerated without significant anxiety.
Sensory Sensitivity	A driving force behind food choices. Tastes, textures, smells, and appearance can be overwhelming or undersensitive.	Preferences and dislikes exist, but usually do not cause extreme distress or aversions.
Response to Change	Any change in food appearance, brand, or preparation can cause refusal and anxiety.	Changes in preparation or brand are typically accepted or mildly disliked, not a source of panic.

Conclusion: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Perspective

Understanding why autistic people rely on comfort foods is crucial for providing compassionate and affirming support. These eating patterns are not simply quirks but are adaptive strategies for self-regulation, sensory management, and anxiety reduction. Rather than pressuring individuals to 'normalize' their eating, a neurodiversity-affirming approach respects these preferences as valid expressions of their needs. By focusing on creating predictable mealtime environments, respecting safe food choices, and addressing the underlying sensory and anxiety-related issues, caregivers and professionals can foster a positive relationship with food. For those concerned about nutritional deficiencies, collaborating with a neurodiversity-affirming dietitian is recommended to ensure health needs are met without sacrificing comfort and autonomy. Ultimately, embracing the role of comfort food for autistic individuals can transform mealtimes from a source of stress into a moment of security and well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical picky eating is often a temporary phase of food refusal based on preference. Autistic comfort foods, or 'safe foods,' are a necessary coping mechanism related to sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and the need for routine. They are a fundamental strategy for managing overwhelming sensory and emotional experiences, not just a matter of taste.

Sensory issues can cause hypersensitivity to certain tastes, textures, or smells, making some foods genuinely uncomfortable or painful to eat. Conversely, some may seek intense sensory input from food. This leads to a preference for a limited range of foods with predictable sensory properties.

For many autistic individuals, routine provides a sense of safety and predictability that reduces anxiety. The consistent taste, texture, and presentation of safe foods, often from specific brands, create a reliable and non-stressful experience during mealtimes.

A restricted diet can increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies. It is important to work with a neurodiversity-affirming dietitian or other health professional to ensure nutritional needs are met, possibly through supplements or fortifying safe foods, without pressuring the person to abandon their comfort foods entirely.

Interoception is the internal sense that helps us feel hunger and fullness. Many autistic people experience differences in interoception, meaning they may not recognize when they are hungry or full, leading to inconsistent eating patterns. Relying on structured meal times with safe foods helps regulate this.

Supporting eating habits involves creating a predictable mealtime routine, respecting food preferences, and addressing underlying sensory and anxiety issues. Introducing new foods should be done gradually and without pressure, perhaps by having the new food nearby rather than forcing a taste.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by a highly restricted diet, often linked to sensory sensitivities or fear of eating. Unlike food selectivity driven by simple preference, ARFID results in nutritional deficiencies and impacts daily functioning. While common in the autistic population, not all food selectivity constitutes ARFID.