The Best Tomato Soup Approved By Picky Autistic Eater

The Best Tomato Soup Approved by My Picky Autistic Eater

If you are reading this, you probably know the struggle of feeding a picky autistic eater.

It is a journey I know all too well because not only is my child a picky autistic eater and extremely selective with food, but I was also that picky autistic eater growing up.

I remember how frustrated my mom would get, trying to find anything I would be willing to eat that was not plain bread (definitely not ever toasted) and smeared with some butter. I would also be willing to eat apples.

Fast forward, and now I am in her shoes, trying to navigate the same challenge with my own picky autistic eater.

We hit a tough patch when my picky autistic eater started refusing almost everything.

It was not just an inconvenience – it became a real health concern. At a routine check up, the pediatrician mentioned their BMI was dangerously low, and I panicked.

My husband and I were already stressed out, but hearing that their weight was declining was a wake up call.

I knew I had to find solutions, and fast. This is how our journey into food therapy and trial and error recipes began. You can read more about our food therapy experience here.

Why Food Therapy Works Wonders for Picky Autistic Eaters

It is not just about getting your picky autistic eater to eat. It is about finding something they can eat, without resistance or meltdowns.

For us, food therapy was a game changer. It is not a quick fix but it genuinely does help. A food therapist helped us create a safe and positive environment to explore new foods without pressure.

They introduced techniques to desensitize my picky autistic eater to textures they could not tolerate, like gradually moving from smooth purees to slightly chunkier foods.

We noticed that my picky autistic eater responded well to visual cues, so we used colorful food charts and playful games to introduce new items. It was not about completely changing their diet overnight.

As my picky autistic eater started eating a wider variety of foods, their energy levels improved, and they seemed happier and more focused.

It was about celebrating small victories, like taking a single bite of a new food.

The Soup That Changed Everything

One thing my picky autistic eater actually enjoys?

Soup.

Thank goodness for soup!

This gave me a glimmer of hope, and I decided to lean into it. I started experimenting with recipes that were healthy, calorie dense, and packed with nutrients.

After plenty of failed attempts, I finally landed on a tomato based soup recipe that checked all the boxes.

It is simple, it is delicious, and best of all – my child loves it.

Since they are not a fan of meat, chicken, or fish, this vegan soup relies on lentils for protein and richness.

Lentils are a super food full of fiber, protein, and iron – basically very important to be incorporated into a growing child’s nutritional needs. You can read more about the health benefits of Lentils here, ‘Health Benefits of Beans!‘

What is more surprising is that my entire family, including my non autistic relatives, has fallen in love with this soup.

Now, it has become a staple in our household.

I will share the recipe in another post, but trust me, this one is definitely worth trying if your picky autistic eater is a soup fan.

A Deeper Look at ARFID and Picky Autistic Eaters

If you are raising a picky autistic eater on the spectrum, you might have heard of ARFID – Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. It is not just “being picky.”

For many autistic children, sensory issues like taste, texture, and even the look of food can make eating certain things feel unbearable.

In our case, my child’s aversion to foods was extreme. They were not just refusing food they did not “like”. They genuinely could not tolerate it, even with encouragement.

ARFID is common in autistic kids, and it often stems from the same sensory sensitivities that make bright lights or loud noises overwhelming.

For my child, the texture of certain foods was a huge barrier. Crunchy, slimy, or mushy foods were immediately off the table. Even the smell of certain dishes could trigger a refusal.

Understanding ARFID was a turning point for us. It helped me realize that my child was not being stubborn or defiant – they were genuinely struggling with something they could not control.

This re-framed my approach to mealtimes.

Instead of getting frustrated, I focused on finding foods that worked within their sensory preferences, like smooth soups and mild flavors.

Why This Tomato Soup Works

The beauty of this soup is that it is smooth, warm, and easy to eat – perfect for a child with texture sensitivities.

The lentils give it body without being overwhelming, and the natural sweetness of tomatoes balances out the flavors.

Plus, it is so versatile!

You can tweak the recipe by adding a little more of what your child already loves, whether that is a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or even some croutons (if crunchy textures are acceptable).

For us, this soup became more than just a meal – it was a stepping stone to exploring other foods.

Once my child was comfortable with this, I started introducing slight variations, like blending in different vegetables or swapping lentils for chickpeas.

It has been a slow process, but one that has made a real difference in how my child approaches food.

To Begin – These Are The Ingredients For Our Picky Autistic Eater’s Favourite Soup

• 2 Tbsp White Rice
• 1/4 Cup of Lentils
• Around: 1/4 Cup of sliced Carrots
• 2 Small Potatoes
• 750ml Boiled Water
• 1 Medium Onion
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 or 2 Small Garlic Cloves
• Salt to Taste
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
• 2/3 Sweet Paprika
• /A full Tsp Tomato Puree
• 1 Medium Tomato (Not in Photo)
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 2/3 Tsp Curry

Begin by adding the olive oil to the pan.

Then chop, very roughly, the:

• Onions,
• Potatoes,
• Carrots and the
• Garlic

and add them to the pan.

Turn on the stove to medium heat.

Try to keep stirring because the potatoes are notorious for sticking to the bottom of the pan!

Once you have done that, keep stirring some more.

Then add some of the water to the pot. Use the kettle to heat the water and once you think that the potatoes are beginning to slightly stick to the pan add a slight amount of water to the pot. Just enough to be level with the ingredients.

Skin the tomato, roughly chop it and add that to the soup also.

Along with the Lentils and Rice.

Keep stirring to allow the ingredients to soften up.

Once the ingredients have become a little soft, especially the carrots; this point you can add the spices.

About the spices for our Picky Autistic Eater

The spices being Turmeric, Curry and Sweet Paprika.

And of course – Salt and Pepper.

If your child absolutely refuses. And I do mean hands down, will go to war over spices.

You CAN omit them all and just add Salt and a little bit of Pepper.

If you are trying to help your picky autistic eater find slightly more spicy foods acceptable for their food palate, then you are more than welcome to add some chili powder.

Just a little bit.

But every time you make the soup, add slightly more than the last time.

Its honestly good training to get them to accept a more variable food palate.

But you know your child best and so you know which hill to die on!

I like to add a Masala spice mix.

But only a very little amount. Usually you cannot tell much of a difference whether it is really hot, temperature wise or whether it is spicy.

Anyway, after adding the spices, you should then finally add the Tomato Puree.

The very last ingredient!!

This is really what will sweeten up this recipe a little bit.

It is also at this point that you should add the rest of the water to the pot.

If you need to reheat the kettle then do that. But make sure that the water you add to the pot is hot.

Some cooking tips!

You can cover the pot with a lid to quicken the cooking results in a shorter time frame, however it is not necessary and the soup itself will not take more than an hour to make from starting from scratch chopping ingredients etc. (Without the need to add a lid)

Keep your eye on it though, to stir it.

Because lentils and rice are notorious for sticking to the bottom of the pan!

Seriously.

Then you end up with lumpy bits in the soup and as an Autistic myself, thats just yucky!

Once you see the soup beginning to look like the picture above.

Use a spoon to see how easily you can snap the carrots and the potatoes into smaller pieces. If they are nice and soft and snap very easily,

It is time to use the mixer to soften up the ingredients to the point where the soup becomes like water with no texture.

Once you have used the blender you will notice that the colour becomes lighter.

Bring the heat down to low and keep stirring. Because you will still end up with lumps if you do not keep stirring!

If you find that the soup is still a little too thick then you can always add more water to make it really runny.

If that is your child’s preference then they can drink it like soup!

Worth Noting

Alright, so this recipe is slightly sweet. If your Autistic child does not like any form of sweet in their food then try my other lentil soup recipe for them. No Texture Vegan soup for Picky Autistic Eaters.

Otherwise, if your child is actually a fan of slightly sweeter foods then this recipe will hopefully be a very big hit!

Use the blender really thoroughly to get rid of the texture. (Over time you can always reduce your blending time to gradually increase the amount of texture in the soup so that your picky autistic eater gets used to some texture eventually).

This recipe is something I have developed and I made sure to add a lot of nutritious foods. With a decent amount of calories. So that my picky autistic eater weight could get back on track and also so that they could eat their Vegetables, Starches and some Grains

The amount of nutrition and calories they can get from this recipe is really a lot.

My Autistic child used to wake up a lot during the middle of the night.

Most likely because they were still hungry.

I say this because they would wake up in the middle of the night and ask for a banana.

After I began to give them foods that I had thoroughly researched regarding their nutritional values, the night wakings stopped.

Unless that they had a nightmare or are feeling unwell or needing to use the toilet. The night wakings have stopped.

My child no longer wakes up in the night time for a late night snack!

Final Thoughts

If you are struggling with a picky autistic eater, know that you are not alone. It is a process that takes patience, creativity, and a lot of trial and error.

I highly recommend exploring food therapy. It is an investment in your child’s health and happiness, and it can transform the way your family approaches mealtimes.

Start with what your child is already comfortable with and build from there. For us, soup was the gateway, and this tomato soup in particular has been a lifesaver.

Try it out with your own twist and see how it works for your little one. And remember – progress, no matter how small, is still progress. Over time, all of this helped reduce my child’s anxiety around food and made our mealtimes much more enjoyable.

Good luck, and happy cooking!