Safe Foods
Foods that are reliably tolerable due to predictable sensory properties. Essential for autistic people with sensory sensitivities and ARFID.
AutismSensory Processing
Layer 2: Validated
Clinical Recognition
Used by OTs, feeding therapists, and dietitians. Related to ARFID (DSM-5 diagnosis). Recognized as sensory accommodation, not 'pickiness.'
Community Validation
Universal recognition in autistic communities. Validates food restriction as sensory need, not behavioral problem.
Published
17 December 2025 by Team Heumans
Safe Foods are the foods you can reliably eat without sensory distress. They have predictable texture, taste, temperature, and smell. They don't trigger sensory overwhelm or disgust. For many autistic people, safe foods are the only foods that feel possible to eat.
It's not pickiness. It's that most foods register as overwhelming, disgusting, or physically painful due to sensory processing differences. A safe food is a life raft in a sea of sensory assault.