Healthy Eating for Kids on the Spectrum

healthy eating for kids on the spectrum

Healthy Eating for Kids on the Spectrum

Teaching and providing children with healthy food options is imperative – especially for children with autism who struggle with food sensitivities. Striking a balance between affordability and health can be difficult, so learning which foods to buy organically is key.

Learn from Shannon Penrod of Autism Live as she explains the “Clean Fifteen” and “Dirty Dozen” – fruits and vegetables found by a government study to rank either very low or very high in terms of pesticides and other toxins.

Healthy Eating for Kids on the Spectrum by Autism Live with Shannon Penrod
Initial Release Date: April 12, 2012
Source: YouTube

What We Learned from this Video:

  • Eating produce without pesticides reduces your risk of getting cancer and other diseases.
  • By following the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen guidelines, you can cut your consumption of toxins by as much as 80%.
  • Most of the Dirty Dozen are eaten with the peel on with only a wash to clean them. This leads to the consumption of chemicals and toxins stuck on the outside of the food.
  • These Clean Fifteen can be bought conventionally grown and carry less risk of contamination and toxin. They typically have a peel that you would remove before eating.
  • It is very beneficial to buy the Dirty Dozen as organic instead of conventional.
  • Going to a local farmer’s market and finding a farmer who does not use pesticides, even if they don’t grow organic, can give you access to healthier and cheaper alternatives.

A well-balanced diet is one of the most important factors for maintaining good health. If you are looking for more tips and advice on nutrition for your autistic child or teen, check out our nutritional videos in our Free Video Library.



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