Being autistic, Toby's life is governed by a requirement for routine, especially when it comes to food. In his mind certain foods go together and can never be eaten alone, for instance crisps must always come in a bowl with a chaser bowl of marshmallows and petit filous yogurts must be eaten in pairs, first a raspberry one and then a strawberry one. He likes the same tea every day after school (or for lunch at weekends and school hols); first a crispy baked potato with the potato flesh scooped out and mashed with tuna and mayo to a consistency that is crumbly and not too wet. The mash is always eaten first and then before he eats the skins his plate must be cleared from the table. Next comes a slice of chocolate fudge cake on a pink plate and after a drink comes pudding eaten with a well worn blue spoon.
Now when I say pudding you've probably guessed that it has to be a particular kind and you'd be absolutely right. Pudding to Toby has always been Hipp Organic apple and blueberry baby food and he has eaten a jar of it every single day since he was around 5 months old. Now to my reckoning that means he will have consumed around 5,475 jars of this baby food over the last 15 years and that will be a conservative estimate as some days he has one after his evening meal too! Though not any longer it seems. In fact Hipp organic are about to wonder why sales of their apple and blueberry puds have fallen off a cliff because unfortunately for Toby they have changed not just the packaging (which has always caused him temporary consternation in the past) but also the fundamental taste with a brand new recipe. Poor Toby is bewildered to say the least and mealtimes look like being difficult for him until I can find a replacement pudding that fits the bill. Still it is an opportunity to introduce something a little more age-appropriate and I won't miss the funny looks I get in the supermarket when I have a basket full of baby food!
Anyway, apart from pudding catastrophes (and a distinct lack of summery weather) we've been having a good summer so far, busy with the usual summer activities of plum jam making, garden time, wood walks and visits to the local garden centre for rides on the miniature steam train and then an ice-cream. All in all Toby is coping with the change in routine, hopefully that will continue for the other half of the school hols and hopefully there is a perfect pud for him out there somewhere, please keep your fingers crossed 🙂
little cotton rabbits 
I find the Toby reports so very interesting as different human minds are always so fascinating. I think change is traumatic for even non-autistic people. My environment is changing at a dizzying pace. I’ve never seen anything like the constant sprouting of skyscrapers all around me. At least Toby will always have your familiar plum jam as long as you’re around. I guess that filling some of the old “pudding jars” with similar product would not fool him. Strange how most people find comfort in familiar things.
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Poor Toby, I do hope that you can find a replacement pudding soon……you know I’m not a big fan of change either, I think many of us are set in our ways!
So glad summer is going smoothly for you all…let’s just hope the sun keeps shining.
V x
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I hope you and Toby are able to find the right pudding. How frustrating that they aren’t continuing the one that he likes. Are those cherry plums? There are some growing on common land near here and I usually go and pick some around this time. They’re almost ready, I must remember to pop down and get some, plum jam is one of my favourites. I hope the rest of the school holidays goes well for you all. CJ xx
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We all dislike it when a favourite food is discontinued or the recipe changed, but for Toby it must be very disconcerting. Good luck testing out new puddings, fingers crossed he will find another one he likes. Enjoy the rest of the holidays. X
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If it ain’t broken don’t fix it! A large multinational bought out an iconic biscuit company… changed the recipes and then denied it. Idiots, wonder what they thought when their sales dropped. Do not worry about the judgement of others… not worth the thought. I love to see what people buy, people are fascinating. No judgement from me, but there must be a lot of spoiled pets around! Hope you manage to find something else that he likes, we are mostly creatures of habit, Toby is in good company.
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My brother and I ate Gerbers rice baby cereal and strained plums (that came in a tin) for breakfast well into our grade school years. My mother would mix hot milk into our bowls of the powdery/flaky rice cereal and stir it up. Often it was lumpy. My brother was 4 years older than me so he must have been in the fifth or sixth grade when I still remember eating it. The plums had a slightly tinny taste to them. We graduated to boxed cold cereal at some point and never looked back. Thanks for the memory.
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Well, I don’t take kindly to “change” either. I have my favourites in every thing, foods, yarns, fabrics etc etc… I don’t like it when things get discontinued, changed or messed about with either… Onya Toby!
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some foods are just plain comforting-my older brother ate farleys rusks mixed with warm milk and swirled to a paste well into his teenage years-wonder if he will discover them again in his dotage!
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Keep up the good work. My son Michael was tremendously resistant to change when as a five year old with zero language he would scream the house down if you chopped the wrong end off the carrot (raw only) or cut the toast in the wrong shape (visiting grandmother) or put butter on the toast that had peanut butter on it. in those days i swore blind that french fries and tomato sauce were vegetables because it was really hard to get anything in.
It’s hard to believe that now because everything has changed so much over the years just with gentle, persistent support and learning when it was safe (for my son) to offer change.
at 19 the boy who didn’t talk is now at university and is quite the gourmet.
It’s not perfect and there’s still plenty to work on but keep the faith.
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Sounds like you’re having a lovely summer, and your plum jam looks amazing! It’s such a pretty colour. Sorry to hear about the pudding situation, that does sound difficult. It doesn’t help on the age appropriate front, but organix do a lovely apple and blueberry fruit pot. It says 6 months + but it’s just pureed fruit so we all enjoy it in our family. Hope you find something to suit Toby soon x
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It is these little things that people don’t realise are such a huge thing for a child on the autistic spectrum. Good luck with finding a replacement dessert Julie.
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Awww, poor little Toby — it’s so hard on them when there’s a change in routine. I hope you can find something suitable — maybe you’ll find something he likes even better! ;-D
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It can be annoying when companies decide to change well loved recipes. If you’re autistic, it can be distressing. I hope you find another pudding soon.
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Oh Julie you done no a great job and I thought my grandson hard going when I made macaroni and cheese with red and not white cheese, he would not even look at it!!!!! Poor Toby I’m sure. You will find something but it is hard.
Our weather in Scotland has not been good so we are hoping for a wee bit sun, the children all go back to school this week so summer holidays nearly all over!
I hope the rest of your holidays go well and your family have a good time.
Love the jars of jam, plumbs look yummy.
Hugs
Ellie xxx
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Poor Toby. I know how he feels – I am totally addicted to M&S Count On Us Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni and am always really put out when it is missing from the shelves. I even keep a small stock in my freezer. Heaven knows what I will do if M&S decide to discontinue it (they seem to change recipes/ditch products frequently). Mollie my cat is just as bad. Just purchased £18 worth!!!!! of Encore Soup for her but have bought a different version and she won’t eat it. Re baby foods – I used to eat my nephew’s chocolate pudding and Farley’s rusks when I was in secondary school. Don’t worry about the funny looks – tell them it’s a new diet craze if it will make you feel better and I bet some people will then try it themselves!
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I love the accuracy of your description of Toby’s meal time. I think we all have our need for regular routine. It keeps our lives in balance.My little boy still loves the Hipp Pasta italienne and he’s five. I suspect we have quite a lengthy period before he’s willing to give it up. He would have it every day for tea if we let him, but we’ve managed to substitute it with Heinz spaghetti hoops. We have alternate days with each! It keeps him happy and therefore our mealtimes calm and peaceful. The things we do for our children.
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You never fail to present the most difficult and traumatic experiences with both grace and a gentle humour that mask the true daily ordeals and shows you for the epitome of loving motherhood that you are. I wonder if you would get a positive reaction if you approached the company directly…?
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By all means get a contact name and number from your grocer and call the manufacturer. You know they have cases and cases standing in a corner somewhere! A friend in the US wanted Ribena and the local grocer was happy to track it down for her.
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Looks like you will have to perfect a recipe for Tobys pudding and preserve it for him.as if you didn’t have enough to do.Love your Blog-glad your still posting.
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