Children with ASD often have sensory issues and so food may not smell, taste or feel the same as it does to us. These issues may extend to memory anxiety - e.g. remembering an event / person when a particular food was eaten and that thought being so strong that it interferes with eating that food now.
‘Every time you ask me to try an apple I remember back to when I had a bad tummy, and I had an apple and was sick. When I have the fruit in my mouth my memory is so strong I can taste, feel, and smell the memory of the sick, and I can’t taste the apple… that’s why I won’t try it.’ - [Individual with ASD]