Happy New Year, neurodivergent folks!

I find lunch annoying. For me, food is a necessity, not a luxury. 

I eat because I have to, to stay alive, not necessarily for the delicacy. And I don’t like the hassle of thinking about what I’m eating. 

Hence, I can eat the same thing for a very long time… Until I get sick of it. 

There’s been a handful of times where I’ve taken food to work to eat it at lunch, only to find myself going out to eat.

Costing me additional money and wasted time on preparing the food. 

Why This Pattern Happens So Often

Research and community experiences show this isn’t random; in fact, it’s a classic neurodivergent eating cycle:

1) Hyperfixation → Burnout on the Food

With ADHD especially, you can get really into one meal (easy prep, tasty, reliable), eating it daily until your brain habituates super fast.

Then comes the “repulsion” or boredom phase, all of a sudden, it feels gross or unappealing. This flip is well-documented in ADHD food hyperfixation discussions.

2) Routine Comfort Turns to Overwhelm

Home cooking starts as a win (predictable, cheaper, controlled), but the repetition + effort (planning, prepping) drains executive function.

When burnout hits, the mental energy for cooking vanishes, so takeaway becomes the easy escape.

3) Decision Fatigue + Cost Awareness

I avoid the daily “what to eat?” hassle by sticking to one thing… until my bank balance screams “stop!” Forcing me to switch, restarting the cycle.

Practical Ways to Break or Soften the Cycle

The goal isn’t forcing endless variety; it’s backfired for me many times. Instead, lean into low-effort strategies that respect your brain’s wiring:

1) Build a Short “Rotation Menu”

• Pick 3–5 “safe” lunch options you genuinely like (e.g. for me, bulgar wheat, rice, stir-fry bowls).

• Rotate them weekly or every few days, no daily decisions needed.

• This reduces decision fatigue while preventing total burnout on one food. I get a bit of novelty. 

2) Batch Prep with Built-in Variety

• Cook once (e.g., Sunday or mid-week) but make components mix-and-match:

• Base: bulgar Rice/pasta

• Protein: Chicken, eggs, beef, beans, tofu

• Veggies/sauce: Rotate add-ins

• Freeze portions so you have “new” meals without re-cooking.

3) Budget-Friendly “Takeaway” Alternatives at Home

• On Fridays, I tend to work from home, and it’s my “cheat day”. So I tend to eat what I want. I try not to go overboard with it. This rule helps me avoid the guilt spirals

• Stock quick, low-prep backups like frozen meals, rotisserie chicken + microwave veggies, or pre-made salads.

4) Reduce the Mental Load Overall

• Use phone alarms/reminders for lunch time (helps if interoception is tricky).

• Keep a visual list on the fridge of your rotation options, no thinking required.

• Allow flexibility: If a food starts feeling “off,” swap it out guilt-free.

5) Gentle Nutrition Tweaks for Energy

• Focus on protein + fiber in your go-to meals to stabilize mood/focus (ADHD brains love steady energy!).

• Mechanical eating (eat on a schedule, even if not super hungry) can prevent crashes that lead to impulsive choices.

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Lastly,

Stay Different,

The AuDHD Exec

Disclaimer: I am not your psychiatrist, coach, doctor. Neurodiverse Diary does not provide medical services or professional counselling and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Everything I publish represents my opinions, experience, not advice.