ARFID and Summer: How to Plan Ahead and Enjoy the Season

Summer brings a change in routine—and with it, new challenges for individuals navigating ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). From cookouts and family trips to overnight camps and disrupted meal schedules, the season often introduces unfamiliar foods, social eating situations, and changes to reliable support systems.

While summer can be overwhelming, it can also be manageable—and even fun—with the right preparation. This blog will help you “cope ahead,” a concept from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that encourages planning for challenging situations in advance to build confidence and reduce stress.

Why Summer Can Be Hard with ARFID

Individuals with ARFID already face significant barriers around food. Add to that:

• Being away from home and familiar foods

• Eating in social settings

• Unpredictable meals and snack times

• Less access to trusted support people

• Limited availability of safe foods

  
  

Recently, a parent of a client voiced concern about their child attending a week-long overnight camp. They were unsure whether any of the meals would be safe or manageable. Their concern is valid—and it’s exactly the kind of situation where coping ahead becomes essential.

S'mores at a summer cookout

How to Cope Ahead for Different Summer Scenarios

Let’s look at three common summer situations and walk through how to prepare:

A Single-Day Event (e.g., a July 4th/Family Gathering)

These events can be stressful due to food, social pressure, and family dynamics. Try these strategies:

Plan for food:

• Bring your own safe foods or supplements

• Eat before and/or after the event

• Review the menu if possible and identify anything tolerable

• Focus on enjoying yourself—even if eating is minimal

  
  

Plan for people:

• Role-play responses to unhelpful comments

• Ask a trusted relative to help manage conversations

• Decide in advance when to take breaks or step away

Summer Camp or Classes Away from Home

These experiences might mean extended time away from your normal support and routine—but they also offer opportunities for growth.

• Menu planning:

  • Request the menu in advance

  • Work with your treatment team to work towards eating some of these camp foods

  • If time is limited, use the menu to identify tolerable foods or what to supplement

• Pack safe options:

  • Bring portable safe foods, drinks, or supplements

  • Think about amounts—if only one food is safe at a meal, you may need more of it

• Communicate:

  • Talk to a staff member or adult supervisor about your needs

  • Ask them to check in or support you in the moment

  • Ask your treatment team if it would be helpful for them to reach out to the camp or school

• Be open to low-pressure exposure:

  • Try a bite of a peer’s food (only if you feel ready—no pressure!)

  • Observe others eating unfamiliar foods as a form of passive exposure

    
    

Family Vacations or Longer Trips

These tend to be the most complex. The key here is flexibility and planning.

• Identify the most common foods you’ll encounter and start practicing with similar items at home

• Increase flexibility with existing safe foods—e.g., being able to eat pizza from more than one place

• Look for familiar foods in your destination area

• Pack shelf-stable or travel-safe foods and map out where you can restock

• Adjust expectations: Success may look like maintaining intake, not expanding it

Food on vacation

Remember Your Summer Priorities: Fun, Sun, and Nourishment

Nourishment doesn’t always mean a perfectly balanced plate—it might mean ensuring you get enough food to feel good and stay energized. Some days that might look like eating the same food multiple times, drinking supplements, or skipping a group meal in favor of a solo snack. That’s okay.

Summer is about more than food. It’s about making memories, relaxing, and doing things that bring joy. With thoughtful preparation and the right support, individuals with ARFID can participate—and even thrive—throughout the season.

Want More Support?

Check out the Cope Ahead DBT Skill resource to help build your plan step by step and always feel free to reach out to us at www.bridgethefoodgap.com!