Selection boxes are a beloved part of Christmas - they're the perfect-sized treat that you'll probably scoff at breakfast time whilst you open presents. One woman has shared, however, that not only does she eats a selection box over the holidays, she also eats them every day of the year - that's around eight bars of chocolate, each day.
Jade Dukes, from Leicester, suffers from AFRID - avoidant restrictive food intake disorder - and as a result, has a limited list of safe foods that she can eat. This list includes Galaxy Ripples, McDonald's, and certain flavour crisps, and her Selective Eating Disorder means that the eight Galaxy Ripples make up the majority of her daily diet.
"I've always struggled with my eating but it got worse as I got to adulthood and moved out," she said. "I realised it became much more of a serious problem. At one point I'd shrunk down to just six stone.
"I knew it wasn't anorexia or bulimia because I didn't want to lose weight and hated being so thin, but I just couldn't get myself to eat and started losing more and more of what was previously my safe foods. Now I have a really restricted diet.
"Essentially, I'm eating a selection box every day of the year. I don't know what it is about Galaxy, but it's a really reliable safe food for me.
"You're supposed to have at least nine safe foods, so some of my other go-to safe foods include chilli heatwave Doritos, plain cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and chips from McDonald's, garlic bread, certain brands of battered fish, and Walkers baked cheese and onion crisps.
"However, some days I struggle to get anything down and I can go days without eating.
"I have even begged to feed through a tube because I hate being like this."
The 29-year-old says she finds it easier around the festive period as she can buy her daily intake of chocolate in one selection box. Throughout the rest of the year, she has to use a chocolate subscription on Amazon to ensure she has plenty at home.
She explained that Ripples are her favourites, but Minstrels and Counters are also good alternatives. Jade admitted that 'it's not the most nutritious diet', but argued it's 'better than not eating at all'.
Jade keeps all of her safe foods in a wardrobe at home, which also contains some chilli heatwave Doritos as well as chocolate.
"I love the Galaxy selection boxes so much. It's such a shame that they don't sell them all year round," she continued.
"They're so good because I can get a mixture of my favourite chocolates all in one go.
"I love Galaxy chocolate so much because I really enjoy the smooth texture and the fact that it just melts in your mouth.
"They don't randomly change their ingredients and I'm not going to get a random texture or crunch that I'm not expecting. That would make me gag. I hate chocolate with nuts in it."
And while Jade may love Christmas chocolate, the thought of a big Christmas meal is very daunting for her.
She admitted: "I hate when people watch me eat and then make sly comments. It's so upsetting and I much prefer to eat in my bedroom. However, on Christmas day I make the effort to sit around the table with my family.
"Having to sit down for a Christmas dinner with my family fills me with anxiety. My plate will only be consisting of turkey, roast potatoes and pigs in blankets. I don't eat any vegetables or fruit at all. I even hate going out for meals."
Her food restrictions also extend to drinks, with her admitting the only drinks she can 'stomach' are Diet Coke and Rubicon raw energy. She said: "I can't even drink water."
Jade has two children, and her firstborn son who is 11 has picked up some of her habits and only likes plain food - but her youngest will eat anything.
She said: "It can be hard preparing meals for my kids because I get really freaked out if I get sauce on my hands, and baked beans make me feel sick.
"The smell of other people's food also makes me feel sick. My ARFID has never improved. It's only gotten worse as time goes on.
"People don't understand the severity of it and some doctors don't even know what it is. The lack of support is so traumatic and terrifying.
"Being this way makes me feel disgusting. I've been called many things because of the way that I look, such as being called a boy, and it also affects physical relationships and friendships.
"I'm so self-conscious and move mirrors in my house so I don't have to look at myself and I dread exciting events like holidays and weddings because I know I'll be faced with challenges in terms of food.
"I just want to raise awareness for ARFID so more people can understand how awful it is."
To find out more about ARFID, click here.
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