sensory issues effecting diet

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After a while of thinking, I've finally decided to see if anyone can help me with a problem I have...

Just like a lot of other autistic people, I do have heightened senses, especially in hearing, tasting, and touch, My gag reflexes are triggered much more easily than others, and it makes it hard for me to eat certain foods.

For example: lettuce (and several other vegetables) are impossible for me to swallow, because of the texture. Putting dressing (preferably ranch) does help, but too much makes it just as impossible.
I also can't eat meats with that chewy fat part on it, for it's hard to break down, and it triggers my gag reflexes when I try to swallow, resulting in no choice but to cough it up.
Potatoes feel weird in my mouth. I can't eat those period. (I used to be able to eat them mashed, but I can't anymore, for some reason.)
Mangos also feel weird. They taste good, but I can't eat them because they feel... Slimy.



Things like this applies to many other foods, but all those other foods are also healthy in some way or another. Anything unhealthy (candy, chips, etc.) is not a problem for me to eat. On top of it, my mom doesn't believe me when I try to tell her, and thinks it's just an excuse for me being "picky."

I hope I'm not the only one with this problem. If any of you have any advice whatsoever. I would be glad to hear is.

I think you can work around these issues:

Lettuce: try spinach (raw or cooked), cabbage (fermented), or any other leafy green
Meat: cut off the fatty parts and cook it in water. You can at least still have the nutrients from it
Potatoes: Try plantains, squash, pumpkin (seasonal) mashed cauliflower, as substitutes
Mangos: smoothies taste great!

For mangos you might try them dried.

Canned chicken, really most chicken and turkey have very little fat or cartilage pieces (that are not easy to cut off)

Green smoothies seem to be pretty popular these days. You could try leafy vegetables that way.