My spouse does that, food for him is extremely soothing as is playing guitar. If he were to consider one over the other, he would likely choose food.
His mother told me years ago that as an infant, he used to cry all the time. She thought it was croup, and brought him to the family doctor, and mentioned the constant crying. He asked her how much she bottle fed him, and she told him. "It isn't enough for his size, and weight" the Doctor told her, "he's your largest, longest baby". She had fed him the standard amount that she had given to her other children. She brought him home, gave him one bottle which he drank, then two more, then he fell asleep. After that she fed him more. She thought it was an amusing story, I didn't.
Since that time or because of it, food has been something so important in his life, that irregardless of anything else, he has to eat, or panic sets in. He's not particularly overweight, it's simply the most necessary thing to him. At lunch for example, he wants to know what's for dinner. Whether this is a function of his childhood starvation diet, I don't know. Or a function of his autism, and the desire to have a constant touchstone with meals. Something known and to be relied upon, that makes him content I don't really know.
As for what to do about it, smaller portions, smaller plates, more liquids, no temping things kept or bought that are easy to snack on. I'm certain you know about these things anyway. Locking yourself in the bathroom, to have a bath, a walk perhaps. A rule of no food after nine o'clock at night, might help a bit. Actually I eat what I consider to be only fresh foods now, vegetables, fruit, small amounts of protein. It's helped to keep the cupboard bare of easily accessible foods that I can eat standing up in the kitchen, and furtively. Peanut butter is my friend
So as during any difficult and stressful time, don't stint too much, it makes it more stressful. When things are in flux its hard to not grab a cookie, and that kind of iron self-control is difficult to hold onto. Perhaps later, when things are more settled. Pick your time.
