Best Healthy Snacks for Your Kid’s ADHD-Friendly Diet and Worst Foods to Avoid (2024)

Healthy snacks that balance protein and carbs may help children with ADHD stave off hunger and reduce symptoms.

Like all kids, children withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)need to eat a healthy diet, and that includes choosing healthy snacks. But feedingkids who have ADHDcan be extra challenging for several reasons.

First, medications can decrease their appetite, says Angela Lemond, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a dietitian who specializes in pediatric nutrition and treating medical conditions through food therapy, who is based in Plano, Texas. Second, kids who experience hyperactivity expend more energy and may need more calories than some of their peers, she adds.

Snacks are key to staving off hunger and mood swings — but not just any snack. While research doesn’t support one definitive diet forADHD, dietitians say some foods may help reduce symptoms. “Have a balance of protein and carbohydrates with each snack,” suggests Lemond, since this combination provides an optimal nutrition package for sustained energy and concentration. Aim to keep blood sugar stable with plenty offiber— aim for 3 grams (g) or more per serving — and limit added sugars to less than 5 g per serving to avoid dips in energy.

Need a few ideas? These seven kid-friendly snacks are healthy and fun, too.

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Mini Pizzas to Improve Concentration and Behavior

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Fruit Smoothies to Boost Brain Function

Kids who have ADHD benefit from the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that fruit provides.Vitamin Candfolate, in particular, play a direct role in helping brain function, says Lemond.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), orange juice,oranges, andstrawberriesare allgood sources of vitamin C, and they’re all smoothie-friendly. For folate, try adding mango,spinach, andavocado.Bananas, another smoothie staple, are rich invitamin B6(pyridoxine), which aids in the formation ofneurotransmittersthat affect behavior, says Lemond.

Try making a fruit smoothie from fresh fruit and yogurt. Blend bananas, strawberries, orange juice, and ice in the blender (or any other fruits and veggies); add some yogurt for thickness; and serve. Choosing nonfat Greek yogurt will give your smoothie extra protein. “Balancing protein with fruit slows down the digestion process of the fruit, which helps release energy from the food more steadily,” says Lemond. However, more protein is not necessarily better when it comes to kids, so there’s no need to add protein powder on top of the yogurt. “A typical school-age child really only needs 7 to 15 g of protein per meal,” she adds.

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Hummus Spread on Pita to Help Kids Focus

Hummusis a Middle Eastern spread made from ground chickpeas and tahini (sesame seeds). It’s a great source ofplant proteinand fiber, saysHeather R. Mangieri, RDN, a Pittsburgh-based food, fitness, and nutrition consultant and the author ofFueling Young Athletes.Chickpeasandsesame seedsalso contain iron and folate, which may help with ADHD by improving functions like blood flow and focus, adds Lemond.

Serve the hummus on fiber-rich whole-wheat pita cut into pie-shaped wedges. Try including colorful veggie spears for dippers as well.

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Peanut Butter on Whole-Wheat Bread to Build Memory

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Veggie Sticks With Tasty Dips to Entice Kids With Dampened Hunger

When your child opens the refrigerator or kitchen cabinets, “You want them to see healthy snacks, not cookies, candies, or salty snacks,” Mangieri says. Cut up fresh vegetables — for example, carrots, celery, and sweet bell peppers — into bite-sized pieces and leave them in the fridge for easy snacking. “A healthful diet may reduce symptoms of ADHD by reducing exposure to artificial colors and additives and improving intake of micronutrients,” says Kimberlain.

Peanut butter,cottage cheese, and low-fat dressings make great dips for cut-up veggies and may entice kids whose ADHD medications dampen their hunger, says Jessica Crandall, RDN, CEO ofVital RD. Lemond also recommends black bean or other bean-based dips.

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Dried Fruits and Nuts to Boost Fiber and Protein

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Snacks With Hidden Nutrients to Cut Down on Sugar

If your child with ADHD is a fussy eater, one way to get them to eat healthy snacks is to disguise the healthy ingredients. Try baking a healthier version of carrot cake orzucchini bread. “A diet high in sugar can cause swings in your child’s blood sugar levels, exacerbatingADHD symptoms,” Mangieri says, but you can usually cut the amount of sugar in the recipe by a quarter or a third without affecting the taste too much. You may also be able to substitute applesauce for the oil.

Which Foods Are Good for ADHD and Which Can Make It Worse?

In summary, snacks that contain a balance of protein and carbs are ideal for kids with ADHD, says Lemond. Watch added sugars and processed, low-fiber grains such as white rice, white bread, and white pasta. Avoid carbohydrate-only meals and snacks — adding a protein like nuts, cheese, seeds, bean-based dips, yogurt, or milk allows the food to be delivered into the body in a steadier way that optimizes energy levels for conditions such as ADHD.

Additional reporting by Jennifer D’Angelo Friedman.