Navigating your child’s ADHD can be difficult. And when they’re one of the many kids dealing with both ADHD and picky eating, meal time can be a challenge.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interferes with normal development and daily interactions.
These ADHD symptoms often are the “root cause” of picky eating. So to fully address picky eating, we need to understand how ADHD is contributing to your child’s behavior at the dinner table.
ADHD is more common than you might think! ADHD occurs in 13% of boys and 7% of girls (1).
In this blog post, we’ll cover why ADHD and picky eating often coexist, and some simple tips and tricks to manage them.
Picky Eating is an ADHD symptom
The most common ADHD symptoms are lack of attention or concentration, disorganization, difficulty completing tasks, and forgetting/losing things (2).
Picky eating is a symptom of ADHD because it occurs when the “classic ADHD symptoms” of hyperactivity, inability to focus, and disorganization occur during meal times.
Kids with ADHD can be uninterested in food entirely, or overly interested in food and not able to regulate their intake. This inability to regulate is why there is an increased risk of obesity in kids that have ADHD (3).
Why does ADHD lead to picky eating?
There are two main reasons why ADHD can lead to picky eating – the need for stimulation & the lack of self-regulation.
Kids and teens with ADHD tend to hyper-fixate on food as a form of stimulation. This leads to difficulty in resisting overly palatable (and calorie-dense) foods when they’re available (3). And in turn, can make them uninterested in foods that are not overly palatable and hesitant when trying new foods.
Those with ADHD are also known to have emotional dysregulation. This makes it hard for them to recognize their hunger and fullness (3). They often end up eating based on their emotions, rather than their appetite.
Now that we know why ADHD and picky eating are so commonly linked, let’s review some evidence-based tips to help make meal times easier.
7 Tips for Picky Eaters with ADHD
Have a “safe” (but not intriguing) meal option
Children with ADHD can be uninterested in unknown or new experiences, especially when it comes to food. And if they sit down at the dinner table and the only option is an unknown, new food OR nothing, it can be overwhelming.
It’s helpful to always have a “safe” or “preferred” food that you know your kid enjoys. You want this option to be dependable, but not necessarily intriguing or appealing.
For practical purposes, keep it shelf-stable or frozen, so you don’t have to prepare two different meals for dinner. Some examples of dependable, but nutritious options include:
- Chicken or Deli Meat
- Yogurt or Cottage Cheese
- String Cheese
- Fruit
- Nuts
Let them stand or play with a toy during meals
ADHD kiddos often feel the need to be constantly stimulated. Sitting down for extended periods of time – like at meals – can be a challenge.
Allowing them to stay stimulated by standing, moving, or fidgeting with a toy can actually help prevent them from needing to play with their food.
It also aids in self-regulation, so they are less likely to have meltdowns during meals.
Set realistic expectations for picky eating
We tend to only count something as a “picky eating success” if your child actually eats a food. But we need to set more realistic, gradual goals.
Before kids eat a new food, look for intermediate steps of success such as:
- Being more comfortable around a new food
- Allowing new food on their plate
- Touching or smelling new food
- Biting or licking new foods
Don’t put all the pressure on meal times. Pack nutrition into snacks!
Sitting down for long period of time – like at the dinner table – can be difficult for kids with ADHD. Because of that, it shouldn’t be where we expect them to eat their best.
It’s helpful to take advantage of snack time to pack in as much nutrition as possible. This takes the pressure off you and your child.
Some high-protein snacks for picky eaters include:
- Peanut Butter & Jelly
- Cheese & Crackers
- Drinkable Yogurt
Discover more high-protein foods for picky eaters here.
Eat on a schedule
Studies show that children with ADHD often skip meals, and prefer frequent snacks throughout the day. Although there is no “right” way to schedule meals, more frequent snacking is associated with less nutrient-dense foods that are high in calories (4).
To help combat this, it’s recommended to set a firm meal and snack schedule for your child with ADHD. This will help them “remember” meals and ultimately lead to them developing better hunger and fullness cues.
Don’t use food as a reward system
Using food as a punishment or reward isn’t ideal for helping your child with ADHD learn to listen to their hunger and fullness cues.
It gives them an external incentive to eat, which doesn’t require them to listen to their own body’s signals. Instead of using food as rewards or punishments, try using toys, stickers, activities, technology time, etc.
Make small changes to current favorite foods
This is a picky eating must! When we make small changes to your child’s current favorite foods, it helps prevent more severe picky eating from developing.
And these changes don’t have to be big! It can be as simple as changing the brand of food, serving it on a different plate, eating food at a different temperature, or even cutting the food differently.
Although these are small changes, we are getting our kids to be more tolerant of change, which is something many with ADHD can be resistant to.
When to seek help
Coughing or choking while eating
If your child is frequently choking or coughing during a meal, this could be a sign that their inability to focus on food due to ADHD is a safety concern.
Out of an abundance of caution, make sure to communicate with your child’s healthcare provider about any coughing during or after meals. It is also helpful to work with a local feeding specialist if these concerns arise.
Extreme picky eating
When it gets to the point where your child is accepting less than 10 foods, they are at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Contact your child’s health care team to assess for nutrient deficiencies if you are concerned about this.
Weight loss
Weight fluctuations are normal, but be extra careful to track your child’s weight on a growth chart if you notice picky eating. If they drop two or more growth curves, communicate with your primary health care provider about alternative means of nutrition.
I hope these tips and tricks are useful to implement in your ADHD-friendly household! Although picky eating and ADHD can be difficult to manage, understanding how they connect can help you get to the root cause of your child’s behavior.
For further tips on preventing picky eating, you might enjoy:
10 Ways to Increase Your Kid’s Calories
Food Chaining: Examples & How-to
20 High Protein Foods for Picky Eaters
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