Healthy Lunch Ideas for Picky ADHD Kids

[Anonymous]

I found drinkable things like milk or protein shakes to be the only reliable thing my kid would consume. In addition to lack of appetite they were distracted and said "I don't have time" so don't send anything that requires extra steps, like nothing they need to assemble or mix or honestly nothing that requires extra utensils. A peanut butter sandwich and a protein shake are the go to for my 11 year old.

He eats a huge breakfast and a large variety for dinner as well as usually a second dinner after sports practice. So I don't bother much with lunch.

[Anonymous]

My ADHD middle schooler will consume a good protein drink, sushi, or fried chicken. I've tried everything, and this is what works. They also like junk food but I don't send it.

[Anonymous]

It’s so tempting to engage the a-hole people who need validation that the way their kid eats makes them a superior parent but lets all just agree not to. OP just do your best to keep your kid on their growth curve. It’s so hard I know.

-parent of a child who started feeding therapy at 2.5 before they ever saw a chicken nugget or tasted a bite of Mac n cheese

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ADHD middle schooler will consume a good protein drink, sushi, or fried chicken. I've tried everything, and this is what works. They also like junk food but I don't send it.

Do you have suggestions for a good protein drink? I am on the search for some. I send powder to mix with milk but would love some single serve options if they exisit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neurodivergent kids don't all like the same thing as each other... but they often like to eat the same thing over and over. At least, that is my experience.

+1

We froze yogurt overnight so it would be good and cold by lunchtime. Same with grapes. Petite carrots. Small cups of beef ravioli or meatballs to heat up. Nut-free breakfast protein bars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ADHD middle schooler will consume a good protein drink, sushi, or fried chicken. I've tried everything, and this is what works. They also like junk food but I don't send it.

Do you have suggestions for a good protein drink? I am on the search for some. I send powder to mix with milk but would love some single serve options if they exisit.

Mind tolerates the Fairlife protein drinks which have 30 grams of protein. Though worth noting, they play football and think it helps them "bulk up". Hardly - they are on a calorie deficiency during the school year when they take stimulants—gained a lot of weight over the summer when we took a break.

[Anonymous]

We also like the Fairlife protein drinks!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:What does ADHD have to do with anything? As a person with ADHD, I was someone who always wanted different things. if they're picky eaters that's because they're picky eaters, not because of ADHD.

I disagree... Kids with ADHD are known to 1) be less hungry when on meds due to appetite suppression 2) want to carb load when the meds wear off and 3) be more prone to want to eat the same things over and over.

Considering the traits of ADHD are impulsivity, and I have ADHD and can tell you impulsive eating is a real problem, I think you just have a kid with ADHD who also for other reasons has been trained up as a picky eater.

Yes- if you read, #2 above is about impulsivity. No one is "trained" as a picky eater. #3 is related to hyperfixating. These are well documented traits - while you are sharing one experience.

picky eating is entirely trained.



They are not well-documented traits, you're just assigning things to ADHD because it's easier than dealing with the root causes.

OK, I'll bite: picky eating is not entirely trained. If you haven't learned this yet, you may be on the wrong forum.

The pickiest eaters in my broader family and friend group are born to parents who didn't make a separate kids meal, didn't cater, shared diverse family meals and involved kids in cooking, ate a variety of meals at home and out, etc etc etc. Sometimes it's just the kid's needs and that's OK. Sometimes the parents have to prioritize their relationship with the child, and the child's relationship with food, rather than forcing them to eat something that feels wrong to them.

not entirely, but mostly trained.

Kids will generally eat what is provided to them. If you give your kids chicken tenders and cheese pizza and hamburgers wiht no toppings, that's what they'll expect. If you say things like "let me take that lettuce off for you" or "you wouldn't like this, it's spicy!" you're going to wind up with kids who are picky. Kids are naturally inquisitive and go through phases of levels of interest, but generally if you provide good options, the kids are happy to take them. If you only offer your kids basic crappy food, and frame the subject as something they're not ready for, you're going to get exactly that.

My ILs are always stunned that we allow our kids to eat Mexican food—but they're young, it's too spicy! What the hell do you think kids eat in Mexico? Why can't kids eat sushi?

Anyway, none of this has to do with ADHD.

You are so ignorant. I didn't do or say any of those things. My kid had a diagnosed feeding disorder. I didn't cause it or train them to have it.

This is like blaming ADHD on bad parenting or dyslexia on not reading to our kids.

Have a seat and let the parents who know better talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ADHD middle schooler will consume a good protein drink, sushi, or fried chicken. I've tried everything, and this is what works. They also like junk food but I don't send it.

Do you have suggestions for a good protein drink? I am on the search for some. I send powder to mix with milk but would love some single serve options if they exisit.

My kid likes the kids orgain drinks. We get them at Costco and sometimes amazon.

[Anonymous]

All of us struggle with lunch. I’m a teacher, one of mine has an IEP and one is NT. None are picky but packing lunch is a pain and we don’t like sandwiches. Our easy things over the years:

Yes, chicken nuggets
Fairlife protein drinks
Yogurt
Applesauce or other squeezable fruit
Cold pizza
Homemade lunchables (cut cheese, cut meat of any kind, crackers, fruit)
Bananas
Hummus and crackers and/or carrots
Wendy’s chili if we are in a rush, put in a thermos
Chili I make

So basically, anything we can eat to hold us over to when we get home and actually eat. Lunch is short and we end up eating a very early dinner. They are teens now and we’ve been doing this K. Send anything your kid will eat.