The Best Snacks for ADHD
Are you looking for the best packaged snacks for your ADHD kiddo?
As a mom to two very hungry boys with ADHD, my requirements for snacks are quite stringent. I know that what goes in to my boys’ bodies significantly affects their ADHD symptoms and general well being. I want snacks that will tilt the odds in their favor and give them a leg up on their day.
What are the best snacks for ADHD kids?
Obviously the best snacks are whole foods, like fruits and veggies, hummus and nut butters. But for this post I am sticking with things that are packaged for the ultimate ease.
My kids love one packaged snack in their lunch, so it looks at least a smidge like the Standard American Lunch.
Nutrition-wise, these snacks that are high in protein, low in sugar and gluten free, corn free, soy free, and dairy free. These snacks are perfect for those who follow an ADHD Diet and for those who are just trying to get some good nutrition into their kiddos.
Related: This snack also doubles as a protein packed on the go breakfast!
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
Packaged Snacks for ADHD
Over Easy Bars
These are new to us, this year, and quickly becoming favorites. They are delicious!!! The protein comes from egg whites – a pretty clean source! 8 grams of protein is pretty high for an oat bar, too.
They come in a bunch of flavors – a variety pack is the way to go at first. They have two, nut free, flavors, as well!
TruBar
My kids LOVE these Tru Bars. With names like Daydreaming About Donuts and Smother Fudged Peanut Butter who can resist? They are a women-owned company – Yeah!
With a protein count of 12 grams per bar, these will keep kids full and ready to work. Try a variety pack to start finding your favorite.
RX Bars
I love that these are so simple and packed with protein(12 grams!). The ingredients are listed right on the front of each RX Bar. The bars are chewy and no super sweet. Our fave is Chocolate Sea Salt, but there are 9 super flavors.This is a local company for us, so I love to support them.
Munk Pack Keto Granola Bars
These are a new favorite by an old favorite company (See MunkPack Protein Cookies below). These have 1 gram of sugar and 5 grams of protein and are eaten by every single person in my house!
These Keto Granola Bars come in many yummy flavors, like Almond Butter Cocoa Chip and Dark Chocolate Cocoa. They are a great snack and super addition to any lunch box. I keep some in my car to stave off the hangries.
Aloha Organic Protein Bars
These are a new favorite of my two boys – they “taste like cookie dough, Mom!”. With 14 grams of protein per bar, they make a good snack/quick meal for my growing boys.
My favorite is the Lemon Cashew, while my boys, naturally, love the Cookie Dough. My teenage son says the Mint Flavor tastes just like a Thin MInt Girl Scout Cookie!
Hippeas
We LOVE these!! The 4 grams of protein per serving is a great bonus, too, as crunchy, salty snacks usually do not have any protein.
I usually find them at CostCo, but Hippeas can be purchased online and in grocery stores in individual bags that are great for easy packing.
Bonus for sensory seekers: Hippeas are very crunchy and provide some great sensory input, to make kids more alert, as well. Great for nut free schools!
Budget Tip: We are on a tight food budget and these can be expensive. And my teenagers can easy put away an entire bag in one sitting. So, I portion them right away in baggies, so they are easy to grab for lunches.
GoMacro Bars
These protein bars have been a staple in our house for years – and probably just about the healthiest. GoMacro’s are higher in calories and with 11 grams of protein can be a bit more of a meal replacement, if necessary.
My kids did not love these at first, but now that we are very low sugar, these are yummy for them! Their favorite is Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.
Update for 2023: My picky teenager, who eats very little in the way of meat, LOVES these and I am happy about that, because GoMarcoBars are a great way to get a decent amount of protein into him. His new favorite is Oatmeal Chocolate Chip.
Quinn’s Gluten Free Peanut Butter Pretzels
So these are amazing and the only GLUTEN FREE Peanut butter Pretzel I have found. It’s the salty sweet thing that is so appealing with these nuggets of deliciousness.
These can be super pricey, so look for a sale OR order them from Imperfect Produce, like we do. They are consistently the lowest price I can find on Imperfect.( Use this link and you’ll get a big discount off your first order and I’ll get a small commission ! )
Related: ADHD Diet 101: The Basics and How to Start
Justin’s Nut Butter Packets
These easy to pack snacks are a new favorite. My son took Justin’s Almond Butter Packs to camp this year and now he is hooked!
Each packet has between 6 and 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugar or less.
They are easy to open and squeeze right into your mouth! Surely these will be a staple in lunches this year. Justin’s has many flavors, but our favorite so far is the Maple Almond Butter.
Chomps Meat Stick
These Chomps meat sticks have zero sugar and come in many varieties. They are super high in protein and great for lunches and on-the-go.
Chomps meat sticks have 9 grams of protein! Check out the Original Beef and Free Range Turkey.
RX NutButter Packs
These are delicious and quite new on the snack scene. Like the RX Bars, these nut butter packs list the ingredients right on the front of the package.
Each pack has 9 grams of protein and are easily eaten on the go.
We have tried all the flavors and love each one! These almost resemble cookie dough. You have to try them! Confession: I bring these in my lunch, too, they are so yummy.
IWON Protein Stix
These crunchy snacks are also new to us. In fact, we first got them on clearance at Sierra Trading Post ( a TJMaxx/Homegoods company) and my kids loved them. They are tasty, plant based snacks that look a bit like Cheetos, but have 5 grams of protein per serving.
Bare Apple snacks
Bare Apple Snacks are so yummy and have just one ingredient — APPLES!! Besides tasting delicious, these are VERY crunchy and so, have the added benefit of the proprioceptive input.
Foods that are super crunchy – think carrot sticks, nuts, and now, these crunchy chips are meant to waken up a child’s senses, making them more attentive. These are on the sweet side and serve as a bit of a treat, too.
Bare also makes banana chips, which are just as delicious!
Glee Gum
My kids both are big gum chewers….they have accommodations to chew in school because it helps them focus so well.
Glee gum is all natural with none of the pesky fake sweeteners – and it’s plastic free!! I didn’t even realize other gum contained plastic!
We get the multi-pack from Amazon, but it’s available at Whole Foods, too.
Bobo’s Almond Butter and Hemp Bars
These pack much more protein than their nut free alternatives we have been used to. They are also great for having low sugar.
ProBar Nut Butter Packs
Similar to other nut butter packs, these are low in sugar and great for on the go energy. I find these on sale at Sierra Trading Post all the time.
Help!! These Snacks for ADHD are pricey!!!
Yes, the best processed foods are pricey. Here’s how we handle that:
- These snacks are only eaten on the go . Snacks at home consist of fruit and veggies with dip or leftovers, peanut butter sandwiches on g-free bread, sweet potato chips, olives, etc.
- I shop with Amazon’s Subscribe and Save feature.
- I buy snacks in my weekly Imperfect Foods Box
- I use the Prime app at Whole Foods to get an extra 10% sale items.
- I check HomeGoods food section and find some of these options there.
- Target often has sales on some of these items, as well and they find themselves on the end caps on a fairly regular basis.
- I only put out a few at a time and hide the rest(literally, I have a bag in my car!)…my boys would eat three a day, if they were available to them!
Do let me know if any of these already rank as one of your faves. Try one or two and let me know how your family likes them.
Some of these links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item using a link I may get a small payment at no extra cost to you.
Need more food ideas for ADHD?
If you want to make snacks from scratch, Here’s our favorite snack cookbook.
Learn about our Best Breakfasts for ADHD HERE.
These ADHD Lunch ideas may be what you need.
I’ve listed 75 of our favorite ADHD diet approved meals, HERE.
Thank you for your information
I’m trying daily to add more healthy foods to our diet-
Thanks Denise! Food can make such a change — were paring down even more on any processed foods…its hard, but makes a difference.
I’m glad I found your website!! I have been struggling to find a good website with resources like what you have provided since my son was diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD 3yrs ago. Your snack selection is right up his alley.
Hi Jennifer! Glad you found us, let me know if you have any specific questions.
Help! I need answers. I’m a struggling parent who needs some advice and suggestions.
How can we help you?
Are these snacks all Gluten Free?
HI Pauline! Yes, they are. Gluten seems to be a big trigger for my kids, so we try to avoid it as much as possible. Thanks for asking!
Hi I was wondering two things! 1) How long did it take to get your kiddos off a higher daily sugar intake?
2) Do you know of any way to sample some of these products? My kids seem picky and I don’t want to spend money on a case of something and then they wont eat it! Thanks your blog has been sooooo helpful!
Hi Amber!! I definitely started having less sugar around as I knew more…Depending on how much sugar they have now, it could take a few months of introducing new foods. I just stopped high sugar processed snacks and cereal and ate more real food and eased them into these snacks that are not super sweet. We started with gluten free baked goods filled with superfoods and sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Slower is better, I think. You don’t want a total revolt on your hands! Yes, these are expensive….if you have a Whole Foods near you to try one or two items at a time. Also Target has some of these. Hope this helps!!
Thank you so much for this info! I appreciate so many of your posts that I have read. So thankful that you have shared all of this information to help others!
You are so welcome, Cara!! Make sure you sign up for our newsletter in the side bar to get bi weekly good stuff.
I’m glad for all information on healthy snacks for ADHD kids but everything I’m seeing involves nuts peanut butter what are the best snacks when your ADHD child has a severe Peanut Allergy
Hi!! My youngest used to go to a Montessori School that was nut free, so we bought Bob’s oat bars and anything sunflower seed-y we could find. Also, MadeGood has some bars. I am going to make a post about nut free snacks – you’ve inspired me!!
I am curious as to what you mean by “I use my Prime app at Whole Foods”?
Hi Nichole! As an Amazon Prime member, you get an additional 10% off sale items at Whole Foods. I also have a Prime Visa that gives me money back on Amazon.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD and I agree diet does matter! However, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that the majority of the snacks listed contain nuts! They are banned in schools ! Also I thought peppermint was not good for ADHD! We need more healthy snacks!
HI Anna! My youngest went to a Montessori school until 8th grade that was nut free….he took Bobo’s and Chomps forever….but their high school and out middle schools let kids have nuts. I know, though in many parts of the country, nuts are banned. I added a few more options this year to the post that are nut free. Do you have RISE bars? They make a sunflower seed version that is great! Most of the nut free options are either meat sticks or fruit roll up things that are so high in sugar. My kids also ate a ton of sunbutter sandwiches for years!
Hi! I am gluten free and dairy free myself. They both bother my digestive system. My son is 16. I suspected for a long time he had ADHD, but some professionals said “no”. Then several years ago we took him to a children’s professional. He said he knew my son had ADHD after interacting with him for 15 minutes. My son also has an ASD. He is on Ritalin. The state of Minnesota pays. He has been diagnosed as having a disability, so they pay for meds, doctor visits, and other things he might need. We’ve tried the weighted blanket. He didn’t like it.
He eats and eats. I have to hide things too. I just found you today, Oct 12th, 2023. Thank you. We’ve tried many of the bars above. I’m staying away from coconut and almonds as they bother me. Thank you again.
Hi Kim!! Your son is lucky to have you. Glad to have you here. : )
My child is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Couple good ideas but if you have more that are nut free I’ll take them!
HI! Yes, my son’s school was nut free and he took Bobo’s Oat bars, Rise sunflower bars, and Chomps mostly. A lot of the nut free snacks are so high in sugar. What’s your favorite snack? Is there something I should add to the list?
I see you’re very focused on increased protein intake. That’s awesome! Research has shown that individuals with ADHD have higher protein needs than those who don’t. I’m glad to see someone else who emphasizes this. Also, with the amount of autoimmune and other disorders (POTS, EDS, etc.) that are comorbid with ADHD, it makes sense that eliminating (or at least mostly eliminating) certain inflammatory ingredients from one’s diet.
I see and feel a difference in myself, as well as in my kids, for sure!