ADHD and food: 5 tips to make it easier

With ADHD, meals - and even remembering to eat - can be hard. Sometimes we don't notice we’re hungry until we’re lightheaded or cranky. Cooking can seem like an overwhelming task. Deciding what to cook, buying the right ingredients, and the actual process of cooking - all tax our executive functioning. The whole chain of tasks that can feel overwhelming when your brain’s already juggling a million things.

Fortunately there are things that can make it easier!

One of the most helpful principles I’ve found is to keep things as simple and easy as possible. Unless you truly LOVE cooking or meal prep - easier low-effort routines and recipes are the easiest to sustain, especially after initial enthusiasm fades. Part of simplifying is reducing "friction" - reducing the steps it takes to eat the foods you want to be eating.

Here are some ADHD-friendly tips to help:

1. Keep a grocery list

Keeping a grocery list helps keep track of what you need to buy, preventing the need for repeat trips to the store. It can be on your fridge, your phone, or your smartwatch if you have one. On a smartwatch is ideal because you can add to it any time of the day without going into your phone. The second something runs out or you think of something you need, add it to your list.

If you regularly forget to buy basics (like snacks or breakfast staples), it can help to keep a “master list” of your essentials to check over before going shopping.

2. Keep snacks stocked and easy to grab

If you often forget to eat, it helps to have snacks ready and accessible throughout the day. Work out your go-to snacks and keep them stocked. Muesli bars are an easy one to keep a stash of in your bag or desk.

If you struggle to eat veggies, try veggies that don’t need to be chopped or cooked, like mini cucumbers, tomatoes, and capsicums. You’re more likely to eat something if you can grab it and eat it straight from the fridge with zero prep.

3. Create a "go-to" meals list

Having a list of meals you already know and like can make decision-making easier, especially if you tend to get decision fatigue or paralysis. Keep it somewhere visible (like on the fridge) or easily accessible (like in your notes app).

You don't need a ton of options, just a few reliable ones - maybe 4-5 dinner options and 1-2 lunch options. Make sure you include some meals you can throw together with pantry staples.

If you need to look at the recipes to prep them - keep the recipes with the list if you can.

4. Do a tiny bit of planning

A few minutes of planning on the weekend can really help. It can be as simple as:

• Pick a few meals for the week from your list

• Add the ingredients you’ll need to your grocery list

• Add any other foods you'll need - snacks, breakfast stuff, etc.

Then do the grocery shopping based on your list.

The point of this is to save your future self from from having to make decisions about meals every day, and preventing getting stuck in decision paralysis.

If planning like this makes you feel too locked-in, that’s okay. Just focus on keeping your staple foods stocked - snacks and the ingredients for your go-to meals.

5. Theme your days

An easy way to simplify meals is to have themed days. For example, pasta day on Monday, leftovers on Tuesday, and so on.

Bonus tips: Make grocery shopping less exhausting

• Make a list beforehand and shop from your list so you're not relying on memory, or deciding what to eat in-store.

• Avoid sensory overload - If you have sensory sensitivities, supermarkets can be overloading - try some others to hopefully find a calmer one. Going at quieter times of day can also help.

• Direct-to-boot or home delivery can be good options if in-person shopping drains you.