Favorite Snacks for When You Get Hyper-Focused and Need to Eat
***As a disclaimer I am not a registered dietitian and can not give you a professional opinion on the nutritional factors for you. With that being said I am an adult with ADHD who like many of you has struggled with disordered eating likely in part because of my ADHD. There is an interesting piece in ADDitude magazine discussing the overlap. I’ve worked with an anti-diet dietitian for many years to work on my relationship with food and it has been incredibly helpful for my mental and physical health. If this is something that you struggle with I strongly encourage you to seek support via National Eating Disorder Association to help you.***
Something very unique to someone who has ADHD is their ability to hyper-focus. It can be an incredible gift to do days worth of work in a matter of hours. However, it does have its downfalls. Many people with ADHD forget to listen to their bodies’ needs. Sometimes it’s because we are hyper-focused, sometimes medications make it harder to notice the cues, and other times it’s because there are just too many decisions around what they need and it’s just easier not to make the move.
For me, it’s always been centered around food. I forget to eat, or I get analysis paralysis around food decisions and just move on to the next. But what I learned from my work with an anti-diet RD was to do what I could to prepare myself with options that would keep me full and satisfied longer by having meals and snacks filled with protein, fat, fiber, and carbs. And these snacks are now always in my desk or purse.
Kodiak bear bites if were a kid in the 90s you will understand my nostalgia for these “Teddy Grahm” type snacks. These little bites make me smile but also fill me up with just a handful of those little bears.
JoJos snack bites I am a sucker for chocolate and what I like about these is that I have it after lunch and makes me feel satisfied that I got my chocolate fix in the middle of the day.
Roasted chickpeas my personal favorite is the Rockin’ Ranch flavor (think of cool ranch Doritos). These are so filling and also reminds me to drink a lot of water because well chickpeas are salty haha.
Roasted Edamame these are also such a great grab-and-go option, has the right texture and crunch, and are surprisingly filling.
Hippeas snacks are another crowd favorite. This goes back to the nostalgic fact that I grew up eating a lot of “Pirates Bootie” and “Cheetos”. The texture is very similar because of that cheesy taste without leaving your fingers sticky which makes it way less messy to eat.
Happy Snacking!!
