Ever feel like your mornings belong on a reality show called Survive Until School Drop-Off? 🙋‍♀️ LOTS of parents feel the same! 

But what if I told you the real chaos culprit might be hiding in your breakfast bowl?

This week, we’re talking blood sugar balance, and trust me, it’s way more exciting (and life-changing) than it sounds. 

Let’s balance that blood sugar and bring back the peace—because you deserve mornings that don’t start with meltdowns.

🍪 Bye-Bye Sugar Crashes: How Balancing Blood Sugar Boosts ADHD Focus

"My kid turns into a tiny tornado by 10 a.m. I get calls from the school regularly telling me he’s bouncing all over the walls or completely unable to listen. What gives?" If you can relate to this sentiment, you’re not alone. 

One minute, they're focused and relatively calm... the next? It's chaos. Think jumping off furniture, throwing snacks, yelling over cartoons. Total meltdown mode. 

What if I told you the real troublemaker might not be your parenting, their ADHD, or even the new teacher?

👀 It could be their blood sugar. Yep, sugar.

🎢 The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster

When my son, Oliver, was first diagnosed with ADHD, mornings often felt like surviving a wild amusement park ride - with no seatbelt and a lot of screaming.

I thought I was doing everything right, but as it turned out, we were doing one VERY IMPORTANT thing wrong. And we ALL felt it. 

We didn't know it, but we were ignoring his blood sugar! 

Here’s the truth: 

👉 Blood sugar balance is one of the most powerful ways to support kids with ADHD.

Why Blood Sugar Even Matters

ADHD brains need steady fuel—like a campfire that burns warm all day. But giving them sugar is like throwing gasoline on the fire. 🔥

It flares up fast, burns out quick, and leaves behind nothing but smoke (and maybe also a tantrum about the blue cup).

When blood sugar shoots up (thanks to sweetened cereal, white bread, or juice-only breakfasts), the brain can’t keep up. Focus disappears, mood swings rage, and your sweet kiddo becomes a hot mess express.

But when you give them slow-burning fuel instead (like protein, fats, and fiber), guess what? They have: 

✅ More focus
✅ Less drama
✅ Better mood
✅ And more smiles 

The turning point for us was one Tuesday morning years ago when Oliver ate nothing but a bowl of cereal before school. I had just begun my studies to become a holistic health and nutrition practitioner at that time, and had just learned about protein a few days earlier. 

At 9am that Tuesday, the teacher called.

“He’s upside down in his chair. Again.”

That night, we ditched the cereal and the next morning, I made turkey sausage and scrambled eggs.

The change we saw was HUGE. 

No phone calls that day. No emails. His teacher said he was like a different child. 

🔬What the Science Says: 

Glucose (aka sugar) is brain fuel. Our brains actually burn through more of it than any other organ. Even though it’s only about 2% of our body weight, the brain uses up to 20% of our energy supply just to think, focus, and function!

But here’s the catch: dump in too much sugar at once, and instead of powering up... the brain short-circuits. Neurons get overwhelmed, neurotransmitters misfire, and boom—cue the hyperactivity, brain fog, and mood swings.

That’s why steady blood sugar is key, especially for ADHD brains that already work overtime to stay regulated.

(Science says so, too. Thanks, Mergenthaler et al. 2013!)

What’s more…kids with ADHD may also have less efficient glucose regulation, making them especially sensitive to blood sugar dips. Neuroimaging studies show that children and adults with ADHD often have reduced glucose use in key brain areas responsible for executive functioning and emotional control. 

Consuming sugar triggers a release of dopamine in the brain’s reward system, similar to the effects of addictive substances. This dopamine surge is followed by a crash, which can lead to mood swings, meltdowns, and impaired focus.

BUT, here’s the good news! Balanced meals help regulate dopamine levels, which is HUGE for attention and impulse control.

So, What Should You Feed Them?

Let’s make this simple. If it comes in a colorful package with a cartoon animal on it… skip it. 😂

✅ Eat This:

• Eggs + avocado toast (gluten free of course to keep that inflammatory load down)
  

• Chicken or turkey roll-ups
  

• Apple slices + almond butter
  

• Hummus + veggie sticks
  

• Gluten-free Oatmeal with chia seeds + blueberries (this is my favorite brand of gluten-free oats)

❌ Not That:

• Sugary cereals
  

• White bread or bagels
  

• Juice
  

• “Fruit” snacks (spoiler: they’re candy in disguise)

And don’t skip breakfast! ADHD brains are already running at 100mph. They NEED fuel that won’t run out before snack time.

Since they aren’t able to eat the “fun” foods they might be used to, give these fun plates a try instead! Hopefully, eating on a fun plate will get them more likely to try new foods! 

Timing Is Everything

Blood sugar starts strong in the morning, so breakfast is prime time. Make it count. Try this rhythm:

• Eat every 2–3 hours.
  

• Always include protein, fat, and fiber.
  

• Hydrate! (Water helps stabilize everything, including moods) - We LOVE this water bottle that helps us keep track of how  much water we are drinking each day!

Keep It Simple

I’m not asking you to become a Pinterest mom. (I tried. I burned the sweet potato muffins. Twice.) Start small:

• Add hard-boiled eggs to breakfast
  

• Switch from white toast to whole grain, gluten-free (this is one of our family’s favorite gluten free bread brands!)
  

• Trade juice for a smoothie with spinach and protein powder (they’ll never know). Here’s our favorite ADHD-friendly, unflavored protein powder that can easily be added to smoothies! 

The Big Lesson: 

Balancing blood sugar isn’t about perfection. It’s about building a rhythm that helps your child thrive—not just survive.

It’s one of the EASIEST wins for ADHD families…and one of the most overlooked.

Because when you balance their blood sugar… you balance their brain. 🧠

🍌 Power-Packed Banana Bites

These no-bake, blood-sugar-friendly bites are perfect for breakfast or even after school, pre-soccer snack time, or tossing into lunchboxes. Bonus? Zero sugar crashes.

What you need:

• 1 ripe banana
  

• ½ cup rolled oats (ensure they are gluten-free - this is my favorite brand)
  

• 2 tbsp nut butter (almond, peanut, or sunflower)
  

• Dash of cinnamon
  

• Optional: 1 tbsp chia seeds or flaxseeds
  

What to do:

1. Mash banana.
   

2. Stir in oats, nut butter, cinnamon, and seeds.
   

3. Roll into mini balls. Chill 15 mins in fridge. Done!
   

Packed with fiber + healthy fats + protein = steady brain fuel ⚡️

The Words for Sugar Decoder

Sugar loves to play dress-up. From “cane juice” to “maltodextrin,” hidden sugars can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels, and by extension, your kiddo’s focus and moods.

That’s why we created a Code Words for Sugar Printable - to make it easy for you to find those sneaky sugar words. 

Print the cheat sheet below, and stick it on your fridge or tuck it in your wallet. It’ll help you dodge sneaky sugar traps in snacks and cereals.

“He actually brushed his teeth without a fight!” Bree, Wisconsin

Bree sent us a message after reading last week’s newsletter on positive reinforcement. She picked up the toothbrush timer we recommended and tried it with her son, and he loved it! Now, he’s brushing his teeth with out a fight. 

Do you have a win to share? Reply and let us know. Maybe you’ll be featured in next week’s newsletter! 

Enjoying this newsletter and want to read more like it? Check out this one that we love below!

1. Glucose as Brain Fuel and Effects of Excess Sugar
Harvard Medical School. (2016, Spring). Sugar and the brain. Harvard Medical School News & Research. https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/sugar-brain

2. Glucose Metabolism and ADHD
Meyer, H. R. (2025, April 1). The impact of brain glucose metabolism on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Mechanisms and implications. The ADD Resource Center. https://www.addrc.org/the-impact-of-brain-glucose-metabolism-on-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-mechanisms-and-implications/

3. Noradrenergic and Adrenergic Functioning in ADHD
Pliszka, S. R., Rogeness, G. A., & McCracken, J. T. (1994). Urinary catecholamines in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid anxiety. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(3), 343-352. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7982867/

4. Sugar and Dopamine Release
Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research. (2019). How does sugar influence our brain? Metabolism Research. https://www.sf.mpg.de/2078394/How-does-sugar-influence-our-brain

5. Fructose, Cellular Energy, and Cognitive Impact
Duke University Medical Center. (2012, May 2). Increased fructose consumption may deplete cellular energy in patients with obesity and diabetes. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112705.htm

6. High Blood Sugar and Brain Function
Pharmacy Times. (2025, May 5). Research shows diabetes rewires the brain, mimicking early Alzheimer disease. Pharmacy Times. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/research-shows-diabetes-rewires-the-brain-mimicking-early-alzheimer-disease

7. Blood Sugar Fluctuations and Cognitive Function
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. (2024, July 18). How moment-to-moment changes in blood sugar can impact cognitive function. Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. https://bbrfoundation.org/content/how-moment-moment-changes-blood-sugar-can-impact-cognitive-function

8. Mergenthaler P, Lindauer U, Dienel GA, Meisel A. Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function. Trends Neurosci. 2013 Oct;36(10):587-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2013.07.001. Epub 2013 Aug 20. PMID: 23968694; PMCID: PMC3900881.

9. Avena, N M et al. “Sucrose sham feeding on a binge schedule releases accumbens dopamine repeatedly and eliminates the acetylcholine satiety response.” Neuroscience vol. 139,3 (2006): 813-20. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.12.037