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    8 tips for prepping school lunches for neurodivergent kids

    School lunches can be tricky - especially if you're trying to prepare a food for the pickiest of eaters.

    Perth paediatric dietitian Maddie Todd of Hatch Dietetics helps kids with learning differences, ADHD and ASD tackle eating issues. She shared her back-to-school tips for preparing lunches and snacks for neurodivergent kids.

    Eating something at school is a much better scenario than not eating at all.
    — Maddie Todd, Dietitian

    If there is one thing that can strike panic in the hearts of most parents, it’s packing a healthy school lunch. There is so. MUCH. pressure.

    It must be healthy, nutritious and affordable. Nut-free. Egg-free. Waste-free. Able to withstand any scrutiny [or judgement] from the school.

    It also needs to be something that your child will *actually* eat. And that’s the really tricky bit. It’s very common for neurodivergent kids to be picky eaters. Some may have very complex eating issues.  This can make it hard to get them to eat a wide range of foods.

    This can make it hard to get them to eat a wide range of foods. At home, it can be a bit easier to work with your child to support their eating challenges. But the daily school lunch challenge is a whole new level of stress.

    Perth paediatric dietitian Maddie Todd of Hatch Dietetics helps kids with learning differences, ADHD and ASD tackle eating issues. She shared her back-to-school tips for preparing lunches and snacks for neurodivergent kids.

    1. Chat to the teacher before school starts

    Let the teacher know that your child finds eating scary or challenging. A face-to-face chat might not be possible but an email can help explain the situation and proactively address any issues or misunderstandings that might crop up.

    Let the teacher know what factors support your child to eat. This could be their environmental sensory preferences – they may prefer busy/noisy environments or quieter spaces.

    Do they need an adult to support them to develop their eating skills?

    Do they benefit from peer modelling? If so, could they be paired with a child who happily eats a wide range of foods?

    2. Anticipate sensory sensitivities

    If your child experiences significant tactile sensitivities with food – that is, they become distressed if a food touches their hands or skin, add in some cutlery to help them. Folding a small cloth and putting this in their lunchbox might help them too.

    Cutlery may help kids who become distressed if a food touches their hands or skin. Try this super cute Emondo Kids eco cutlery set with box, rrp $15, mandiathome.com.au

    3. Open, shut ... consider fine motor skills

    Fine motor difficulties are common in neurodivergent children. Make sure that your child has the skills to undo their lunch box and drink bottle.

    If they require assistance, be sure to chat to educators about what supports they need.

    4. Always add a preferred food

    The new school year can be overwhelming for any child. But especially for those who are neurodivergent. A new environment, new peers and a new routine to adapt to – it can be a LOT for a neurodivergent child to take on. To help them feel safe and to eat something while at school, pack at least one preferred food for morning tea, crunch and sip and lunch. 

    Kids who don’t eat or drink much – or at all – at school, may find it harder to learn, regulate their emotions and socialise. Eating something at school is a much better scenario than not eating at all.

    5. Change up the presentation (slightly)

    Try not to pack exactly the same foods in the same presentation every day! This can lead the child to ‘food jag’ where they fatigue on a food they eat repetitively and then refuse to eat it.


    Make small changes to the presentation. For example, change the shape of the food every day, add in some fun food toothpicks, or add stickers to food packets.Making a ‘just noticeable’ change may help your child to keep these ‘safe’ foods in their diet longer-term. This is especially important if their range of foods accepted is small.

    6. Add in a new/non-preferred food. Always

    Each day, add a food into their lunchbox that they do not usually eat. If your child has a small range of food that they feel safe eating, it is vital that you ‘keep the door open’ to the idea that other food exists in the world.


    Don’t expect that this food will be eaten – it most likely won’t. But this visual exposure is very important to support your neurodivergent child who may find change more difficult to build up their tolerance to other foods being offered to them.

    7. Maximise appetite opportunities

    If your child’s appetite is reduced due to medications, make every mouthful count by adding extra nutrition when your child’s appetite is at its best.This is generally before a medication is taken in the morning or later in the evening.


    Use full-fat dairy or dairy alternatives and add extra oils and fats to your child’s meals. Lentils, canned beans, eggs, nut butters and avocado can be added to dishes, baked goods or blended through smoothies for additional nutritional intake without adding lots of extra volume.

    8. Seek out a Dietitian who understands neurodivergent kids

    If your child is having difficulties with their growth, the range of foods that they eat, frequently losing foods from their diet or a low appetite, a Dietitian can help you!

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