Written by Lacey Redding, LMHCA. Learn more about Lacey by visiting her website at https://www.soundmindeurope.com/
As an ADHD therapist (with ADHD), I often see ADHD show up in surprising places. Missing deadlines and forgetting your keys are stereotypical signs we’ve been told to watch for, but it’s also possible to see common patterns in how ADHD brains act in the kitchen, grocery store and at the dinner table.
I often work with adults who reach out for therapy and have long since learned to compensate somewhat for attention or regulation challenges. But neurodiverse habits around food and eating can be subtle and harder to manage, and can end up offering surprising hints that ADHD might be part of the picture.
1. TV Dinner
For some (myself included), sitting down for a quiet meal, mindfully and intuitively eating your food, can sound like a straight-up punishment. We might need a podcast, a show or our phones nearby. Without stimulation, boredom creeps in and we might find ourselves abandoning the meal halfway through, distracted by something more interesting. A habit of stimulation-seeking while eating can point toward an under-stimulated nervous system seeking input.
2. Food as Drug: Dopamine-Induced Cravings for Sugar, Salt, and Crunch
ADHD brains often crave dopamine - the neurotransmitter linked to focus and motivation. Foods high in sugar, salt, or satisfying texture can temporarily boost dopamine levels, which explains why snacking can feel soothing or even necessary to “wake up” the brain. Boredom-induced binge-eating or late-night grazing might not be about willpower at all; it may be a form of neurochemical self-regulation.
3. The Aspirational Fridge
If you’ve ever stocked up on ingredients for a week of nourishing meals only to watch them mold in the crisper, I promise you’re not alone. Many ADHD adults buy food aspirationally - in moments of optimism and intention - committing their future self to meal-prepping, cooking and eating healthily. But when executive function inevitably dips (especially in the evenings), even just washing some lettuce can feel dang near impossible. The guilt around food waste, or eating another bowl of ramen next to a fridge stocked full of healthy ingredients, often adds shame to an already tricky cycle.
4. Hyperfocus and Hunger Amnesia
Another common pattern is skipping meals accidentally. During hyperfocus, ADHD brains can tune out body cues, leading to hours without food, followed by intense hunger or impulsive eating later. Over time, this pattern can disrupt energy, mood, and sleep.
5. Emotional Eating
Food can be one of the most accessible ways to calm or comfort an overstimulated nervous system. For those who grew up masking ADHD traits, eating can become a subtle coping tool, a way of self-medicating. Your body is determined to help you get what you need, whether it’s a break from emotional intensity, rejection sensitivity or decision fatigue. Recognizing this means we can take some of the shame off of this behavior; instead, we can recognize it as an invitation to understand what your brain is asking for and occasionally find other ways to meet that need.
Let’s Get Curious :)
If these patterns sound familiar, it doesn’t automatically mean you have ADHD, but it might be worth exploring. Understanding your brain’s relationship with food can shift the conversation from “I don’t have any discipline” to “Maybe I’m trying to meet an unmet need.”
Therapy or ADHD-informed coaching can help you uncover what’s driving these habits and build practical systems that remove the shame and fit your brain.
About the author:
Lacey Redding, LMHCA, is a therapist specializing in adult ADHD and neurodivergence at Sound Mind Europe. She helps clients across Europe and the U.S. understand and work with their brains to create a life they truly love.