E67 - ADHD, Executive Function, and Food
SummaryADHD Babes host Fallon and guest Ana Ramos discuss how ADHD shapes eating, from forgetting meals and decision paralysis to cravings, sensory sensitivities, and family food routines. Ana, who received an ADHD diagnosis at 40 and is also autistic, shares how cultural traditions, parenting, and practical meal planning have influenced her relationship with food. ADHD Babes host Fallon talks with Ana Ramos about ADHD, neurodivergence, and the everyday work of feeding herself and her family. Ana shares how safe foods, cooking with her children, cultural expectations, and practical supports such as alarms shape her relationship with food and cooking.HostFallonGuestsAna Key TopicsFallon and Ana connect ADHD with skipped meals, time blindness, decision fatigue, and the challenge of initiating food preparation.Rotating meal planner, reduce food waste, and separate monthly pantry shopping from weekly fresh-food shopping.Novelty, dopamine-seeking, convenience, and changing cravings can influence food choices, while Ana’s Colombian cultural meals provide a familiar baseline.Sensory sensitivities to taste, smell, and texture, and relying on a small rotation of safe meals and familiar restaurants.Family expectations and childhood experiences shaped how food preferences were treatedShe describes keeping familiar ingredients on hand and preparing chicken in an air fryer for a fast meal.Handling criticism and cultural expectations, and building confidence over time.Ana adapts how she teaches cooking, focusing on the desired result rather than insisting children follow one exact method.Fallon and Ana discuss ADHD-related time blindness and distraction while cooking, including forgotten eggs, burnt rice, and toast.Chapters00:00 Meet Ana: late ADHD diagnosis and a neurodivergent family04:50 Ana’s experience of forgetting meals08:03 Meal planning, leftovers, and reducing food waste13:52 Making cooking engaging with music and a rotating menu17:18 How culture and family shape food routines22:53 Sensory sensitivities and safe foods25:35 Being labeled a fussy eater and finding family support29:18 Different childhoods, parenting, and avoiding food pressure31:03 Advocating for food sensitivities and safe foods32:02 Ana’s dependable meals and quick chicken salad34:03 Why lime belongs in the salad35:03 How family cooking eases pressure and builds connection38:01 Learning to cook under pressure and cultural expectations41:19 Teaching neurodivergent children to cook their own way45:06 Different abilities, family food cultures, and what counts as dinner48:01 ADHD, food challenges, and giving yourself grace49:10 Burnt meals, time blindness, and using alarms53:57 Different autistic and ADHD experiences around focus54:39 Ana’s takeaway: everyone’s food challenges are different56:06 Where to connect with Ana and how to support ADHD BabesDonate to ADHD Babes CICCreditsScripted by - AnaEdited by - JulezMusicWritten & Performed by VVN, Produced by SolomonsSoul, Mix & Master by ST4X.Voice overShauna Campbell - @Shaye_camWebsite https://www.adhdbabes.com/YouTube https://www.YouTube.com/adhdbabesInstagram https://www.instagram.com/adhdbabes/Twitter https://www.twitter.com/adhdbabes/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdbabesIf you'd like to suggest a topic or be a guest on an episode, please email [email protected].
