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The Ultimate Kids Multivitamin Showdown

Hiya Multivitamin Showdown

NEW MODERN MOM

1/22/25

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Written by:

Dahlia Rimmon

A pediatric dietician reviews the most popular kids multivitamin brands.

This post is in partnership with Hiya. I only endorse products I believe in and personally use.

As a pediatric dietitian and mom of three, I try my best to get my kids to eat healthy. To be honest, it doesn’t always go as planned. Some days, they’re happily munching on broccoli, and other times, it’s nothing but buttered noodles, bread, and an endless buffet of rice bowls. That’s why I’ve added a multivitamin to our routine. It’s my safety net for those veggie-free seasons and to make sure they’re getting the nutrients they need.

But here’s the thing: not all kids’ multivitamins are created equal, and some are definitely better than others. So, I dove into the research to compare the multivitamin options so see how they stack up. Here’s what I discovered:

TLDR: Spoiler alert! Hiya Kids Multivitamin comes out on top and they’re offering 50% off your first purchase with code NMM50!

Quick legend: 🥇category winner |🥈category runner-up | don’t recommend in the category

Criteria #1: Nutrition

When evaluating nutritional value, I prioritize which vitamins and minerals are included, the amount of added sugar, and the size of the dose. After all, not all kids are thrilled about taking vitamins (especially if it's a new habit) and getting a child to take multiples of something unfamiliar may be challenging. 

🥇Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin: Hiya packs in 15 essential vitamins and minerals, plus a blend of 12 fruits and veggies to help fill some of the common gaps in kids' diets. It also includes selenium, an important mineral that’s often missing from other kids’ multivitamins, and a more easily absorbed form of folate (L-5-MTHF). Each chewable Hiya vitamin (1 chewable = 1 dose) has zero added sugar, so I don’t have to stress about extra sugar sneaking into their diet. Their sweetener blend includes monk fruit extract and mannitol. Score: 5/5

🥈Olly Kids Multi & Probiotic: Olly offers 12 vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is essential for brain health and function. It also has a small amount of probiotics to support gut health and digestion. It contains 1 to 2 grams of added sugar per dose (1 or 2 gummies) from sugar and glucose syrup. Score: 4/5

⛔SmartyPants Kids Multi & Omegas: SmartyPants provides 13 vitamins and minerals, along with omega-3 fatty acids. This is especially helpful if your kids don't eat fish or plant-based sources of omega-3s. Each dose (4 gummies) contains 5 grams of added sugar from organic cane sugar and organic tapioca syrup. Score: 2/5

Lil Critters Multivitamin: L’il Critters delivers 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, D, folate, and zinc to support healthy growth and development. Each serving (1 or 2 gummy bears) contains 1 to 3 grams of added sugar from glucose syrup and sugar. Score: 3/5

⛔Garden of Life Organics Kids Gummy Vitamins: This gummy multivitamin provides 17 vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, selenium, folate, and zinc, along with an organic fruit and vegetable blend. Each dose of 4 gummies (which feels like a lot!) has 4 grams of added sugar from organic fruit puree and concentrate. Score: 2/5

Whole Foods 365 Kids Gummy Multivitamin: This grocery store option includes 13 vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, D, and B12. It contains 1 to 2 grams of added sugar per dose (1 or 2 gummies) from cane sugar and tapioca syrup. Score: 3/5

Nature Made Kids First Multi with Omega-3: This supplement offers 9 essential nutrients along with omega-3 fatty acids. Each dose (1 gummy) contains 2 grams of added sugar from glucose syrup and sugar. Score: 3/5

Criteria #2: Ingredient Safety

🥇Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin

  • The ingredients sourced are non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy free. 
  • Hiya is incredibly transparent about their manufacturing and testing process. They conduct third-party testing on every batch to ensure quality and purity and test for heavy metals and microbes. 
  • They use FDA-registered facilities, and each batch is certified by independent labs to meet strict federal and state safety standards, including California’s Prop 65. 
  • Each Hiya supplement bottle is third-party tested for contaminants like lead and cadmium.
  • Score: 5/5

Olly Kids Multi & Probiotic

  • Free from gluten, artificial colors and flavors, and the top 9 allergens.  
  • NSF certified and independently tested to meet high standards for quality, safety, and label accuracy.
  • Third-party tested. 
  • Score: 3/5

🥈SmartyPants Kids Multi & Omegas

  • SmartyPants is a Clean Label Project Purity Award recipient, which means they have been evaluated for harmful chemicals,  environmental toxins, and contaminants like heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers.
  • NSF certified and third-party tested. 
  • Free of GMOs, synthetic colors, gluten, wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, sesame, soy, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.
  • Score: 4/5

⛔Lil Critters Multivitamin

  • Made without high-fructose corn syrup, synthetic FD&C dyes, and gluten.
  • The bottle is BPA-free.
  • Lil Critters products comply with FDA regulations and current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements. 
  • Score: 2/5

🥈Garden of Life Organics Kids Gummy Vitamins

  • USDA organic
  • Third-party tested 
  • Non-GMO
  • Gluten-free certified 
  • Free of dairy, soy, nuts, synthetic ingredients, and artificial colors and flavors
  • Score: 4/5

⛔Whole Foods 365 Kids Gummy Multivitamin 

  • Certified gluten-free
  • Made without corn syrup, and GMOs
  • Score: 1/5

⛔Nature Made Kids First Multi with Omega-3

  • Free of artificial flavors, synthetic dyes, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and gluten.
  • USP-certified ingredients, potency, and manufacturing process.
  • Score: 2/5

Criteria #3: Form and Flavor

When given the choice, I prefer chewables over gummies. Chewables are typically free from additives like gelatin or pectin, which can stick to teeth and cause dental issues. Gummies seem too much like candy and I want to make sure my kids know the difference between vitamins and candy. Plus, gummies are not recommended for kids under age 4, since they pose a choking risk.

🥇Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin: Hiya vitamins are chewable, which is my preferred form of vitamins for children. They are less likely to melt from heat or unfavorable storing conditions compared to gummies. Hiya's multivitamin has a sweet, fruity flavor and comes in different colors. The chewables don't have a chalky aftertaste or stick to your teeth. Score: 5/5

Olly Kids Multi & Probiotic: These Berry Punch-flavored gumdrops are fruity, sweet, chewy, and have a light sugar coating. They are chewy and have a light sugar coating. I don't recommend gummy vitamins for children under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 3/5

SmartyPants Kids Multi & Omegas: These gumdrop-shaped gummies come in three fruity flavors: lemon, orange, and strawberry banana, all with a light sugar coating. They offer a sweet, fruity taste. I don't recommend them for kids under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 3/5

⛔Lil Critters Multivitamin: Each bottle contains a mix of cherry, strawberry, orange, pineapple, and blueberry-flavored gummy bears. They’re all sweet with a fruity taste, but they can be quite sticky and sometimes stick together and are tough to pull out of the bottle. I don't recommend them for kids under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 2/5

⛔Garden of Life Organics Kids Gummy Vitamins: These bear-shaped gummies come in organic fruit or organic cherry flavors. They’re sweet and fruity. I don't recommend them for kids under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 2/5

Whole Foods 365 Kids Gummy Multivitamin: These gummies come in assorted fruit flavors and have a sweet, fruity taste. They have a light sugar coating on the outside. I don't recommend them for kids under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 3/5

Nature Made Kids First Multi with Omega-3: Available in strawberry, lemon, and orange flavors, these gumdrop-shaped gummies are fruity and sweet. I don't recommend them for kids under 4, since they pose a choking risk. Score: 3/5

Criteria #4: Cost

Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin: $0.50/dose for the first month, then $1/dose 

Olly Kids Multi & Probiotic: $0.20/dose for kids age 2 to 3 years*, or $0.40/dose for kids age 4+ 

SmartyPants Kids Multi & Omegas: $0.88/dose

🥈Lil Critters Multivitamin: $0.07/dose for kids age 2 to 3 years*, $0.13/dose for kids 4+ years. 

Garden of Life Organics Kids Gummy Vitamins: $1.27/dose 

🥇Whole Foods 365 Kids Gummy Multivitamin: $0.06/dose for kids age 2 to 3 years*, $0.12/dose for kids age 4+ years. 

Nature Made Kids First Multi with Omega-3: $0.25/dose

Hiya Daily Kids Multivitamin is my pick for best kids multivitamin!

Hiya really stands out when it comes to nutritional quality, safe ingredients, and kid-approved taste. I'm even willing to pay more for a higher quality multivitamin. I definitely recommend Hiya vitamins, especially if you're trying to fill in the nutritional gaps during picky eating phases.

✅15 essential vitamins and minerals + a blend of 12 fruit and veggies

✅ZERO added sugars

✅1 chewable = 1 dose

✅Third-party tested and strict safety standards 

✅Fruity, sweet, and kid-approved 

✅Delivered fresh monthly (one less task on my mental load)

Get 50% off your first purchase with code NMM50

Author

This post may contain affiliate links including the Amazon Associates Program. When you make purchases through links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  I only endorse products I believe in.