Originally published May 24, 2022. Updated February 27, 2023.
Hiya vitamins look and taste like SweeTarts and have 0g of sugar per serving. I usually leave my opinion to later in the article, but I’m not going to leave you hanging: we love Hiya.
We’ve tried other vitamin brands, and Hiya stands out from the pack as a fantastic multivitamin for toddlers. It’s the one we’ve continued to order over and over again. Plus, you can get 50% off your first order!
Update: Since originally publishing this article, we’ve tried even more children’s vitamin brands, including Llama Naturals, Mary Ruth’s, Yumi, and OLLIE. Hiya is still our favorite, and it’s still the one we repurchase over and over again.
Note: Hiya initially sent me vitamins to try for the purpose of this review.
What Makes Hiya Different From Other Kids’ Multivitamins
Hiya stands out from the crowd in a few key ways: they aren’t gummies, they have NO added sugar, and the packaging is eco-friendly.
Chewable Vitamins – Not Gummies
The obvious standout feature of Hiya vitamins for kids is the texture: Hiya vitamins are not gummies. The texture is chewable, very much like a SweeTart or Tums.
As a mom, this is a game-changer for me. I don’t like gummies for toddlers because I’m terrified of choking. My niece choked on a gummy bear once – as in, full-on Heimlich maneuver choking – and ever since I heard that story, I try to avoid anything with a gummy-like texture for my kids.
Now, I did do a review of the First Day gummy vitamins for kids, and I was surprisingly OK with the gummy texture of those. They broke down easily and didn’t require excessive chewing, but I’ll talk about Hiya vs. First Day more in a bit.
Update: Other gummy vitamin brands we’ve tried since originally publishing this post include Llama Naturals, OLLIE, and SmartyPants. First Day has a much better gummy texture than all three of these brands – it breaks down the fastest and isn’t gritty. The chewiest of these is OLLIE. I would not be comfortable giving the OLLIE gummy to my toddlers.
Overall, I’d recommend Hiya over any other children’s vitamin for the texture alone.
Update: A third “texture” option I’ve recently learned about is the liquid format. Mary Ruth’s has a liquid multivitamin that’s good for toddlers through adults. We do like it, and I would recommend it. However, my kids still prefer the Hiya vitamins. They tend to correlate Mary Ruth’s liquid option with medicine, whereas they see the Hiya vitamins as candy or a sweet treat.
NO Added Sugar
The second huge difference between Hiya and other kids’ vitamins is the 0g of sugar per serving. Hiya found a way to make a chewable vitamin that tastes amazing without adding any sugar.
Kids’ vitamins, in general, are sweetened with glucose syrup, sucrose, or sugar. When you think about it, most kids’ multivitamins are candy in disguise. Why on earth should a kids’ multivitamin contribute to cavities?!
Hiya, on the other hand, sweetens its vitamins with monk fruit extract and a touch of mannitol.
- Monk fruit is a super fruit that gets its powerful sweetness from its unique antioxidants.
- Mannitol is an all-natural sweetener found in fruits and vegetables and suggested by dentists in their fight against tooth decay.
The vitamins themselves are not cloyingly sweet, either. It’s just a hint of sweetness that helps my kids enjoy the vitamin-taking experience.
Eco-Friendly Packaging and Refills
Last but not least, I love the eco-friendly packaging and refill system of Hiya. Other brands like First Day also offer this, so it’s not incredibly unique, but it’s still a huge step above what you get at the drugstore.
When you first order Hiya, you’ll get this sturdy glass bottle. Every time you need more vitamins, you’ll get a refill packet shipped to you that you pour into your glass bottle.
Plus, the refill pouches are not made of plastic, which helps my conscience.
Hiya Multivitamin Ingredients
When it comes to the ingredients, Hiya includes all of the vitamins critical for development.
The vitamins in Hiya support healthy eyes, the immune system, energy, heart health, sleep, focus, and even general mood.
Just one vitamin gives your child apple, beet, broccoli, carrot, green cabbage, kale, parsley, spinach, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and tomato. Seriously – these are the 12 organic fruits and veggies included in these multivitamins!
Hiya vitamins have 15 essential vitamins in them, and their website even tells you the form it’s in (Beta-Carotene & Retinol Palmitate for Vitamin A, as an example) along with what their pediatricians have to say about it.
The dads behind Hiya spent three years consulting with top pediatricians, nutritionists, scientists, and parents, and you can really see their attention to detail in the multivitamin formula.
For example, Hiya includes 25 mcg of vitamin D, which is more than the recommended daily dosage. Why? Because vitamin D deficiency is the most common deficiency among kids, especially among picky eaters.
Hiya also uses the natural form of folate (B9) instead of synthetic folic acid. Most breakfast cereals and many prominent children’s vitamins use the synthetic form of folic acid, but when unmetabolized, it can remain in your body for a long time.
You’ll also see Selenium in Hiya, which is an essential mineral that little bodies can’t make on their own, yet most kids’ multivitamins leave it out. Not Hiya!
These are just some examples of why Hiya’s ingredients are a step above. I have so much peace of mind when giving Hiya to my toddlers because I know whatever they didn’t get from their diet, they’re getting from Hiya.
Hiya vs Other Kids’ Vitamin Brands
When you compare Hiya to typical kids’ vitamins that you’ll find at your grocery store or drugstore, it dominates. It’s hardly even worth making a full comparison.
Update: Since publishing this article, I have taken on the project of doing more vitamin comparisons to help us all figure out which vitamins are the best for our families. You can check out the vitamin comparisons currently posted by viewing the Wellness category.
Yes, Hiya is a little more expensive than options at the drugstore like Smarty Pants, but Smarty Pants has 5g of added sugars and your child has to take four gummies per day as opposed to one.
Smarty Pants and other kids’ multivitamins from the drugstore also don’t have an eco-friendly refill system. You’re throwing away a plastic bottle every month with the alternatives.
Here’s a quick comparison from the Hiya website:
I think a better comparison is between Hiya and similar brands like First Day and Ritual.
Related: Hiya vs First Day Vitamins: Which One Is Better?
We’ve tried First Day and really liked it! It’s a gummy texture, but it’s not super chewy. Once you bite into it, it immediately starts breaking down, unlike other toddler gummies in this space. I personally don’t have any concerns about choking with the First Day gummy texture.
But two areas where I like Hiya instead of First Day are the lower age range as well as the 0g of added sugar.
Here’s a quick chart comparison:
I’ve personally not yet tried Ritual, but it’s meant for ages 4+, and my kids are ages 2 and 3.
Update: My kids are now ages 3 and 4, and I’m working on ordering the Ritual option to test out with my 4-year-old. However, this vitamin is currently back-ordered, so I haven’t been able to get it yet! But it’s coming soon.
Also, I didn’t add this to the comparison chart, but Hiya is a glass bottle, whereas the other two brands are not. I do prefer the First Day bottle as I know it won’t shatter if I drop it. I’ve never dropped the Hiya bottle, but that is something to consider.
Update: We have indeed dropped the Hiya vitamin bottle several times now, and somehow, it hasn’t cracked, shattered, or broken. That was a big concern of mine, but it hasn’t been an issue. What IS an issue is both of my toddlers can unscrew the lid. Thankfully, Hiya didn’t put any vitamins or minerals that can cause problems if overconsumed (like iron), but please store this on a shelf that your toddler can’t reach.
Hiya Vitamin FAQs
What if my child doesn’t like certain colors in the Hiya vitamin pack?
Hiya’s vitamin packs come with pink, yellow, and green vitamins. While my kids don’t really care about what color they get, some kids can be picky. Hiya understands that and will accommodate any requests for only certain vitamin colors. Just email them at [email protected] and they’ll make it happen.
How do I cancel my Hiya vitamin subscription?
You can cancel your Hiya vitamin subscription at any time by emailing the support team at [email protected] or by logging into your account and clicking “Manage Account.”
Are Hiya vitamins FDA approved?
Hiya vitamins are not FDA-approved. In fact, the FDA does not have the authority to approve supplements. So no vitamin brand is going to have FDA approval.
What ages are Hiya vitamins good for?
Hiya vitamins are good for ages 2+ and can be used through the mid-teens. We personally found and started using Hiya at age 2, because that’s the age my daughter started being a picky eater. We worried she was not getting what she needed from food alone, and a toddler vitamin gave us so much peace of mind.
Where are Hiya vitamins made?
Most vitamins are manufactured overseas, but Hiya vitamins are made right here in the USA. Plus, Hiya vitamins are made in a best-in-class GMP-compliant facility. On top of that, Hiya vitamins are 3rd party tested for trace amounts of heavy metals, allergens, and pathogens.
Are Hiya vitamins 3rd party tested?
Yes, Hiya vitamins are 3rd party tested for trace amounts of heavy metals, allergens, and pathogens. The brand will even email you the most recent report upon request. Just email them at [email protected].
Do Hiya vitamins need to be refrigerated?
Hiya vitamins and probiotics do not need to be refrigerated. Our family sees this as a big bonus because we never have enough room in our fridge! Mary Ruth’s liquid vitamin needs to be refrigerated, and while it’s not a huge deal, it’s definitely not as convenient as storing it in the pantry.
How much do Hiya vitamins cost?
You can get your first month of Hiya vitamins for just $15 per bottle. If there are any promotions going, I’ll include that information here for you.
After the first month, one bottle (a month’s supply) is $30. The price per bottle goes down as the number of children goes up.
Who owns Hiya vitamins?
Dads Darren Litt and Adam Gillman founded Hiya vitamins.
They were shocked to find out that most children’s vitamins are loaded with sugar, which is why they started Hiya. They spent three years working with nutritionists, scientists, and parents to develop a vitamin that kids love and that parents can feel good about.
Conclusion
Hiya really stands out as a winner during this sweet spot of picky-eating toddler years.
If you’re worried your little one might not be getting the vitamins and nutrients she needs, Hiya is arguably the best multivitamin! Plus, you can get your first month’s supply for less than the sugary junk at the drugstore.
Try Hiya today for half price and let me know what you think in the comments section below!
Related:
We’ve tried Ritual AND First Day AND Hiya — and Hiya is easily our favorite. It’s also our pediatrician’s favorite and our dentist’s favorite too.
It’s definitely our fav! We haven’t tried Ritual kids vitamins though, so good to know!
I saw an ad on IG for First Day vitamins which peaked my interest, so I googled to see how legit they were and came across your blog posts, this helped me so much in choosing the right vitamins for my kids and just signed up for Hiya using your link and discount code. thanks so much!
I’m so glad it was helpful!! You just made my day.
Can adults take Hiya? Would we still only take 1 tablet?
You can, but they’re specifically formulated for kids. I personally take Ritual and highly recommend it!
I take the womens Alive High Potency vitamins. They are around $13 for a 60 tablet bottle on Amazon.
Thank you for your full and detailed review of Hiya. And if course the purchasing link and additional code was very helpful. Just like one of your subscribers, I too almost purchased First Day per their IG post, and came upon your write up of them first. What was super helpful for me was the review in this Hiya blog was your highlight on the children’s age, which my son just turned 2, AND the comparison to drugstore vitamins such as Smarty Pants which I currently give my son. But as of today, no more. I can’t wait till our first package of Hiya arrives.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So glad it was helpful!! 💕
We love Hiya! Going on three months. 🙂
Us too!!
We love Hiya!!! Going on eight months!!
Us too! Woop!
OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU! I am so thankful to come upon your blog and find out what is the best multivitamin for my toddler. He is super picky with food and does not like meat and hardly ever eats chicken. It’s been a struggle but thank you so much for this information.!
So glad it is helpful!!
There isn’t any iron in these correct? Do they have one with iron?
Linda, that is correct. Hiya explains why they don’t include iron on their website – I’ll post their commentary here:
“Iron supplementation can be extremely advantageous or even crucially necessary for some children. Yet giving iron supplementation is only necessary if your child’s healthcare provider deems it to be so.
It’s fairly easy for most children to meet their needs through diet, and even if they don’t perfectly meet those needs completely, the amount of supplementation necessary would likely be minimal.
Our children’s multivitamin doesn’t contain iron. We formulated our multivitamin under the advice of pediatricians who observed what vitamins and minerals were lacking in the diet of the average American child. With their help, we determined the potential downside of iron toxicity from kids accidentally eating too many vitamins may not be worth the limited upside, especially considering most kids get enough iron from diet alone. So instead we focused on a vitamin designed to be safe and convenient for most children to use.
Including iron would make our vitamin more likely to induce side effects than benefits for most children. Hiya can be taken in conjunction with an iron supplement when a child’s pediatrician believes that supplementation is necessary for the health of that child.”
Hi Rebekah! I’ve appreciated your articles on childrens vitamins (Hiya & First Day).
We give our kids vitamins but need to switch something up because I feel like my son has some nutritional deficiencies.
Planning on ordering some Hiya vitamins and hoping we see some improvements!
Awesome!! We are still loving them!