Food Dye Audit Checklist

Identify and eliminate artificial food dyes from your child's diet

Artificial Food Dye Audit

How to Use This

How to Use This: Walk through your home room by room with this checklist, checking off any products that contain artificial dyes. Then use the swap tips and elimination tracker below to remove them over 3 weeks.

A meta-analysis in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that removing artificial food dyes produced a larger effect on ADHD symptoms than omega-3 supplementation (Sonuga-Barke et al., 2013, PMID: 23360949). Use this checklist to audit your home.

Dyes to Look For

Dye Name	Also Called	Common Products
Red 40	Allura Red AC, E129	Candy, cereal, fruit snacks, sports drinks, vitamins
Yellow 5	Tartrazine, E102	Mac & cheese, chips, pickles, medications
Yellow 6	Sunset Yellow, E110	Soda, candy, baked goods, sauces
Blue 1	Brilliant Blue, E133	Sports drinks, candy, ice cream, medications
Blue 2	Indigo Carmine, E132	Candy, pet food, beverages
Green 3	Fast Green, E143	Candy, beverages, ice cream

Room-by-Room Audit

Kitchen & Pantry

Cereals and granola bars

Snack foods (chips, crackers, fruit snacks)

Condiments (ketchup, salad dressings, sauces)

Beverages (juice, soda, sports drinks)

Candy and desserts

Frozen foods (popsicles, ice cream, frozen meals)

Baking supplies (sprinkles, frosting, food coloring)

Medicine Cabinet

Children's vitamins and supplements

Liquid medications (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cough syrup)

Chewable tablets

Toothpaste

Mouthwash

Other

Play-Doh and art supplies (if child mouths them)

School lunch items

After-school snack options at activities

Grandparent/caregiver homes

Swap Tip

Many US brands sell dye-free versions of the same products in Europe. Check for 'natural colors' or 'no artificial colors' versions. Store brands are often dye-free when name brands are not.

3-Week Elimination Tracker

Week	Attention (1-10)	Hyperactivity (1-10)	Mood (1-10)	Notes
Baseline
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

Important

Give the elimination at least 3 full weeks before evaluating. Some dyes take time to fully clear from the body.

Next Steps

Next Steps: After completing the 3-week elimination, use the ADHD Optimization Protocol Tracker to continue with the next phases of the protocol, including blood work and supplementation.