I don't think it's cheating to give your kids a daily multivitamin! As a nutritionist who has built her community on helping people reach optimal health using "whole" eating, I firmly believe that vitamins and supplements are important. Ideally, our kids should be getting their daily recommended intakes for vitamins and minerals through the foods they eat. In the real world, everything from hectic days to picky tastes can leave nutritional gaps. This is something I definitely struggle with as a mom of two kids!

In this article, I'm going to compare two of the best organic kids multivitamins - hiya vitamins Vs. Ritual kids multivitamins to see which one is better for your family. I'll present the facts on each and share what my kids thought about them as well. We've been using hiya for over a year and ritual's kid vitamins for about 6 months. Both are great choices, and you won't go wrong on picking one over the other.

The Importance of Vitamins for Kids

Vitamins help to ensure that kids aren't falling into deficiencies of core nutrients. Childhood is a short window of time when the body uses everything it takes in to grow bones, muscle, and brain tissue. As adults, we can have "off" days for eating without worrying that we're stunting our growth potential. It's a different story with kids because they are constantly going through stages of "turbo" growth. Unfortunately, that means that being short on specific vitamins and minerals can have negative repercussions for growth. In addition, kids can often benefit from extra vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc in their diets because they are facing exposure to cold and flu viruses on a constant basis at schools and daycares.

Don't lose an opportunity to let your child grow to their full potential by ignoring the benefits of multivitamins! Two kids multivitamins by Hiya and Ritual that I think are worthy of reviewing have come on my radar lately. One of the reasons I felt compelled to review the best kids multivitamins is that I keep hearing from parents who are concerned that their kids are "hooked" on gummy vitamins that are filled with sugar. Some have even been warned by their dentists that these sugary vitamins are beginning to cause cavity concerns. I can help you solve that problem by introducing you to these two naturally sweetened, sugar-free kids multivitamins that taste great! If you're a parent looking for a high-quality multivitamin you can trust, I hope this review helps you make a decision!

Table Comparison Between Hiya Vs. Ritual Kids Vitamins

Overview of Ritual Kids Multivitamin

For Ages: Age 4 and up.

Ritual's Essential for Kids Multivitamin is a sugar-free gummy that's formulated to be appealing to even the pickiest of eaters! This ultra-complete formula supports the immune system, brain health, bone health, and digestion. It's made using 12 traceable ingredients. It's also free of gluten, GMO ingredients, artificial colors, sugar, and all major allergens.

What's in Ritual Kids Multivitamins

What makes Ritual's kids multivitamin stand out for me in a crowded sea of vitamins is that it uses three-in-one technology that puts Omega-3 DHA, fiber, and a multivitamin in one tasty serving. This multivitamin also uses a cell-identical form of folate called 5-MTHF. I love this because folate is so important for growing bodies! In fact, getting enough folate can help with healthy cell growth in kids. Ritual also contains vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B12, zinc, choline, iodine, and vitamin K12.

What I Like

As I mentioned above, this vitamin formula also contains a fiber and prebiotic blend. This is so rare among kids vitamins! However, the truth is that everything from our modern processed diet to a busy schedule can stress the gut microbiome. What's more, taking antibiotics as a child can also kill good gut bacteria. I wish more parents knew about the importance of fostering a healthy gut as the basis for good health! The Omega-3 DHA is also fantastic because it can help with growth and brain power.

I also love the flavor of these vitamins. Ritual packs a sweet orange punch that's sweetened with monk fruit and orange oil. Parents don't have to worry about sugar, sugar alcohols, or stevia.

What I Don't Like

This vitamin doesn't contain calcium. I'm not necessarily pointing that out because I think it's a terrible thing. However, I think it's something you should know when considering your options. Ritual leaves out calcium because this particular multivitamin is formulated to prevent nutrient overflow. Nutrient overflow happens when "overdoing it" with one nutrient impacts other nutrients. Ritual has decided that the best way for its littlest customers to get their calcium requirements is through diet. This would only be a problem if a child absolutely detests dairy products.

Finally, I do think that the levels of some vitamins and minerals in this vitamin are a little "skimpy." For example, vitamin D is the only vitamin that's offered at 100% of the daily recommended value. Everything else ranges from 10% to 50%. However, there is a silver lining to this. Some parents prefer these lower doses because they're worried about vitamin toxicity that can occur when you're piling vitamins on top of a complete diet. I think Ritual's kids multivitamin is a strong choice if you're just looking for something to push you over the finish line with a great eater.

Cost and Where to Buy

The Ritual Essential for Kids Multivitamin costs $33.00 when ordered directly through the Ritual website. One bottle provides a 30-day supply.

Overview of Hiya Kids Multivitamin

For Ages: Age 2 and up.

Hiya immediately caught my attention due to its complete formula. Each serving is supercharged with 15 essential vitamins and minerals. After reviewing the formulation, it's clear to me that this multivitamin packs in what growing kids need for supported immunity, growth, and development. This is a non-GMO, sugar-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free kids vitamin that comes in a chewable form instead of a gummy form.

What's in Hiya Kids Multivitamins?

This formula offers 15 core vitamins and minerals needed by growing kids. Unlike Ritual's kids multivitamin, it does contain calcium. You can see from the list of ingredients that the robust amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and more come from organic apple, beet, broccoli, carrot, green cabbage, kale, spinach, raspberry, strawberry, and other ingredients included in the brands organic powdered blend.

What I Like

I'm impressed by the completeness of this vitamin's formulation. I also like that it offers more than 100% of several core vitamins and minerals. In fact, this kids multivitamin is my pick for ultra-picky eaters because it delivers higher-than-average doses of essentials. Of course, the content might be excessive if your child is already a great eater.

The flavor of this multivitamin also brings the "wow" factor. Its tropical melon flavor is 100 times sweeter than sugar. Hiya uses monk fruit extract to achieve this sweetness level without sugar or artificial sweeteners.

What I Don't Like

The strange thing is that what I don't like is actually the same as what I do like. Hiya's kids multivitamin offers really high percentages of daily allowances for many vitamins and minerals. For example, you're getting 267% of the daily intake for vitamin C. This formula also has 313% of daily biotin, 167% of vitamin D, and 133% of folate. If you have a picky eater, this multivitamin can be an essential part of filling in the nutritional gaps left by a limited diet. However, it's possible that this vitamin is simply too concentrated if your child already eats a robust, varied diet that supplies close to 100% of what they need.

Cost and Where to Buy

The normal price for the Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin is $30 for a 30-day supply. However, I constantly see the price marked down to just $15 per bottle on the Hiya website. There's also a discount when you bundle orders. For example, a parent stocking up on five bottles can pay as low as $11.50 per bottle! The value of that is actually beyond comprehension when you compare the quality and content of this multivitamin to traditional store-bought kids vitamins.

Comparing Type of Vitamin (Gummy vs. Chewable Tablet)

Do I have any deep thoughts on gummy versus chewable tablets? Not really. My big problem with gummy vitamins is that they are full of sugar. However, Ritual's kids gummy vitamin is sweetened with monk fruit and orange oils instead of sugar. Hiya's kids multivitamin prefers to go the chewable route to avoid some of the "bad optics" of gummy vitamins. There are basically two reasons why parents choose to avoid gummy vitamins. The first is that they hate the idea of creating "bad habits" by making a gummy part of everyday eating. The second is that they are worried about cavities.

As a nutritionist, I don't have any problem with the Ritual gummy vitamin. I don't think enjoying vitamins is going to cause children to form bad food habits. Secondly, the "flavor" ingredients in the Ritual vitamin are nearly identical to the ingredients in the Hiya vitamin. That means that it's pretty much a tie when it comes to not having the cavity concerns that come with typical sugary gummy vitamins.

Comparing the Kids Multivitamin Formulas

Ritual and Hiya chose to take two very different routes when it comes to potency. With Ritual, you're getting relatively low doses of vitamins and minerals. However, Ritual really knocks it out of the park for me by offering DHA and prebiotic fiber. I think this formulation is great for helping to build a healthy foundation for the body, brain, and gut. Generally, any child who is eating a complete, balanced diet without any large gaps caused by "pickiness" is going to be just fine with this vitamin.

Hiya is a high-potency kids multivitamin that provides high dosages of vitamins and minerals. For this reason, I would recommend this vitamin to a parent who is really struggling with a picky eater.

Comparing Cost and Overall Value

I have to be honest about the fact that Hiya packs a bigger punch in terms of the potency you're getting for the price. This kids multivitamin offers an extraordinary value. Ritual's price is also very reasonable. Paying essentially the same for less can actually be better in some cases because not every kid is going to need the extreme potency of Hiya's kids multivitamin. However, the big takeaway is that both of these products are actually offered for incredible prices when you consider the quality of the ingredients!

Main Differences Between Ritual Kids Multivitamin and Hiya

Ritual gets applause from me for using traceable ingredients in its kids multivitamin. I think you'll enjoy being able to see exactly where the ingredients you're putting into your child's body were grown and harvested. I would love to see Hiya move toward this trend!

The biggest differences between Ritual and Hiya have to do with potency. While Ritual offers 12 essential vitamins and minerals, Hiya offers a total of 15 vitamins and minerals. Hiya also offers more than 100% of the daily allowances of several vitamins and minerals. Ritual only hits 100% for vitamin D. Of course, the final difference is that you're choosing between Ritual's gummy formula and Hiya's chewable formula.

Which Is Better: Hiya or Ritual?

I can't really pick a loser here! From my perspective as a nutritionist, both of these kids multivitamins represent the highest quality level in children's supplements. Ritual wins my vote for top choice when you're searching for a kids multivitamin for robust eaters. Hiya is my top choice if you're looking for higher dosages of vitamins and minerals because you're having a hard time getting your child to eat a varied diet that consists of all of the food groups. Finally, I will say that the DHA and prebiotic fiber blend in Ritual could make this the better option if your child is prone to tummy troubles because this multivitamin can provide a gentle, natural way to improve microbiome balance.

My Final Thoughts on Ritual and Hiya Multivitamins for Kids

Formulas this complete were impossible to find just a few years ago! That's why I can enthusiastically recommend both Ritual and Hiya to any parent looking for a high-quality, reasonably priced kids multivitamin. Your next step is to make a quick profile of your child's eating habits. Do they generally eat everything? You'll probably be fine with Ritual. Is getting every bite down a struggle? They may need the higher potency offered by Hiya. Ultimately, you can't make a mistake when going with either of these kids multivitamins. The only mistake would be to settle for the sugary, filler-heavy kids gummy vitamins found on your local shelves.