Most fussy 5-year-olds can take a daily children's vitamin perfectly well. The trick is the format, not the nutrients. For many parents that means a gummy that looks and tastes like a fruit sweet, covering vitamin D (which the NHS says all under-5s should get daily) plus, for plant-based families, the nutrients a picky eater is most likely to miss.
Updated August 2026 · Written by the Vegums pharmacist team | Vegan Society Certified
- The NHS recommends daily vitamins A, C and D for children aged 6 months to 5 years. If you qualify for Healthy Start, the drops are free.
- The best supplement is the one your child will actually take. For most fussy eaters, that's a gummy.
- Vegums kids gummies are from £8.00 a month on subscription (£10 one-time), one a day from age 3, with a zero-added-sugar option.
If you've ever crushed a tablet into yoghurt and watched your child eat everything except the yoghurt, this one's for you. At Vegums we're pharmacists and parents, so we've fought this exact battle at our own breakfast tables. Here's what actually works.
Does a 5-year-old need vitamins at all?
Often, yes. The UK government recommends that all children aged 6 months to 5 years are given a daily supplement containing vitamins A, C and D, according to the NHS. Children aged 1 to 4 should get 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day, and vitamin D advice continues through childhood because UK sunshine is, let's be honest, not a reliable supplier.
Two honest caveats from the pharmacy counter. First, if your family qualifies for Healthy Start, you're entitled to free vitamin drops containing exactly that A-C-D trio; ask your health visitor. Second, a supplement tops up a diet; it doesn't replace one. If your child currently eats beige food exclusively, a gummy helps cover gaps while you keep gently reintroducing the orange and green stuff. No gummy on earth replaces actual vegetables, including ours.
For children on a vegan or mostly plant-based diet, the gap list gets longer. The Vegan Society advises that vegans of all ages need a reliable source of vitamin B12 and iodine, which mainly come from animal foods, and omega-3 DHA is worth attention too since the usual source is oily fish.
My child refuses tablets, drops and anything "medicine-flavoured". Now what?
This is the real question, because the best supplement is the one that actually gets taken. A 2016 review in the journal Patient Preference and Adherence (Bracken et al.) found swallowing difficulties and taste are leading reasons children reject medicines; no surprise to anyone who has met a 5-year-old. Here's how the formats compare for a fussy child:
| Format | Taste and texture | Fuss factor | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chewable tablets | Chalky, "vitaminy" aftertaste | High: often refused after day 3 | Half-chewed tablets abandoned behind the sofa |
| Drops / liquids | Neutral to bitter | Medium: needs measuring, easy to forget | Dose accuracy depends on a wriggling child |
| Oral sprays | Varies | Medium: novelty wears off | Some kids hate the sensation |
| Gummies | Fruit flavour, sweet-like texture | Low: usually requested, not resisted | Must live out of reach; brush teeth as usual |
Gummies win on the only metric that matters at 7:45am on a school day: whether the child takes it without a negotiation. Our kids range is one gummy a day from age 3, with real fruit flavours, and honestly the most common "problem" parents report is children asking for more than one (see the FAQ below; doses are set conservatively with exactly this in mind, but keep them out of reach like any supplement).
What should be in a vitamin for a fussy 5-year-old?
Start with the NHS basics, then cover the gaps your child's actual diet leaves:
Vitamin D: the non-negotiable. It contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and the normal function of the immune system, and UK guidance recommends it daily for young children.
B12: essential if your child is vegan or eats little meat, dairy or eggs. B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Iodine: the quiet one nobody mentions. It contributes to normal cognitive function and normal growth of children, and plant-based diets often lack a reliable source.
Omega-3 DHA: mainly found in oily fish, which sits near the top of most fussy-eater refusal lists (vegan or not). DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function.
Our Kids Multivitamin Gummy For Vegans covers six nutrients a plant-based child's diet is most likely to miss, vitamin D3, B12, B6, iodine, selenium and folate, in one strawberry gummy a day, formulated by our GPhC-registered pharmacist team. One honest note: it doesn't contain vitamins A or C, so if you specifically want the NHS A-C-D trio for an under-5, Healthy Start drops (free, if you qualify) or our Kids Sugar-Free A-Z Multivitamin with its 10 essentials (including vitamins A and C) are worth a look; check the label to see it matches what your child needs. For the fish-free omega-3 piece, there's a kids algae omega-3 gummy with DHA from algae, which is where the fish get it from anyway.
Aren't gummies full of sugar?
Less than you'd fear, and you have a zero-added-sugar option. Our standard kids multivit contains 0.7g of natural cane sugar per gummy, roughly a fifth of a teaspoon, once a day. The Kids Sugar-Free A-Z Multivitamin contains no added sugar at all (it's sweetened with xylitol and stevia, and xylitol is actually used in children's dental products). Either way: gummies are a with-breakfast thing, not a bedtime thing, and normal twice-a-day brushing carries on. Your dentist can stand down.
How much do kids' vitamins cost?
Our kids gummies are from £8.00 a month on subscription or £10 one-time (Kids Multivit, Sugar-Free A-Z, Vitamin C, Probiotic, Super Iron); the Kids Fish-Free Omega-3 is from £9.00 a month or £11.25 one-time. If the whole household needs sorting, the Family Value Bundle covers two adults and two kids for £64.00 a month on subscription (£79.00 one-time). Subscriptions always ship free in the UK, arrive through the letterbox in plastic-free packaging, and you can pause or cancel anytime. Every product carries a 30-day money-back guarantee, useful when your household's chief food critic has final say.
Not sure where to start? Our pharmacists' complete guide to what supplements vegans actually need covers the whole family picture, or browse the full kids vegan gummy range.
Frequently asked questions
What age can my child start gummy vitamins?
From age 3, at one gummy per product per day. Under 3, speak to your health visitor or GP first, and for under-5s remember the NHS recommendation of daily vitamins A, C and D.
My 5-year-old eats hardly any fruit or veg. Will a multivitamin fix that?
No, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you a miracle. A multivitamin helps cover specific nutrient gaps while you keep working on the variety. If your child's diet is very restricted, it's worth a chat with your GP or health visitor. Supplements are a safety net, not a substitute.
Are gummy vitamins bad for teeth?
Our kids gummies use real fruit flavours, and the Sugar-Free A-Z has no added sugar. Give them with a meal rather than as a bedtime treat and keep up normal brushing; same rules as any chewy food.
What happens if my child eats more than one?
Doses are set conservatively with curious small people in mind, but gummies should still live out of reach like any supplement. If a proper stash raid happens, check with your pharmacist or GP; per-gummy doses are on every pack.
Do vegan kids need different vitamins from other kids?
The core need (vitamin D) is the same for everyone. On top of that, vegan children need a reliable source of B12 and iodine, and many parents add algae omega-3 for DHA; those are exactly the gaps our kids range was built around.
Can I give these alongside Healthy Start vitamin drops?
Don't double up on the same nutrients without checking; both contain vitamin D. Compare the labels or ask your pharmacist which combination suits your child; any community pharmacist (including us at hi@vegums.com) will happily help.
Will my child actually take them?
Fussy eaters are exactly who these were built for; they look and taste like a fruit gummy, not a vitamin. And if your household's toughest critic still says no, the 30-day money-back guarantee applies. Results (and 5-year-olds) vary.
Sources: NHS vitamins-for-children guidance; The Vegan Society nutrients overview; Bracken et al. 2016, Patient Preference and Adherence (children's medicine-taking difficulties). This article is general information, not a substitute for personalised advice from your pharmacist, GP or health visitor.
Written by the Vegums pharmacist team | Vegan Society Certified
Send this to the parent whose fridge is a gallery of rejected dinners. They'll know exactly who they are.
