Hiya Vs. First Day Vitamins – My Kids Tried Both

Vitamins are a hot topic right now; we’re all trying to be as healthy as possible so we can live our best lives. And it's no exception when it comes to our children.

The health of our children has always been at the forefront of our minds, however, a renewed sense of importance has emerged over the last couple of years. And while we do our best to feed them healthy, balanced food, let’s face it, they aren’t always getting what they should each day from their meals alone.

So we turn to supplements to help fill in the gap, but how healthy are the vitamins we’re giving our children? You’d be shocked to know that most of the kid’s vitamins on the market are nothing more than glorified candy, potentially doing more harm than good.

Hiya and First Day are two brand new kids nutrition brands that are changing the way we do kid’s vitamins. Less sugar and junk and more of the good stuff that they need. But which brand is better?

My kiddos tried Hiya kids vitamins for 90 days and then we switched it up and tried First Day kids vitamins for 60 days.

I'm excited to share my notes from our experiences with both hiya and first day. I'll provide a week-by-week rundown on what I noticed throughout that time.

Key Factors To Consider Before Buying Hiya or First Day Kids Vitamins

First Day Kids Vitamins:

1. Format: Gummy texture that many kids find appealing and easy to consume.
2. Ingredients: Made with organic fruits and vegetables, providing a natural source of nutrition.
3. Sustainability: Initial purchase includes a reusable bottle, followed by eco-friendly refill pouches for subsequent purchases.
4. Pricing Model: Priced at $36 for a 30-day supply, but there's a subscription model that offers a 15% discount, reducing the monthly cost to $30.60.

Hiya Kids Vitamins:

1. Format: Chewable tablets, which can be preferable for kids who might not be fans of gummy textures.
2. Sugar-Free: Unlike many kids' vitamins, Hiya vitamins don't contain added sugars, while First Day Vitamins do contain sugar.
3. Packaging: Comes in a reusable glass bottle, emphasizing sustainability. You can also decorate the bottle, which makes it fun for the kids.
4. Subscription-Based: Hiya operates mainly on a subscription model, where vitamins are shipped every month. Hiya costs $30 and you can get 50% off your first order making it $15 for the first month.

Both products have their unique strengths, and the best choice might vary based on individual preferences and priorities.

All About Hiya Kids Vitamins

Hiya is a subscription-based chewable kid’s vitamin that’s made entirely out of organic, natural fruits and veggies. Hiya managed to create a multivitamin that has all the essential nutrients kids need while still tasting delicious.

Hiya’s product is sweetened naturally with monk fruit and contains 0 grams of added sugar, something that no other kid’s vitamin can claim. The company founders, two new dads who were appalled by the ingredients in their kid’s supplements, designed their vitamin as a chewable. Gummies are not good for teeth, even when they have vitamins in them. If you don’t believe me, ask your dentist, I’m sure they’ll have a whole spiel on why gummies are bad for your teeth.

Hiya’s products come in a sleek, reusable glass jar complete with fun stickers for decorating.  – which kids absolutely love! When your first bottle is done, you’ll receive a refill in a recyclable foil pack that you’ll use to refill your original bottle. No more wasted plastic bottles!

The chewable vitamins are delivered right to your door each month and you can cancel, pause, or change your subscription at any time.

My Kids' 90 Day Experience Using Hiya Kids Vitamins

Here's a week-by-week breakdown of our 90-day experience with Hiya kids vitamins:

Week 1:

• Monday to Sunday: Started introducing the Hiya vitamins to the kids. At first, they were curious about the new tablets and the fancy glass-like container. The ability to personalize the bottle with their names and stickers was a hit! By the end of the week, they looked forward to their daily vitamin, making morning routines smoother.

Weeks 2-3

• I noticed that the 7-year-old, with his football practices, seemed to have a bit more energy. The 5-year-old was equally enthusiastic about her soccer games.
• Both kids have now made it a habit to ask for their vitamin after breakfast.
• Continued the routine. The kids are now in the habit of taking their vitamin without any reminders.
• Started noticing fewer complaints about feeling tired, especially after their respective sports activities.

Weeks 4-5

• The kids are still enjoying the taste and haven't grown tired of it. This week, we received our refill pouch, and the kids were excited to fill up their containers.
• The 5-year-old had a slight cold this week, but she recovered faster than usual. I'm hopeful the vitamins played a role in boosting her immunity.

Weeks 6-7

• Both kids are doing well with their sports and daily activities. The 7-year-old mentioned that some of his friends are now taking Hiya too after he talked about it at school.
• No significant changes this week, but I'm grateful for the consistent routine we've established. It's one less thing to worry about as a mom!

Weeks 8-9

• This week, the kids shared the vitamins with their cousins during a family gathering. The cousins seemed to like the taste as well.
• With school projects and sports, it's been a busy week. However, both kids are managing well, and I haven't heard any complaints about feeling exhausted.

Weeks 10-11

• We're getting close to the 90-day mark. I've noticed fewer instances of common colds or sniffles, which is always a win during this season.
• The kids' teachers mentioned that they seem more alert and active in class. It could be a combination of a balanced diet, regular sports, and the added nutrition from Hiya.

Week 12:

• As we wrap up our 90-day experience, I'm pleased with the results. Both kids have incorporated the vitamins seamlessly into their daily routine, and I've noticed positive changes in their energy levels and overall health.

Overall, the Hiya vitamins have been a positive addition to our daily routine. It's been reassuring to know that even on days when they're being particularly picky with food, they're still getting essential nutrients from their daily vitamin.

All About First Day Kids Vitamins

First Day offers kids’ multivitamins in a bright, fun container. This product comes in gummy-form, which kids love, but dentists might cringe over, but they only contain 2g of natural, organic sugar compared to the 8 or more grams other gummy vitamins contain. They contain natural, plant-based ingredients and colors and contain 8 essential nutrients.

One thing that really stands out regarding First Day is their use of only the most bioavailable and the safest sources of ingredients, with a focus on dosages that will fill the gaps in a typical child’s diet without over-supplementing. Most vitamins contain far more than the daily limit of certain vitamins, on top of what your child is consuming in their daily food intake, leading to over-supplementation risks.

First Day was founded by two friends who set out to dig into the modern research into nutrition, finding out what supplements really do for us and what kids really need in their diets. 

First Day recently introduced their recyclable pouch for vitamin refills. They, too, encourage kids to decorate and keep their original vitamin bottle to be refilled, which is a fantastic way to keep plastic out of landfills and to teach our kids about recycling and promoting a healthy environment.

You can choose between a one-time purchase on these vitamins, or you can subscribe and save. Subscriptions can be paused, canceled, or modified at any time.

My Kids' 60 Day Experience Using Hiya Kids Vitamins

Here's a week-by-week breakdown of our 90-day experience with First Day Kids Vitamins:

Week 1:

• Monday to Sunday: The kids were introduced to the colorful First Day gummies. Their eyes lit up at the sight of the gummies, and they were immediately intrigued by the reusable bottle. The taste test was a success! Both kids loved the fruity flavor and asked for more, though I had to remind them it's just two gummies a day.

Week 2-3

• The 7-year-old's football energy seemed to be on the rise. The 5-year-old was also more spirited during her soccer practices.
• The kids now eagerly wait for their gummy treat post breakfast.
• The routine is set. The kids gleefully take their vitamins every morning without needing any nudges.
• I've noticed they're less groggy in the mornings and more ready to start the day.

Weeks 4-5

• The gummies are a hit! The kids' friends have been asking about them during playdates, curious about the tasty vitamins.
• We received our refill, and the kids happily helped in transferring the gummies to their bottle.
• The 7-year-old had a school camp this week. Packed his vitamins, and he proudly shared about them with his friends.

Weeks 6-7

• The 5-year-old is showing improved stamina during her soccer games. She's been running around more and seems less tired post-game.
• During a parent-teacher meeting, I learned that both kids have been more attentive in class. The added nutrition might be helping.

Week 8

• As we approach the end of our 60-day journey with First Day, I'm truly happy with the decision to try these gummies. The kids are healthier, more active, and genuinely enjoy their daily vitamins.

My only concern with First Day is the sugar content. Yes, it's only 2g, but when the kids took the gummies, they started their day off with sugar. Something to consider.

Key Differences Between Hiya and First Day

Based on the information we outlined above, it’s clear that both Hiya and First Day are great choices for kids’ multivitamins, however, you only need one, so let’s break down some key differences to help you get clear on which is best for your child.

Consumption Method: Gummy (First Day) vs Chewable Tablet (hiya)

Hiya uses a chewable tablet, which is better for children’s teeth than a gummy, however, many children will only consume vitamins in gummy-form, like what you get with First Day.

However, First Day's gummies are much healthier than traditional gummy vitamins! Many kids' gummies are gelatin-based, which means they're derived from animal products. Gelatin is known for sticking to teeth and causing cavities. First Day uses pectin, a much cleaner alternative to gelatin, that's derived from fruits such as apples and oranges. This creates the same thickening/gelling effect as gelatin, but it has a softer bite and it's not as sticky, so it's less likely to stick in kids' teeth.

Our experience: My kids liked the taste of hiya's chewable tablet and they liked the taste of First Day's gummies. My son prefers the gummies and my daughter prefers the chewable.

Daily Dosing

First Day’s dosage is 2 gummies per day and Hiya’s is 1 tablet per day. Some parents find that the one per day tablet is easier and more convenient. On the other hand, most kids love gummies and will happily eat 2 per day.

Our experience: I think taking one chewable per day was a lot easier than 2 gummies per day. However, because my kids did like the taste of First Day gummies, they didn't mind taking 2 of them. They both told me that they prefer only one vitamin per day.

Vitamin Content

Hiya’s formula includes large amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Zinc, all of which pose the threat of over-supplementation in the short term due to the availability of these vitamins in our everyday nutrition. First Day, on the other hand, has a keen focus on making sure that their dosages are designed to fill your child’s nutritional gaps without risking over-supplementation. 

Our experience: I really noticed my kids having more energy and less fatigue from both our hiya and First Day experiences. I also noticed that their immune systems fought colds a little better than usual.

Packaging

Both Hiya and First Day do a great job of using eco-friendly packaging and making the bottles fun for kiddos. Both brands send the initial order with a vitamin bottle and then fill subsequent orders with recyclable packaging that you can place right inside the original bottle. Hiya makes the experience for kids a little more fun by sending them stickers to customize their bottles.

Our experience: Both kids preferred decorating their hiya bottles more than First Day's pre-decorated bottle. It was kind of like an arts and craft project, which they really appreciated.

Sugar Content

Hiya stands out for not having any sugar in their kids’ vitamins, however, they use monk fruit and mannitol as sweeteners, which aren’t studied in children for safety and long-term health impacts, so it’s unclear if there could be any potential negative effects with those ingredients. First Day uses natural, organic sugar in their gummies, but only 2g, which is, on average, 80% less than other leading brands.

Our experience: In my household, I don't allow a lot of sugar intake. For example, we only do ice cream 2 times per week. Yes hiya has no added sugars and First Day has 2g per serving, but to me that isn't a deal breaker. I also didn't see anything bad from the sugar from First Day.

The Verdict: Which Vitamins Do I Give My Children?

Based on my research, I went all-in with Hiya initially. I felt that their product was a healthier choice due to the lack of any added sugar and the fact that they have almost twice as many vitamins on their ingredient list. However, after digging in a little deeper, I now understand that there are pros and cons to both vitamins. The no added sugar in Hiya comes with the added risk of exposing my kids to monk fruit and mannitol, both of which have not been heavily studied in children. And the extra vitamins might not be as beneficial for my kids who already eat a well-balanced diet.

I do love that Hiya's product is chewable. The first question my kid’s dentist always asks me is if I give them gummies, and when using Hiya, I can confidently say no (aside from the occasional treat)! That said, I believe everything is OK in moderation, and I certainly don't think chewing a couple of gummy vitamins will cause any significant damage.

One thing that I love about both brands is the convenience of the subscription! I never have to worry about my kids running out of their favorite vitamins.

When put to the ultimate test i.e. my picky toddlers, here's what they chose:

• My son prefers the gummy vitamin (First Day) over the chewable (Hiya).
• My daughter prefers the chewable vitamin (Hiya) over the gummy vitamin (First Day).

When all is said and done, both brands are great and are certainly a better option than 99% of the kids vitamins lining your store shelves.