Children are born craving sweet-tasting foods. The amount of preference to sweet tastes in each child differs with genetics. So it’s normal for them to crave for cake, cookies, ice cream and candy. But you sure don’t want your child to eat excessive non-nutritious calories. These tips may help manage your child’s sweet tooth:
#1 Guide children instead of controlling – We do not exactly know how to raise kids to have a healthy outlook on sweets. But we can try understanding them.
#2 Inculcate healthy eating habits – Habits develop at a young age, so if you offer healthy snacks, kids will grow with healthy eating habits.
#3 Fix a portion size of sweet serving – Give a small serving of sweet. Say, a mini candy bar, two cookies, or an ice cream cone. Teach children to savor sweets as a small part of their diet.
#4 Take sweets off sight – If they’re not around, they won’t be tempted by them. Remove the candy jars and stock your cupboards with healthy bars.
#5 When you’re on the go – If you head to a market with your kid, pick out two to three items that you find acceptable and that you know she likes.
#6 Absence makes the heart fonder – Instead of cutting off sweets in totality, offer sweets in a routine. A couple of times a week or on weekends will do. This will get your child to eat sweets routinely and not excessively.
#7 Sweeten foods yourself – You can add cinnamon and a touch of honey, maple syrup or brown sugar to make your own healthy, sweet treats. Alternatively you can offer snacks that are naturally sweet (low-fat yogurt, frozen fruit, peanut butter).
#8 Regulate beverages – Avoid sugar sweetened beverages as these drinks make children acquire a high taste threshold for sweetness. Instead, stick with milk or 100% fruit juice.
#9 Find a middle ground – ‘’If you don’t make it glitter, it won’t be perceived that way.†Being too restrictive or too lax can actually surge your child’s preference to sweet tastes. When kids are restricted from eating sweets will grow more desire to eat them. So when your child asks for a sweet, give him a portion of it.
#10 Most important thing – Remember that we as parents, are role models.
