Reducing DS (and our own) sugar intake -

[QforCucumber]

We've been inspired to cut out sugar as much as we really can, we have been so lax about it really and I'm now feeling bad about how much sugar my ds and us eat.
Anyone successfully cut back on this kind of thing? I did low carb before DS but understand a LCHF diet isn't really the best for littles.

What do you have for breakfast? Lunches? Dinner? Snacks? (DS is a grazer really) He eats a lot of fruit, but know this is probably just as bad.

Typically he will have toast and jam or cereal (weetabix or cornflakes) for breakfast. Food at nursery, then a light evening meal, an apple/orange/banana/raisins, maybe a ricecake, another weetabix before bed. If not at nursery he will eat all of the above fruits in a day, usually go out for an icecream at the park, will allow yogurt coated rice cake all this on top of his 2 main meals of lunch and dinner (fish pie and peas/a homemade curry and rice then a picnic type sandwich, raisins, cucumber, pepper, cheddars type thing) am realising his sugar intake is far too high, we also need to reduce the treats as they are no longer that and becoming the norm.

[HennyPennyHorror]

Well I've always wondered why people give toddlers raisins to eat. horrible little things get everywhere and are practically like sweets!

Ditch them and ditch the yogurt coated things....and the cereal. Cereal's pretty rubbish OP. Oats are ok but even those aren't ideal.

For breakfast, I'd put natural peanut butter on his toast instead of jam or just offer eggs. Carrots or grated cheese make good snacks too,

[Ricekrispie22]

I’d stick with weetabix or cornflakes for breakfast. They’re both low sugar, and whilst milk contains sugar, he needs the calcium at that age.

For snacks:
Hard boiled egg
Veg sticks in dip
Cheese cubes/babybel
Savoury rice cakes
Oat cakes
Frittata muffins
Toast and marmite
Seafood sticks
Strips of ham
Cooked chicken breast dipped in tomato sauce
Cocktail sausages

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

You really aren’t doing badly at all. Fruit is not bad. Yes it contains sugar but also vitamins and fibre. It’s just a question of balance.

Raisins, jam and yoghurt coated stuff could go. Would your ds eat any of the nut butters or cream cheese on toast? Egg or tomatoes on toast are v quick and easy.
Maybe swap the yoghurt rice cakes for plain or for breadsticks and hummus and switch some fruit snacks for veg, but the odd ice cream in the park is a very normal treat that children have been enjoying for years.
Is he drinking any sugary drinks?

[QforCucumber]

He only drinks water or weak cordial with a meal if we have it in. He wont eat cheese so really the only calcium he does get is the milk on his cereal. Veg wise he loves peas/broccoli and cauliflower. I was reading threads on here where peoples kids seem to literally have an ice cream every 6 months and swear fruit is the devil and was wondering where we are going wrong. Raisins are the devil I agree - but he bloody loves them!

He will also eat porridge and blueberries on a weekend breakfast when I have time to make and let him spend time eating it.

[Bourbonbiccy]

It really doesn't sound like he is doing bad, yes if you really wanted to cut down stop the ice cream, stop yoghurt coated treats, and yes raising aren't great.

I go with the least amount of processed foods is always best, so alot of natural fresh ingredients. I do a lot of baking for his little cakes, muffins, oat bites/cakes and breakfast pancakes.

But I definitely don't think he has a bad diet.

[ppeatfruit]

I'm on a sugar free at the moment, but eat organic fruit on an empty stomach! As Atleastitsnot says it's full of goodness and it hasn't made me crave the real sugar !!

Also veg. have calcium ! Many children don't have milk or meat and survive well. Molasses is a healthy sweetener, it has magnesium in it, that with org dairy, sheep, or tofu yoghurt is a lovely snack Maybe with ground almonds.