When did you introduce sweet treats/snacks?

[teacupnic]

Partly inspired by a thread in chat.

Been doing baby led weaning with my son since 6 months, been really successful and he but eats most foods.

Other than fruit, he's not had sweet things yet other than the occasional bite of fruit scone or crumble from our plates.

I'm aware that sweet foods and treats are not an essential part of a child's diet, but as he gets older were unlikely to avoid them completely.

When did you introduce these foods, if at all? Would a tiny sliver of cake on his first birthday be

[Buglife]

Watching as I'm the same with almost 10 month DS and apart from a suck of chocolate off DH finger he hasn't had any 'sweets' such as cake or biscuits and apart from children's 'no added sugar' oat bars etc. which tbh probably count as sweets really :) he starts at Nursery 2 days a week just as he turns 11 months and the menu includes occasional puddings like crumble and custard, cake or ice cream alongside the fruit, and i don't know how I feel about that (partly because if he gets a taste for it, which he will, I'll feel I have to give some sweets too or mummy food won't be as nice as nursery food!) I don't intend to withhold sweets forever but I feel like as he doesn't know what they are I'd like to hold off the sugar as much as possible.

[MagpieCursedTea]

I was quite careful not to give DS anything with too much sugar in when we started BLW at 6 months. I even refused to let him have the rusks my parents got him as they were so full of sugar (I think they thought I was being a bit pfb ).

I was quite worried about him getting a sweet tooth like me so was possibly overly cautious. This all ended at his first birthday party she DH handed him a cupcake . DS was very happy about it though! Since then I started letting him have a taste of sweet things I was eating and then just tried to stick with an everything in moderation rule. He's now 19 months and will still happily eat anything put in front of him.

[HeadDreamer]

I waited until DD1 asked. They get it at nursery and parties anyway.

[roofio87]

as the pp said I have never offered my 20mo ds sweet treats as I find he has lots of chance for them elsewhere, like toddler groups, parties, grandparents house etc. that way I never have to limit him when he is offered something. He just knows we don't do that type of thing at home and is happy with fruit.

[Littlef00t]

A talk I went to advised that sugar is fine, and useful for energy, but to try and give in foods that also provide other nutrition, and give at meal times to limit effect on teeth.

It helped me relax with dd 15 mo, so I started including fruit loaf and scones in her lunches, and tastes of ice cream etc but I don't see the point of giving chocolate or sweeties until she asks. Seeing older childrens' behaviour over sweets and crisps is rather alarming.