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Original poster

when did you let your child first eat chocolate/anything with added sugar?

78 replies

Lelophants · 08/08/2020 19:44

We're nowhere near going to (he's 9 months) but made me wonder. DH just said when would it ever feel right to let a small child consume empty calorie sugar? I agree it sounds ridiculous but I was never allowed anything sweet as a kid and it made me obsessed with it as a teenager onwards.

My main concern is because we eat it! Just the occasional thing, but still. Doesn't seem fair if we do and never let him have any. Maybe we should stop? 😳

I thought tiny taste age 2 or 3 and then very occasional stuff after that.

OP posts:

Bitchinkitchen · 08/08/2020 21:02

@Trashtara

Don't you worry she will gorge herself silly when given the chance to eat sugary food though if you restrict it and treat it as something that's forbidden?

We don't restrict it or treat it as forbidden, we just don't really eat sugary foods or junk food. It's not discussed or mentioned, it just isn't there. We do our food shop online do they don't see it in the shops to be ask for it/ be told no.

What on earth are you going to do when they go to birthday parties?

TheSunIsStillShining · 08/08/2020 21:03

Chocolate: until our son was about 2 he hadn't even touched one as it was yuk.
Good times :) Now I can't hide it
added sugar: probs form about when he was 1, in deserts, like sponge cake, puding,...
Nothing with powdered or simple sugar sprinkled over it to this day. If something has powdered sugar I get the top layer :)

AWryGiraffe · 08/08/2020 21:06

Mine is 1.5 and we don't really give her anything like that yet. It just seems unnecessary when she's still super excited to get fruit. She's had the odd bit on occasion - puddings when she went to nursery but we asked them to stop when she was given a brownie - and a digestive biscuit off my dad. She's tried a bit of ice cream but didn't like it.

We want to wait a while longer while she doesn't know what it is yet - there just doesn't seem a point to be giving them it yet when she's blissfully unaware. Later we hope to not frame things as 'treats', rather foods we only have occasionally. I am worried about the going over board later but I never really did so I'm hoping we work that out when it's time. Obviously as people say this will all go to pot as I have 'PFB syndrome' or something equally patronising.

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Trashtara · 08/08/2020 21:07

Bitchinkitchen what do you mean? They already go to birthday parties (pre covid, obviously). They just eat food. Must be the circles we mix in but there's not loads of sugary foods at them, usually a cup cake and some chocolate fingers.

Fatted · 08/08/2020 21:11

Unless you are making absolutely every single ounce of food that goes into your DC from scratch, then they have probably already had added sugar.

HildaSnibbs · 08/08/2020 21:14

I think DD1 was about 1 when she had a chocolate button or biscuit? Mine have something sweet (biscuits / ice cream / cake / chocolate bar) most days, they're 9 and 6. They don't have loads, they like it, it doesn't send them hyper, they have a generally very balanced diet, it's just not a big deal.

The thing I don't like is 'sweets' like haribo etc as I don't see them as proper food so I never buy them. The kids eat them if they get them in party bags or trick-or-treating, but they never finish them and I usually end up throwing them out.

I really wouldn't get hung up on it. Eat what you like yourselves, if at some point your DC wants to try a bit of your biscuit or whatever just let him have a tiny bit and explain that a bit is fine, lots will give you a bad tummy, and leave it at that. Don't make it something special / forbidden.

sruitfalad · 08/08/2020 21:18

16 months for my first- he had a packet of raisins 😭😂

4 months for my second- a mini milk ice lolly.

Both had weetabix, bran flakes, rice crispies from as soon as they were able to eat them though...

Panda368 · 08/08/2020 21:27

At about 8 months mine stole his older cousins cake.
He was a rapid crawler and went for it when a bowl was accidently put down within reach. He was across the room and stuffing a fistfull of cake into his mouth before any of us knew what had happened.
Queue toddler cousin melt down about stolen cake and a very sticky baby.
He gets bits and pieces now and then but nothing consistent.

He still doesnt really know whay most of the really good things are though

AnnaSW1 · 08/08/2020 21:27

About 20 months

Camomila · 08/08/2020 21:35

Does anyone with teenagers actually know their answer?

I'm 32 and remember the first time I got a chocolate bar. I was 3/4 and a doctor gave it to me for being so good at my preschool boosters DM made me wait till we'd got home and had lunch.

Napqueen1234 · 08/08/2020 21:35

DC1 around 10 months
DC2 6 months
Both mine have been high centile babies and I’ve been anxious about it but all the evidence is those who are refused to deprived of ‘treat’ food when young gorge whenever they get the chance. Neither are fussy eaters and eat all fruit and veg and sugar is part of life!

Camomila · 08/08/2020 21:38

As for teeth my teeth are rubbish and I had less sugar than my DC as a toddler I think. DS1 gets complimented on his by the dentist so I think some of it must be genetic.

IHaveBrilloHair · 08/08/2020 21:46

@Camomila
Dd is 18, I do remember as we were staying with a friend at the time.
I only remember that cake though can't remember other stuff but I know I was always laid back about all food in moderation

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 08/08/2020 21:52

Jesus it’s only a bit of sugar...but I hear you OP your child won’t eat a sweet until 5, a McDonald’s until 10 ....just a tip don’t let your child go to any birthday parties!!!

Personally I see no issue with ice cream, chocolate, biscuits, cakes every so often etc- I draw the lines at chewy/ boiled sweets, fizzy drinks and squash- however inevitably my LO ended up at a birthday before 2 where the kids had fruit shoots. I doubt she’s got diabetes from it...

SandieCheeks · 08/08/2020 21:59

I didn't give mine juice/haribo/fizzy drinks when they were babies or toddlers - but they had things with added sugar from 6 months.

Bread, fromage frais/yoghurt (yes, "sweetened with fruit puree" is still added sugar!), cakes, custard, biscuits, the occasional ice cream - not all day every day but just as part of a normal diet.

minnieok · 08/08/2020 22:02

Cake around 8 months (homemade) chocolate 10 months (first Christmas) though probably had ice cream prior can't remember, long time ago. Remember most yogurt contains sugar, my DD's loved fromage frais which has lots of sugar but marketed at little kids

iftherewereahorseyinthehouse · 08/08/2020 22:05

Erm, ice cream at six months.

Sgtmajormummy · 08/08/2020 22:12

DC1, can’t remember. Probably about 1. BUT breastfed beyond the age of 2. Now their favourite chocolate is the sweet creamy milk chocolate like Marabou from IKEA.
DC2 around 2nd birthday. It was a Kinder Easter egg and I’ve never seen a toddler’s eyes light up so brightly! DC2 was EBF to six months, weaned off it by 9 months and is now a 70%+ fanatic like me!

doadeer · 08/08/2020 22:14

I gave DS a chocolate button straight after his 12 month vaccinations. He has small bits and bobs now and then like cake or almond croissant. I don't give him jelly sweets etc. He is 19 months.

ParisianLady · 08/08/2020 22:14

I honestly can't remember, it wasn't something I really considered.

Eg Mine had fruity fromage frais which had fruit sugar it in, and probably cake on their first birthdays. Dried fruits and the odd plain biscuit when weaning.

We make a distinction between real food and sugar: home made cakes, biscuits, puddings like crumble and artificial stuff like sweets or fizzy drinks. The former is fine for us but the latter hardly features in their diets

TheDIsiilusionedAnarchist · 08/08/2020 22:16

7 or 8mo for DC2. DC3 weaned herself on chocolate ice cream at 5 months. We just gave her everything we or her brother ate. No 18mo she likes ice cream and cake and chocolate but is great at self regulating. Often has a bite or two and is done sometimes wants more, sometimes turns down cake for banana but sometimes the other way round.

Chattercino · 08/08/2020 22:23

I'm a teacher and have seen so many children eat themselves sick when we have a Christmas party (or similar). Those are usually the same children who aren't allowed any sweet things at home. When the rest of the class have had a quick bite to eat and have left the table in favour of party games; others sit and gorge until the food is gone.
For that reason, I believe in everything in moderation.

MyNameHasBeenTaken · 08/08/2020 22:37

Lifesalongsong
Ds is 17.
He wouldn't chew anything until he was over 3.
Gave him baby biscuits and the like, but he refused them.
Every birthday party he went to, he gave me the cake and had something non sweet instead.
He actually ate a chocolate bar when he was 9. He's still not fond of sweets.
Dd, now 7, has food allergies. So eats anything that is safe for her...
She has always loved ice cream. Since about her 2nd birthday.

DinosApple · 08/08/2020 22:45

DD1 was about 12 months for her first ice cream (mini milk). Nothing regular though.

DD2 crawled early. She crawled across the floor and swiped and ate a fairy cake from a visiting toddler at just under 6 months old .

DD1 is obsessed with sweets now at 10...

Witchend · 08/08/2020 23:37

DD1 was 13 months. I gave her a button after she had her MMR.
Dd2 was around 10 months. Dd1 gave it to her.
Ds I don't remember. I suspect around 10 months, but actually he was totally unbothered by it. We used to offer him a carrot or a piece of chocolate and he'd take the carrot every time.

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