AIBU to think I can wean my DC off sugary drinks, food and snacks?

[UndertheCedartree]

Due to me being unwell my DC have lived predominantly with their dad for the last 3 years. They are 13 and 8. He did a great job stepping up to look after them. They are now back with me.

However, they have got used to eating choclatey cereal for breakfast, biscuits, chocolate bars and cakes for snacks and fizzy drinks. He fed them healthy meals alongside - gave then fruit and veg. But they are very used to these things on a regular basis where they would have been now and again with me. What is the best way to tackle this? I don't want to change things too quickly as they have already had so much change.

Any ideas?

You could go down the route of not buying the stuff. Whatever you’ve got in the house now, when it’s gone it’s gone. They’ll ask for it, you can say Oh sorry, there isn’t any more, would you like X instead? Buy less every shop and be totally casual about it, once they’ve got used to not having it in the house you can start to get smaller bits as treats. No need for any big discussion.

I would start with cutting out the fizzy drinks. Any drink containing sugar to me is such a waste and easier to cut out than chocolate or sweets. I am all for a healthy balance, what sort of quantities are they used to eating and drinking?

If they're eating balanced meals alongside and are healthy weights I wouldn't worry too much. Just small changes at a time, so perhaps not chocolate cereal everyday, and to have some fruit with it. The drinks are such a waste of sugar, find out what other drinks they like and replace them with that, maybe have a few in the fridge for now and then.

Also limit choclatey cereal to weekends only for now if it's been eaten everyday or once a week if it hasn't been daily with a view to cutting out completely bar very occasional times as better eating habits return.

Thank you for the advice. Chocolatey cereal would be the only one available so would be eaten almost every day. Fizzy drinks several times a week - if I go to the corner shop they ask me to buy them a can of fizzy. The snacks on a daily basis - more at the weekend. I need to come up with some alternative ideas. I've bought weetabix for cereal and granola to have with fruit and yogurt which they enjoy. My DS asked to get the chocolate weetabix - I just said perhaps next time. The fizzy drinks they still are asking for a lot and snacks. I am gradually aiming to cook more nutritious meals so they are less in need of snacks. I don't want to ban anything just balance it a bit better. They are both slim.

I give mine sugarfree squash and fizzy water and tell them it's posh pop. It's worked so far!

Homemade cakes, use less sugar?

I realise you may be time poor!

We don't buy any biscuits or soda. If you want biscuits or cake you have to make them. It does help.

I wouldn't worry too much tbh. We have child choice cereal in school holidays, when it's gone it's gone. Otherwise it's Weetabix etc or toasted items.

I have biscuits in the tin but cake etc is occasional, when it's gone it's gone.

Could they have fizzy drinks in cafés etc but not at home? That seems a good balance.

Good luck!

Cheerios are maybe a compromise for breakfast cereal. Also my mum makes cakes with natural sweetener erythritol and to me they taste just as good as normal cakes and better than shop bought cakes but they have no sugar. Maybe making some home made things if you have time would at least be healthier than shop bought stuff. Maybe having fizzy water with squash to start with would be an alternative to cans of drink. It will probably take a long time to wean them off like you say but I think it's possible too. Also you could do snack baskets for them so they can have about 4 snacks a day but day 2 of them have to be healthy. Put them in a basket and that's all they can have during the day for snacks. That way you've had a chance to decide whether they can have it or not rather than them asking all day for stuff and they have agreed in the morning they can only choose from their snack box.

Some great suggestions already. At 13 and 8 I would be also having conversations with them about their health, and about balance in their choices. But definitely not cut everything immediately. I would do things like buy one box of chocolate cereal a week, then when it's gone have other options. At that age you will need to recruit them into the changes, as they will notice. I also think it is a very important part of their learning. Even if they go off the rails as teens, the basic knowledge is there for correcting in their adulthood.

I have several times had to redress our habits after illness has led to their Dad feeding the kids too much sugar. Its very doable, but I fit it in with general conversations about needing to take care of our bodies and minds, which we already talk about in terms of exercising, limiting screen time etc etc. They still moan of course, but it's about building healthy habits and helping them understand why.

With buying limited amount of stuff, decant into two named boxes. Saves a lot of arguements.

We do family chocolate night on Fridays. Buy a family block and everyone takes a turn at choosing what kind. Would something like that work so they are still having the treat but only once a week and they know when it will be ? The rest of the time homemade snacks.

You could buy a sodastream - only to be used with fruit. 1 part cherry juice, 5 parts sparkling water is refreshing and tastes better than coke.
They may get to like sparkling water with ice and lime.

When was the last time they went to the dentist? Sugary drinks are lethal for teeth!! Maybe for added weight to change in regime (not having sugary things so regularly), take them to the dentist and raise with the dentist that you’re wondering about the effects of fizzy drinks on teeth. Sort of turn it into an educational thing, rather than ganging up on the kids with the dentist.

I need to do this too.

I do think you can gradually cut it out by buying much less/providing alternatives.
Completely cut out fizzy drinks. Some flavoured water? Or sparkling water?
It will take time but they just need some alternatives to make the switch.

As pp, when it's gone, it's gone. Are they likely to kick off if you don't buy it? They should be old enough to understand if you explain. I think they'd soon get used to having it less often as a treat again.
Even my 5 year old knows Frosties are a weekend/holiday treat because they are unhealthy!
I wouldn't ban them from eating it at all, just explain that once it's gone, there's no more until you go shopping again. They'll soon learn to self ration and make it last! And if there's anything you really don't want them to have, then don't buy it. You're in charge and they eat what you buy.

@Tillygetsit - not sure mine would fall for that!
@managedmis - I think I could definitely do this sometimes...in fact I could get the DC to make...just need to stop the 8 year old dumping a ton of icing on!

@OwlinaTree - yes, I don't want to ban fizzy drinks completely so that could be a way to do it.
@Spinakker - I like that idea of choosing a variety of healthy and not so for the day. And they like cheerios too. They like weetabix to be fair - they've just got used to always having the opnion of cocopos etc!
@starface - yes, very good point.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves - good tip!
@Rainbowqueeen - this could be something to aim for.
@DianaT1969 - I've got some lime cordial and soda water coming with my online shop tomorrow. Hoping they may like it.

@seventhrow - they go every 6 months to the dentist. No problems atall in spite of the sugary drinks/snacks - but a good idea to get the dentist to speak about what could happen if they continue.

@inappropriateraspberry - no they won't kick off but I will explain why I am doing it. They were always used to porridge/weetabix and the occasional selection box of the 'treat' cereals. It's been a difficult time for them and maybe the 'treats' comforted them somewhat and then just became a habit.

How's it going trying to wean them off the sugary snacks/drinks?