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Original poster

How much chocolate or sweets should a one year old have?

36 replies

sausagecake · 11/04/2008 20:24

My DD is just about to turn one and I have been very good in keeping choc to a minimum. Every few days she might get a couple of choc buttons as a treat but thats it.. no more. Since nan has started doing a bit of baby sitting, she has been getting lots of choc and flumps. How much to too much. I was under the impression that sugar was to be kept to a minimum until a proper eating pattern was established, well into the toddler years. Am I worrying over nothing? Thanks

OP posts:

flack · 11/04/2008 20:32

I would strictly limit sweets, too tell nan to give cuddles not candy in future good luck!

geordieminx · 11/04/2008 20:36

My ds has occasional choc buttons - probably the same as you.

I would def steer clear of things like flumps and other sweets as not only are they loaded with sugar but probably have loads of colours and aditives and other pish in...

Its difficult to know what to say to nan - my mum is great but sometimes gives my ds things that I would prefer she didnt - perhaps you could say that after she has had him he doesnt sleep very well or something and you think he may be a little sensitive to the e's?

mrz · 11/04/2008 20:45

I've just posted this on another thread www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/800572/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin

"Under-fives are going hungry and being given too much fruit and veg, a study of food provided by childcare services in East Sussex has found." ......"Sarah Almond, a consultant specialist paediatric dietician involved in compiling the report, said many nurseries had gone too far in banning certain foods such as chocolate or cake, since they hold some nutritional value for this age group, who have a higher need for calories and fat." food for thought?

beansprout · 11/04/2008 20:47

Ds1 is 3.5 and doesn't have sweets or chocolate, although I appreciate I am in the minority here.

cockles · 11/04/2008 20:48

Could you ask your health visitor and maybe she could say something firm? I'm a bit of a puritan so no chocolate or sweets at all til around 2. I definitely think regular sweets/choc at 1 is not a good idea, for teeth as well as food intake.

madness · 11/04/2008 20:52

I think they should stay of from sweets/chocs till they know what it is/desparately want it (dc3 did leant a lot quicker about chocolate than dc1....)

FourPlusOne · 11/04/2008 20:53

I would ask her nicely not to give them. Especially flumps and 'proper' sweets. The odd bit of nice chocolate is not going to do too much harm, but I wouldn't want mine developing a taste for sweet things full of additives.

I am more relaxed about things like homemade cake etc, but never buy them packets of sweets or anything. Prefer to treat them with non edible things!

florencesmum · 11/04/2008 20:55

My 3 yr old has some sweets and choc and has for a while - I found that when I made a big issue of it, it became the goal of her day to see if she could get some. Since I just backed off and allowed a taster small piece very casually, no big deal, not ever calling it a treat, she actually leaves them partly eaten now, they're not quite so desirable now!

OverMyDeadBody · 11/04/2008 20:56

I'd seriously limit sweets and chocolate for this age group, perhaps suggest alternatives to the flumps (which are nothing but sugar) for things with a bit more nutritional value like dried fruit, chocolate covered raisins, and the occasional slice of cake.

I don't think you're worrying over nothing tbh, although I think a bit of chocolate is fine every now and then, sweets aew just unnecesary for this age group, are empty calories with no nutritional value, and are absorbed very quickly into the blood stream giving sudden sugar highs.

Plenty of foods can give toddlers the high calories and fats they require without resorting to biscuits and cakes mrz.

saintmaybe · 11/04/2008 21:00

Flumps or marshmallows are a real choking risk for this age.

sparklyshoos · 11/04/2008 21:00

Have told my mum no choc or sweets for DS (13mo). She asks me everytime I visit has he started eating chocies yet (like she asked everytime how long I was going to BF for). It gets me down sometimes trying to explain that I don't want him eating them until he knows what they are - I think she takes it as a criticism. I keep telling her if she wants to give him a treat offer him some fruit or yogurt - she'll get it one day...or else he'll be old enough to decide for himself - and no doubt much all the choc right down

Alishanty · 11/04/2008 21:07

My ds (20 mths) does get the odd sweet treat. Usually some choc, a biscuit or a bit of homemade cake. He doesn't get it every day but I don't mind when he does as he is a good eater, usually eating all his meals and he will eat fruit and veg. i must admit his nannies 'spoil' him. But usually they'll buy him a pck of buttons and we ration them out as and when. I don't believe in banning it completely as it makes them want it more and you can't eat anything like that in front of him or he goes mad!. I do worry about his teeth but I make sure I brush them properly.

pistachio · 11/04/2008 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MadamePlatypus · 11/04/2008 21:12

DD is 17 months old. If we are having cake, she will have cake, but I wouldn't buy sweets or chocolate especially for her. She is just as happy with a satsuma.

I really think that the human body must be capable of surviving without chocolate and cake - if not this must be a fairly recent development. Its not as if chocolate even grows in this country.

Enid · 11/04/2008 21:15

god none of mine had sweets at 1

and I always think I am quite liberal about food

Enid · 11/04/2008 21:16

flumps

my god they are so chokable

nkf · 11/04/2008 21:20

I'd say none.

Thomcat · 11/04/2008 21:24

I'm another who doesn't let their kids have chocolate unless I really have to, like if every other child at a party has a piece and mine are aware they are missing out. I try and avoid it as much as possible and take sweets out of party bags before they get them. My friends and family know how I feel and don't buy them sweets etc. If we're having a meal in a restaurant let them have ice-cream for desert , I'm not totally mean!

I'd just say to your nan that you really appreciate the gesture but you're going to really cut down on sweet stuff.

SmoothandWilkie · 11/04/2008 21:25

If she bakes, why don't you suggest she bakes a cake that your DD can have?

I am quite relaxed about choc and biscuits. My DS prob has a Heinz biscotti per day but if we go to my parents, he has some home made cake.

At least then if your nan made something like fruitcake SHE feels like she is giving her a treat, DD is getting a little treat of something nice and YOU don't have to worry about it.

TBH, I think traditional 'sweets' are too full of colourings and crap for a 1 year old.

HTH

laurz75 · 11/04/2008 21:26

My ds didn't have sweets/choc till he was around 16 months but dd (just 1) has already had the odd choc button and absolutely LOVES them! Its harder when you have an older child but as someone else said, if you make it a big deal that's what it'll be. A balanced diet is important. But flumps - NO!

Enid · 11/04/2008 21:30

I would worry about giving my 5 year old flumps tbh

dd3 always got raisins when the others got sweets until she realised

now she is appalled if she is offered anything but magic stars, but she is almost 2 now and the third = more bad habits earlier!

onepieceoflollipop · 11/04/2008 21:32

It's not just my mum then? She has "fond" memories of how much I loved Heinz chocolate baby pudding at around 4 months of age. We told her that our babies don't have chocs until at least a year. With dd1 who is now 4 we got away with no sweets (or certainly very few) until she was about 3. As soon as dd2 gets to about 10 months I know she will be keen again to get her some buttons!

Personally I don't have issues with tiny amounts of chocolate after 1 year, but sweets (colourings etc) I have more concerns about. Both my dds love dried fruit anyway as it is so sweet and we always offered it as a treat!

FourPlusOne · 11/04/2008 21:34

I rifle through the contents of the party bags too! (and sometimes eat contents myself - I am pg though so allowed at the moment).

My MIL likes to give them 'pudding' but she does bake everything herself so I don't mind, and it is after a meal, not just randomly.

A friend from my toddler group has a DD who is a bit overweight (aged 3 1/2) and even though my friend is aware of this (doctor/hv has told her) she still buys her sweets, and allows grandparents to buy them. Her DD has a real taste for these things now and wants them all the time.

BugBearisBugBear · 11/04/2008 21:40

what are flumps?

DD2 is 15 months and eats choc maybe twice a week (a bit of choc biscuit, a few buttons), as she has an older sister and it's difficult to restrict her intake if big sis is having a treat.

FYIAD · 11/04/2008 21:41

flumps = deadly

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