Nursery and puddings

[MissTify]

Hi, I recently started working full time, after being a SAHM since my DD was born. She is two. I've always given her a healthy and varied diet, but little in the way of sweet, sugary foods. My DD is full time at nursery and every day they have a pudding, sometimes twice per day. It is usually things like crumbles, ice cream, custard, cake, sponges, jelly. I feel like it is too much but I'm unsure what to do. If I ask the nursery to limit the puddings, she will most likely see others eating it and get very upset. On the other hand, I don't want her to eat too much sugar and potentially end up with a weight problem, like I do. Has anyone encountered this and does anyone have any advice? ps the nursery is considered a good one and was rated 'good' at the last OFSTED inspection. Thank you.

The amounts are tiny, I'd really not worry, at my dd's previous nursery pudding would either be yogurt, fruit, cake, or similar to what your nursery offers.
If your really unhappy about it then you could always mention it to the manager, but they would probably suggest giving an alternative which would single your dd out, eventually she'd notice.
I worried about things like this with my first dd, she's 5 now and has control over her appetite and with sweets and puddings.

I hear ya, my DS1 started nursery at two and he would normally only get something sweet / a treat once or twice a week from me. He goes two mornings to nursery only but they always have a pudding after lunch (sponge, crumble, jelly, sometimes yoghurt). I wasn't really happy with this but felt it would be worse for him to watch other children get pudding and be the only one to miss out iyswim. The portions are fairly small anyway and as it turns out my boy (now almost 3) doesn't always eat his pudding anyway.
So I don't really have much in terms of advice but I wish nurseries and schools would just stop offering puddings/sweets altogether! I'm not saying children shouldn't ever have treats but it should be up to parents to decide when/how often/what.
BTW our nursery is rated "Outstanding" by OFSTED, I'm pretty sure puddings do not factor in there.

Oh and I have a weight problem too op
Which is why I was so worried about sweets etc, as long as food (sweets) are not used as a reward or banned I think children learn self control.

My DD is 15 months and has a yoghurt or fruit for pudding this is due to intolerance but she does not seem to mind.

If she's not used to it, maybe she won't eat them.

Besides, at some nurseries often the cake isn't as sugary and proper cake and they try to hide grated vegetables in it.

They follow dietician advice for their age range (which does include puddings after meals) but most nurseries take a lot of care to limit sugar intake - they don't want them any more hyper than is necessary!

I had a very restricted sugar intake as a child. Could only have 'treats' once or twice a week, healthy puddings, etc. As a result, I really struggle to control my sugar intake now. As soon as I had free reign over my food, I allowed myself limitless niceties because I could. It's been a slippery slope.

I don't curb DD as much as I was whilst still giving her a balanced diet. I don't want to the novelty to impact on her as much as it did me.

With my DS 10 I had the same concern and the nursery offered fruit instead when I spoke to them. Now even with the freedom to choose at dinner at school, he will select the fruit.

www.theguardian.com/education/2008/oct/21/school-meals

I know it's 9 years old, but I don't think the dietician advice has changed. It's considered good practice to offer puddings as part of a balanced diet.

I would go into the nursery and politely ask if you can see the menu. Do you know what she is eating for main course? Some nurseries serve delicious, non-processed food while others get away with pretty awful stuff. My DDs have experienced both ends of the spectrum at different nurseries.
Don't assume that it's just the pudding which is full of sugar - check the main course too.

I agree with pps that a small amount of pudding within a healthy diet is not something to be alarmed by. Everything in moderation.

This happens in our nursery and we simply requested that our daughter have only fruit or yoghurt instead. Most of the kids' parents have made the same request.

Thank you everyone for your really good advice and information and I'm so sorry for the late response. I'm not as worried now, as I didn't realise that generally they were small portions. I'm going to ask though that two or three times per week she just has fruit and yoghurt, which I will bring in.

I may be stating the obvious here (sorry if so!) but it's worth pointing out that fruit yoghurt is generally full of sugar and so not necessarily better than a pudding. Full fat plain yoghurt is the best option.