Do you let you kids have sugary foods?

[PixiePal]

Just curious to hear other mothers' take on this?
My Mum is very anti-sugar and is shocked that we have cereal in the cupboard (usually for weekends), or chocolate and sugary snacks in the cupboard. She's really on case about it (with the best intentions!)
On the other hand, it's my mother-in-law who brings the sugary treats; she believes kids should have a treat each day. She's not hugely into nutrition and also means well.
I'm a working Mum, who cooks healthy meals daily, with a VERY lively 5 year old. I'm ultimately trying to work out if the sugar is making him more 'lively', or if I should save myself the stress and let him just have his daily sugar fix?
Honest and realistic advice from other busy Mum's appreciated x

Dd is 5 and does have sugar but not a 'treat' type thing everyday. So daily breakfast would be a lower sugar cereal eg plain wheetabix plus an apple spread with peanut butter, she would have fruit in her lunchbox but not cake, and usually yoghurt (kids type so pretty sugary) after dinner. Chocolate mainly at weekends and no sweets, squash, fizzy ever.

@LoisLittsLover Thanks. That seems reasonable. My mum thinks I'm crazy for allowing kid's yoghurts or any type of cereal whatsoever. It's so difficult though, when you're super busy, as well as them wanting and asking for this stuff constantly!

my 5yo dd would have a small kids yoghurt most nights and a small pack of Haribo once or twice at the weekend (doesn't like chocolate), we talk about having a sugar allowance and how too much sugar is bad for you. So sometimes she chooses between options when on holiday etc and understands she can't just have it all.

sugar serves a purpose - quick energy. it's not the devil but we don't consume it without thinking e.g. in cereal etc.

Everything in moderation. Don't make it into an issue.

I think there is a happy medium. A child who eats a low sugar breakfast, a balanced lunch where the sweet element is fruit and eats all 3 food groups for their evening meal can very well tolerate a pudding, a biscuit mid-afternoon several days a week and the occasional treat (eg Easter egg, Xmas chocolate stash, sugary slice of cake at special day out etc)

The children who are unwell / overweight from poor diet drink a lot of sugar, don't eat balanced meals, don't eat 'real' food (eg baked or lightly fried fresh unprocessed meat, mashed/baked/boiled potatoes or rice, any and all veg of any kind).

I would say to your DM that your DC has a very healthy diet overall and a biscuit a few times a week won't kill her. And say to DMIL please only bring treatable at the weekend, or something.

Good on you for keeping a sensible eye on your DC's diet.

Younger child- 2 year old DD, she has a biscuit for her pudding- I see zero issues. I will let her try most things- if I was to go to a cafe and have a cake or some chocolate I’d share with her.
I see no issues as long as on the whole she’s have well rounded nutritious meals. I just draw the line and chewy sweets and fizzy drinks (ok she’s only 2 but I really don’t see my opinion changing on those)
For what it’s worth the most placid 2 year old I ever met was chugging down copious amounts of sweets at 2 separate birthday parties we’ve been to. “Active” is just a personality trait - “hyper” is different!

Yes I do, in moderation.

Ime it gets harder to outright ban it. Obviously little children really don't need to have sugary things but the older they get, the more it is socially noticeable and difficult to restrict. Nice occasional treats, combined with healthy diet and robust tooth brushing habits surely the best. We still don't buy soda, chocolate bars etc for the home now the children are older, because plenty of that creeps in elsewhere.

Agree with everything in moderation. We try not to make foods treats or rewards but also don't allow free reign.

When I was little my parents banned snacks and my cousins had loads! Ironically it was my sister and I who ended up with the unhealthy relationship with food and up and down weight. Cousins were always slim and happy with 3 meals a day and could give or take junk.

Just don’t use it as a reward. Otherwise everything in moderation. Moderation being what used to be normal, not 5 mars bars a day :)

I try to avoid systematic or hidden sugar sources - we only drink water or milk, have plain cornflakes and not anything with added sugar (there's still a surprising amount in there I know) and generally do non sugary snacks like crackers.

However DS does get (arguably too much) sugar - he eats a lot of fruit as he doesn't like vegetables and I'm also fairly relaxed about giving treats (eg small muffins) most days, as I want him to feel that treats are a normal part of life (and you can stop eating them when you're not hungry as there will be more soon enough).

Yes in moderation. I've never bought him sweets but he has them when they go to parties. We shop in Morrison's and they have a fantastic free fruit scheme. He knows the score, first thing he asks for whenever we go. He's developed a taste for dark chocolate as we share some every day. He loves snacking on cheese and roast chickpeas when we're out and about. Yogurt is full fat Greek yogurt with fruit added, never had the ones aimed at children. But if we drive past mcds he shouts chips 😊 like to think I'm doing a good job but I know we're not perfect

Thanks ladies. Good to hear I'm not devil mother and we're all trying to balance it. My Mum, as great as she is, loves to propagate about health and nutrition and really restricted us as kids. Interesting point made above never being allowed sweets as kids and struggling with diet in later life. I definitely think there's a link between complete restriction on things as kids then over indulging as adults....

My kids are toddlers and we've never offered them chewy sweets, chocolate bars, squash etc, but then I think it's easy to avoid it at this age as they don't know any better! If it's a birthday party or something then they'd have cake or whatever's on offer. I guess at the moment, my stance is not to offer sugary foods, but also not to make a big deal of it if there is stuff like that on offer when we're out and about, no idea how things will be when they're a bit older.

I was out with a friend recently and was a bit shocked that she had squash, chewy sweets and crisps in her bag and was just feeding them to her kids even when they weren't asking for anything. I had some fruit and a bottle of water which is what I usually bring for snacks.

My kids do get yoghurts and things like that. I do try to pick ones that are low in sugar, but I'm not obsessed by it. One day I just picked up some random kids yoghurts and was surprised when my kids wouldn't eat them. I tasted them and they were really sugary, and I was a bit shocked that they were the kids versions.

We all have sugary treats and foods in this house along side healthy cooked from scratch meals. The kids (12, 9 and 7) have amazing health. Never poorly, no negative behaviour and they're great eaters.

Yes I do. I'll sprinkle half a teaspoon max on Weetabix or on a pancake - that's the only time DD has solid sugar. DS prefers yoghurt. I let hen have biscuits or sweets / chocs and the odd fizzy drink. Their teeth are fine (age 9 and 7).

I have kept my son off sugar and the majority of possessed foods but he is only 2.

I just dont think they need it at such a young age, he will make his own choices when older but I am reducing it while I can.
He chooses an apple over ice cream currently so not too bad.

Treats are dependant on how often you give them, if its every day or 2 IMO it's not a treat.

DD5 seems to have worked out a fairly balanced approach. I just explain about some foods being good for her and others not so good. If she has a mixed plate I'll give her an idea of which are the most important foods she has to eat first and then she can have the less healthy bits.

She eats quite a few veg, loves fruit and has a natural stop button when she feels full so to be honest I don't have to police her too much. She always insists on pudding though - this could be a fun size bag of Haribo or a couple of chocolate coins etc. I don't sweat it if she's had plenty of good stuff.

She chose the food for her party recently and there was a fair bit of wholesome stuff in there. I was also relieved we didn't have to bring anything sweet home.

My toddler has chocolate and crisps (organix but crisps still) in moderation. I dont give her sweets or add sugar to anything and she likes her fruit, cheeses fish etc so I'm not too concerned.

I feel you.. My mil is the same when they visit with chocolates or buying treats when out. Its best intentions and we limit it ourselves as much we can so as not a whole thing in 1 go.

Our dd is 3. Nursery meals are hard in terms of puddings and allowing 2nds even if they don't eat their main or veg etc and it's causing some issues at home.
At home we stick to fruit and yogurts mainly. Once a week we may make a batch of biscuits or fairy cakes but the whole family have them.

She has a smoothie if we are at a cafe and we have puddings at home sometimes or ice cream in summer etc.

I'm aware not to make a huge deal about it but she's not a tiny girl weight wise and I don't want her having too much thinking it's a normal healthy diet to pick and choose... (talking of nursery puddings when not eating dinner etc)

I'm in the everything in moderation camp! My son is 4 years 8 months old and as long as he has at least 5 options if fruit and veg a day I'm not too worried about other things. He's not a great eater anyway and is known to turn down chocolate/ biscuits etc if he doesn't feel hungry.