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10 ways to help if your child is obsessed with sugar. Serve fruit often. Sometimes we think we need to limit fruit because of the sugar. But serving fruit often can actually help meet that craving for sweets. Fruit is filled with nutrients, so don’t worry about the sugar there.
- Evaluate your own mindset and fear around sugar. Have you ever considered how your own personal thoughts and fears around sugar may be impacting the current situation?
- Take notice of how you talk about sweets and sugar. Our words our so powerful. What we say and how we say it can profoundly impact how our children view food, nutrition and their bodies.
- Allow foods high in sugar regularly with meals and snacks. Not just at holidays. You may also be experiencing an increase in perceived ‘sugar-obsession’ around the holidays if you normally restrict sugary foods and then the availability suddenly increases.
- Give kids opportunities to self-regulate and learn more about their bodies. On this note, there is great value in letting children eat until they’ve had their fill, even with foods high in sugar.
It’s the basic scarcity mentality. 3. Reduce the energy around food. Use neutral language (not good, bad, healthy, unhealthy). Say yes whenever possible. Even if it’s yes, tomorrow. Allow them to eat what they want, if any, from what’s provided. Do not pressure, bribe, or force them to eat any food.
- Reconsider sugar-sweetened beverages: The 20% increase in sugar over the past 40 years is primarily due to sugar-sweetened beverages. Yes, soda is one of them but so are energy drinks, juice drinks, and coffee drinks (See this post for the difference between juice drinks and 100% juice).
- See how low you can go: I regret the day I gave my daughter sweetened yogurt because the next time I served her plain she refused. When possible, keep your child on everyday foods that are as close to natural as possible — saving the sweets for “desserty” type foods.
- Spoil your child’s palate: No doubt your child will be faced with lots of overly-processed sweet foods throughout their life. But at home, you can up the ante by thinking twice about bringing these foods in your home and, instead, provide homemade desserts, wholesome treats, and dark chocolate (my personal favorite).
- Stay neutral when it comes to sweets: While it’s not always possible to stay totally calm when it comes to kids and sweets, try your best to stay neutral and matter-of-fact.
May 22, 2018 · How can I help my child feel good about eating? The best thing you can do to help your child feel good about eating is to be the model yourself for a healthy relationship with food and body. If your child can see you enjoying a variety of foods, including sweets and desserts, without feeling guilty, anxious, or worried, they too will learn that ...
Feb 14, 2023 · Then why is my child obsessed with sugar? Often, foods with sugar are restricted in a way, meaning we (as parents) are trying a little too hard to control these foods. Many reasons can be part of why a parent feels their child is obsessed with or craving sugar, but often it’s when restriction occurs.
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Nov 13, 2019 · Even a sugar-obsessed child however can thrive when such structure and boundaries are consistently put into place, even if there is initial push back. As the parent and one responsible for what, when, and where food is offered in the feeding relationship though, such a child needs to see love with limits set and upheld.
