Providing sweets regularly within the context of meals and snacks can help kids build trust with their bodies and learn to self-regulate. It also helps break feelings of deprivation around these foods, which can cause them to eat past the point of satisfaction and move away from listening to their body’s hunger and appetite cues.
They Taste Good
When kids are told that sweets are “off limits” or are given them only on special occasions, they learn to value them more, according to research. They also learn to listen to their bodies’ hunger and fullness cues less, which can lead to overeating and tummy aches.
Rather than restricting sweets or giving them only on special occasions, try offering them fruit-flavored candies Jessup MD regularly and alongside other foods. It helps normalize them and teaches the principles of balance and moderation.
They’re Fun
Sweet treats are part of a healthy lifestyle when eaten in moderation. They help us bond with family and friends, release feel-good hormones and make life fun. When parents treat sweets like any other food, they can support kids in developing a positive relationship with all foods. Many parents try to encourage good behavior in their kids by rewarding them with sweet treats.
Whether at home or on the playground, this can effectively promote healthy behaviors in children. However, if children learn to desire sweets as a reward for good behavior, they may become obsessive about them. Instead of relying on candy and sugary treats to reinforce good behavior, parents can teach kids to value other goodies, such as whole fruits, yogurt with granola and berries or a half scoop of ice cream on low-fat plain yogurt. It can also help normalize sweets for kids, promote emotional equality among all foods, and help them self-regulate their intake.
They’re Good for You
Children can avoid bad behaviors by understanding the distinction between added and natural sugars. Parents may try to prevent a child’s natural preference for sweets by keeping them out of the house, but that isn’t easy with so many processed food options. Forbidding a favorite treat can make kids crave it more because they feel deprived.
Offering regular, small sweets as part of meals and snacks helps normalize them for children and takes them down from the pedestal they often have on their own. For example, putting a chocolate chip cookie next to their green beans at dinnertime lets kids choose what they want and can even teach them the importance of moderation.
They’re a Sign of Appreciation
Many parents and caregivers may feel uneasy about kids having more sweets. However, reducing feelings of scarcity around these foods and consistently offering them within the context of meals and snacks can help kids build trust that all foods will be there for them.
It allows kids to eat based on internal cues and learn to self-regulate. It also helps kids learn to value other “treat” foods as much as sugary ones. Far too often, kids are rewarded for behavior with sugary treats (like one more bite of peas), which creates a problem in the long term as they learn to value these things for their own sake.
Offering desserts frequently and not creating stipulations around their consumption will teach kids how to appreciate them. On any given day, they might eat all the dessert part or leave it behind – it will vary depending on their individual needs. Still, this consistency helps them to develop a trusting relationship with all foods.
