The holiday season is a fun time of year for children of all ages. If your child has a sweet tooth, the holidays are the absolute best time of year. However, as every parent knows, when it comes to sweets and sugar, there can be too much of a good thing.
The great news is, there are ways that parents can help reduce the amount of sugar intake during this time of year. Here are a few tips that parents can try to maintain a healthy balance during this time of year.
- Eliminate or drastically reduce sugary drinks. Even 100% fruit juice with no added sugar contains sugar and no fiber. Eat whole fruit like apples instead of drinking apple juice for example. Be sure to drink plenty of water as staying hydrated means we are less likely to reach for sugary beverages.
- Make fun healthy holiday treats with lots of vegetables and fruit. Consider making your own healthy, but festive treats for the holidays. Using plenty of vegetables and fruit will ensure children stay full longer as both contain plenty of fiber and help to stay hydrated. Here is a great idea for a kid’s charcuterie board to try out this year:
To make a healthy snack board, you can include a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as:
- Fresh fruits, such as berries, grapes and sliced apples or pears
- Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds
- Whole-grain crackers or bread
- Lean protein sources, such as grilled chicken or tofu
- Low-fat dairy options such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
- Dips or spreads made with health ingredients, such as hummus or guacamole.
- Use sugar substitutes for baking and shop for sugar free alternatives. Try apple sauce, cinnamon and nutmeg in muffins and cakes instead of sugar. Honey is all-natural and doesn’t change the taste or texture of baked treats. You can even use fruit to replace sugar. Sugar-heavy fruits like bananas or monk fruit pureed work best in fruit based baked goods or baked goods that only need a small amount of sugar.
- Keep portion size in mind. An occasional sweet treat can be part of a healthy diet. A small dessert can help keep your child’s sweet tooth satisfied, this is why keeping portion control in mind is important. A couple of chocolate chips can satisfy a sweet tooth just as well as a full-sized candy bar.
- Find a balance. Completely banning all treats and sweets is only making things worse and only going to make a child’s craving for sugar stronger. Lead by example and show that an occasional sweet treat can be okay as part of a balanced diet.