Here we are diving into the topic of dessert and sweets and all things yummy!
It's likely you've had a lifetime of experience of mixed feelings about sweets. They can be so delicious but we all got the message that sweets are treats.
Our food system is full of sugar latent products and the food choices in America are infiltrated with less than healthy options. On the other hand these delicious treats mark celebrations and consistently show up in social events. It's common knowledge desserts are abundant in our eating rituals and who doesn't love dessert?!
And when I say that we all love dessert, in the back of your mind you might be thinking:
"I wish I didn't like sweets"
"My family and kids eat too many sweets already"
"I shouldn't want desert!"
"I need to eat healthier if I want to eat those things"
"I need to 'cut desert out' because I'm not eating healthy and I don't like my eating habits!"
We want our children to learn how to eat a variety of foods. You may or may not already know- kids intuitively eat for their bodies needs. Without interference they naturally eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. They are also much more critical and discerning about the foods they put in their mouths.
But as many parents have experienced, feeding kids can be challenging. Just like adults they can make up their minds about liking and disliking certain foods. And not surprising, they typically say yes to sweets when they are offered! Not only that but they usually ask for more. This is easily an anxiety provoking topic for parents.
As I mentioned before, adults typically have some complicated feelings about allowing sweets already. Or you may eat plenty of sweets but feel some conflict about their influence on your health.
Let's look at what role dessert and sweets play in healthy meal planning and your family's relationship with food.
Eating sweets is an important part of nutrition. Did I just say that?... Yes, I did!
To be clear, there are definitely some sweets that are better than others. Regardless, navigating sweets with consistency and inclusion can help define a good relationship with food.
Heres how sweets play a role in your kids nutrition and learning.
All foods must be allowed and should never be regarded as forbidden. This is especially true when we raise children and they develop a relationship with food. We would never want to manipulate what children like or dislike. By setting an example with sweets and treats kids can learn to eat them with good sense for their bodies, likes, dislikes and balance. And even though it seems kids would eat sweets beyond what is healthy, they need help learning to include these foods without making these foods unnaturally desirable. You may need to learn this too!
We want to observe our own misbeliefs about food. Even as a nutrition educator, I am confident you've heard the same countless stories people share about weight loss regimens, healthy foods, unhealthy foods, New-Year's resolutions and discussions about self-control and sugar-addiction. I could go on. We ourselves contribute to this problem. We are reinforcing this culture and our little one's hear us. This is the very first place to start. We have to observe our own discussions about food and what we say about our bodies. This one of the deep misguided ways we hurt ourselves and our important relationship with food.
Most of us grew up with this "diet mentality" at such an early age. We don't quite recognize the problem as we over-emphasize health and penalize ourselves for enjoying sweet treats. The diet mentality, in fact, works against itself. So much worry about eating healthy seems to either cause eating behaviors of restriction or overeating; both of these extremes apply to multiple eating disorders. Our children, as we did, may learn at a very early age to restrict eating, obsess over food, emotionally eat, feel self-conscious and untrusting of their body's cravings. Embracing sweets as part of health and well-being is paramount, especially as we interact with people in the world and raise young eaters.
The take away message when offering teats: Sweets are essential for a healthy relationship with food. Set consistent and choice-oriented boundaries for you and your kids so they can learn to enjoy sweets along with all their foods. For detailed suggestions on this topic you can read more here.
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