Ask Colleen Column: Offering Dessert to Kids

This month is our final ASK COLLEEN! We hope that you have benefited from Colleen’s expert advice on health and nutrition.

If you have any last minute questions, please send them to askcolleen@mummums.com and she will get back to you directly!

 

Q: How often is it ok to offer a child dessert?

 

A: This is a tricky question! There are a lot of holiday sweets around at this time of the year, which makes things even trickier. The key with feeding toddlers is that the parents provide the food and child decides how much. Make sure that desserts don’t take the place of nutrient rich foods and continue with balanced meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Try to not make dessert a ‘reward’ for finishing their meal. Provide a portion or serving of dessert items, and if your child is saying that they are still hungry (which can be code for another cookie), then offer them more fruits or veggies and explain that if they are truly hungry, that’s what there is to eat.

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