SUGAR- WHAT'S THE DEAL?

My husband and I are not health freaks but we do try to eat what is good for us. Our kids eat very healthy and do not like sugar. That's right our kids don't like cookies and ice cream. They prefer yogurt and fresh fruit. The reason for this article is to find out if there is anyone else who comes across this scrutiny among other people. We just had our twins first birthday party and when I put the slice of cake in front of my kids, they just picked at it and threw it on the ground. The common comment, "what's wrong with them?". Even my mom who I would think would be happy that they have this reaction said, Don't they eat cookies? No mom, why? Her reply, well cookies and kids go together. Is this what our world is coming to where my kids are thought of as weird because they prefer grapes to a butterfinger? Don't get me wrong, there's been times when faster outweighed healthier, I just can't believe that people would react this way. It's almost as if I told them I don't have my children vaccinated. I just wanted to know if I'm a lone ranger, is this some form of child abuse that I'm not aware of.

 

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I guess it's a common misconception that kids and sugar go hand-in-hand. My kids do not like sweets. They didn't eat any of their cake at their first birthday and just like yours threw it everywhere. They won't eat ice cream or cookies, but prefer yogurt and fresh fruit. I see it as setting them up for great habits when they're older. My parents fed me whatever and that shows today. I wouldn't worry about the comments just do what's best for your family.

 

My girls have a similar quirk. Other than the occasional mcdonalds chicken nugget, they will not eat breaded meat( ex shrimp) The healthy eating habits we form today will hopefully last a life time.

 

well, i can't say that my LOs don't occasionally eat something chocolately but they don't eat more than a few bites and don't reallly like ice cream because it's cold...they also don't like alot of processed foods and hate fast food (not that we do it often)...they too love yogurt and fruits...it's a great habit that i hope they keep although something tells me that in a couple of years they'll discover the yumminess of chocolate and salty stuff! :laughing:

 

Interesting topic. I was bought up in a home that was VERY healthy. No sweet food, no colouring, no preservatives no salt and no junk food. We had cake for our birthdays and any treat was received at Nana's house. I went completely out of control with my eating when I left home and still need to work on my weight. I have a sweet tooth and not much self control. With my own kids I am trying to provide a healthy diet with treats so they are not so much of an issue. Two of my kids have sweet tooths and the others go for savoury. I try to have sweet treats like fruit for them. I notice that they still go overboard with party food when they go out so maybe I just haven't got the balance right yet. :unknw: We know our kids the best so other peoples comments should be taken with a huge pinch of salt. Good on your kids :yahoo:

 

I dealt with that too, especially from my sisters who let their children be souped up on sugar. Now mine DO enjoy a sweet treat now and then but because we started of with healthy treats, they enjoy them. They LIKE fruits and veggies and yogurt, go figure. My sisters greet it with sarcasm,but that's cool. They also like CHEX, Mini-Wheats, Honey Bunches of Oats and KIX and could care less about Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes. It's a shame folks try to make us feel bad for that. :headbang:

 

Don't let it bother you. You should be proud of yourself. You are offering the best for your children. Afterall, if it was easy....everyone would do it!

With that being said, we do the same. During their birthday, they did not even have a cake. I do not want them to have empty calories and I did not want to clean the mess. With LOs love fruit and veggies far more than others. A friend of mine has a LO who is the same age and will not eat anything "healthy" because they feed him cakes/cookies/candys everyday. My boys are great eaters and love food.

On the flip side, when I grew up, I was not allowed to have sugary stuff until I was 10. I really did not care for it. Now that I have grown up, I have to be careful how much sugar I eat because of hypoglycemia/asthma issues. Is there a correspondance...maybe!

All in moderation, but you are the ultimately the one in charge and making the decisions.

I still don't give it to them...not worth it to me!

Jenn

 

I would ignore the comments and just say they do not like sweet things. Kids like what they like and don't like what they like. My children do like sweet things, but in moderation.

 

My kids eat healthily but they do like the occasional sweet thing, like ice cream or chocolate. (They love savoury puffs to be honest, that´s their weakness!) One of my MIL´s friends visited one day with a big bag of sweets but my LOs didn´t want them. She was surprised but MIL explained that they arent used to that type of food plus I suspect they weren´t hungry at that moment in time! If Im honest, I was a little cross when I found out (I wasn´t there at the time) as I´m having a hard time with DS as he is a fussy eater and I don´t want him discovering sweets! One of my good friends is bringing up her DD (now 3 years old) without sugar and is fine. Yeah, she gets the comments but she believes in what she´s doing. Don´t listen to others, it´s best for your LOs in the long-run!

 

I go through this all the time, with my family it's juice. I've tried when they've been sick and couldn't have milk and didn't want to drink water. I just tend to make jokes like "maybe they like salt and not sugar like mommy" or "I don't want them to get a taste of the good stuff" My family always makes cracks about how small they are but also makes cracks when I don't feed them empty calories like pizza and cake.
I grew up healthy too (mostly because junk food back then was more expensive than normal food) but as an older kid I did get candy with my own money and went to fast food after school with friends. It all works out in the end. BUT while they are at home and being served by you then of course mom always serves the healthy stuff first! :FIFblush:

 

I find most kids are like that. My boys LOVED their cake and get that stuff on occasion, but it's not a part of their daily feeding schedule. My dad loves to give all his grandkids Ice cream and treats, but he's their grandpa not their parent so that's ok w us. My friends think I'm a weirdo about fake sugars and juice too, but I've seen a difference in my dd2's behaviour since cutting them out so it works for me and I love to bake so it's easy! To each their own, just know you're doing what's right for YOUR kids!

 

our kids do love sweet when given the opportunity, but they also love all the good stuff too.

people laugh at me when I tell them I give them oatmeal w/a mixture of lentils/millet/barley etc with it... and I don't sweeten it or put butter on it, they eat it plain. I figure "keep expectations low"!!

my mil also makes whole grain waffles that we go over an eat for dinner once a week... my kids weren't devouring them some weeks and she wanted to slather the waffles with butter, syrup and ice-cream (like us adults do!) and I said no. she made a big deal about saying to the kids that "itss so good" with butter, because my ds got some on a waffle... I didn't appreciate her trying to pump them up with enjoying the waffles only if they were sweetened up.

she hasn't mentioned it lately thankfully.

keep up the good work momma! your kids will be better for it by loving their fruits & veggies.

 

I think I have found a balance that works pretty well. I don't give sweets in terms of cookies, cakes, candy, popsicles, or pudding at home. When we go out, I will get them a croissant for our walks. Once in a while a buttermilk donut without the sugar on top if they are short on calories for the day.

But because I was trying to save money, I bought peanutbutter that has sugar in it, and I have oatmeal that has sugar in it. They get so much sugar just in their everyday foods I notice. As I learn more and more about this, I am trying to cut back on the sugar in their every day foods like peanut butter, oatmeal, spaghetti sauce and nutella. But nutella adds much needed calories to their diet sometimes.

It's a tough one. I make most of their foods...just to watch the sugar. But then I get sloppy with things sometimes. Like I hate the peanutbutter that has no sugar because it doesn't spread the way they like it. It tears the bread. Silly, I know...but sometimes I have to compromise and go with convenience. And cost. Two for ones are a big deal when you live in NYC.

 

My kids never had sweets until their first birthday cake. Some liked it (dug right in) and others...not so much.My youngest dd didn't even touch it or try it. Have no fear, your kids will learn to like sweets. It's due to lack of exposure at a young age (which I think is a great thing).

My kids don't do a lot of sweets and I don't even buy juice, they drink water or milk (soda and juice only at other people's house or special occasions). I think that people in the older generation tend to want to give our kids sweets early. Not sure why but so far, most have been respectful of our wishes when we tell them ahead of time.

 

My family always jokes that I had a bite of cake at my first birthday and hated it and haven't had any since. And it's true! Even they were teasing me on my wedding day if I was going to eat my wedding cake! I didn't by the way. I don't like cake, pies, cookies (except for one or two kinds), donuts or any of that stuff. I don't really know why? I just don't. (I do like icecream though.) So I think I turned out ok, and so will they! Although my family still thinks I'm weird..... :blush:

shannon