Kids of all ages – and let’s face it, adults too – will have cravings for sweet treats all the time. We just crave sugar, and we know that’s not really good for us. Indeed, kids and teenagers grow up with all sorts of dental problems and weight problems because they eat too many sugary treats. So, how can you satisfy their cravings for sweet stuff without harming their health?
It turns out that this is actually very easy to do. There are tricks and tips to help you keep your kids satisfied without filling them with sugar, let’s take a look…
Buy low-sugar alternatives
In the past, every single confectionary company would load products full of sugar and sweeteners. From cookies to hard candy; it would all be absolutely chockablock with ingredients that are bad for your kids. Thankfully, science caught onto this and started explaining just how bad these sweet treats are. As a result, companies have tried to come along and provide alternatives to traditional sweet treats.
For example, you can get oat cookies instead of regular ones, which contain half as much sugar as a normal cookie. Likewise, there are some chocolate bars that have been made with a significant reduction in sugar, to try and make them healthier. You’ve also got raw and vegan chocolate bars that include better ingredients and keep the sugar and sweetener content to a minimum.
Shop around for low-sugar alternatives to traditional sweet treats, and you instantly have a way of satisfying those sugary cravings without doing damage to your child’s health.
Make the treats yourself
The second trick is to avoid buying sugary treats and make them all yourself. The advantage of this is that you have complete control over the ingredients in the treats. You know how much sugar goes in, but you can also keep it clean by avoiding any nasty additives and chemicals. It’s surprisingly easy to make something like chocolate at home, and there are plenty of other sweet treats that are healthier alternatives to home favorites.
For instance, instead of buying fudge for your kids, you can make them an alternative at home. It’s called kalakand, and it’s a fudge-type treat from India that’s made with condensed milk and ricotta cheese. Already, the sugar content is way below traditional fudge, which is literally made with an entire pan of sugar! Finding ideas like this is such a smart way of keeping your kids happy, giving them a little sweet treat, but ensuring they aren’t getting the worst ingredients.
Of course, all treats should be given to your kids in moderation. Otherwise, they stop being treats and start being part of their normal diet. Continue making healthy meals and encouraging children to eat healthier snacks. But, on the odd occasion where you feel they deserve a sweet treat, try either of these tips. Find something that’s low-sugar or make it yourself. Providing treats in moderation, alongside a generally healthy diet, will help your kids remain in good health as they grow into adults.