Kids and sweets go together like copy and paste. No one can blame them. Everyone loves a good dessert. However, having a sweet tooth can lead to sticky health issues. But luckily, it does not have to be entirely bad for your toddler with the help of these tips.

Offer Plenty of Options

Sure, it can be ice cream or chocolates, but there are a lot of things that can gratify your toddler’s sweet tooth that are not unhealthy for his body. Dessert items such as yogurt, trail mix, fruit crisp, a bowl of cold, fresh fruits, low-fat pudding and soy milkshake are not only very yummy but are loaded with vitamins and nutrients as well.

Keep Everything In Moderation

As the old saying goes, “Too much of anything is bad.”. Eating sinful treats like cake, popsicles and cookies is divine, but once you eat too much, say hello to toothache. It is very important to keep everything in moderation in order to make sure your little one has healthy dessert habits. Offer desserts frequently, but not every night. For example, your toddler can have dessert 3 times a week after dinner or you can alternate giving him healthy and not so healthy desserts.

Do Not Ban Sweets Completely

Never banish sweets altogether as this will only backfire because your toddler will just want them more. Eating one piece of candy, muffin or a slice of chocolate cake from time to time will not do him harm. Instead, it will even teach your toddler to be careful with his portions.

Explain Its Importance

Your toddler may ask you why he cannot have dessert every day. Instead of giving him a lengthy discussion of the food pyramid or how he will get obese if he eats too much sweets, explain it to your toddler in a brief and precise manner. You can say something like, “Baby, in order for you to grow strong, your body needs healthy foods. So we eat healthy food first and then we can have a treat.”. This way, there will be no room for questions and arguments.

Do Not Force Your Toddler To Eat

If your toddler is not hungry, do not obligate him to clean his plate before he can have dessert. This only encourages overeating which can lead to health complications later on in life. Let him eat as much as he likes or have him try two or three bites of everything on his plate before he tries the dessert.

Set A Good Example

Your child’s eating habit is a representation of your own eating habit. So before you teach your toddler how to have healthy dessert habits, examine yourself first. Does your toddler see you munch on that cake like there is no tomorrow? If yes, how can you expect him to listen and follow your orders? Adjust your dessert habits first. Once he sees you eating one slice of cake in a week, he will follow.

Teaching your toddler healthy dessert habits is difficult but not impossible. With discipline, moderation and imagination, sweets can be good for your child.