Easter inevitably brings an abundance of chocolate into our lives, sometimes presenting a challenge for us as parents. How can you fully embrace the excitement of egg hunts while also fostering a positive and balanced approach to these foods for your little one? Read on as Lucy Upton, our Children's Dietitian, shares her tips on how to navigate chocolate this Easter...
Keep your attitude to these foods neutral around children
If we make chocolate and cakes a big deal, they innately become more desirable!
Call the extra foods around what they are...
So, call them chocolate eggs, white chocolate buttons, chocolate cupcakes...etc! Again, this helps to keep all important food neutrality around these foods for children. Avoid labelling them as ‘treats’, ‘naughty’ or ‘bad’, or talking about foods this way when you are eating them too.
Incorporate chocolate into mealtimes
Bringing some of the Easter stash to mealtimes, and offering it alongside the other foods you’re eating together can also help reduce the long-term desirability of these foods. Children can then not only understand these foods can be incorporated as part of a balanced/meal diet, they also get to share the enjoyment when they are on offer with you.
Accept that they will enjoy it and ask for more
Chocolate is a food that most of us find very palatable, and its texture and flavour profile is such that it’s anticipated we look for more. Remember, your child enjoying this food during an occasion like Easter doesn’t mean they fit any unnecessary (and frankly unhealthy) labels often attached to enjoying these foods e.g. ‘addicted’, ‘greedy’.
Remember, as the parent you can set the boundaries for YOUR family.
This may mean having honest conversations with well-meaning family members ahead of time, requesting that they bring Easter gifts such as crafts, soft toys or an activity to do together instead of food.
And finally...
Remember that even if your child fills up on more chocolate or certain foods than is normal for them, the four-day Easter weekend is only just over 1% of the year and not reflective of their dietary intake for the remaining 99% of the year.
Thanks to Lucy for putting our mind at ease when it comes to navigating chocolate this Easter! We hope these tips make things a little easier during the long weekend and beyond.
And make sure to keep up to date with The Hub for nutrition tips, expert advice and more!
Love, Team Pots for Tots x