Top Sugar Tips to Keep Kids Healthy
- 30% of sugar in kids’ diets comes from sugary drinks such as fizzy drinks, fruit juice, squashes, cordials, energy drinks and juice drinks. Experts say that sugary drinks have no place in a child’s daily diet and they should only be used as a treat as they encourage a sweet tooth.
- Milk, water or sugar free or no added sugar drinks are better choices.
- one portion of many cereals contain enough sugar to use up your allowance for one day, so look for sugar free or low sugar alternatives. You could add fresh fruit to shredded wheat or toast with just a small amount of jam, for example.
- don’t buy sugary snacks – if they aren’t in the house, nobody can be tempted!
- try having sweet snacks as a treat once a week or if you go out.
- try giving kids cut up fruit or vegetables, plain toast, bread or unsweetened crackers with cheese or humous, for example, when they get in from school.
- cut cakes or biscuits or chocolate into smaller portions so at least they are having less sugar and fat.
- have desserts less often and try cut up fruit or tinned fruit in juice, not syrup after a meal.
- watch out for dried fruit, as they contain high levels of sugar and tends to stick to teeth and also smoothies, as they are also high in sugars so are not great snacks.
More information, including other sugar swap food suggestions, can be found at Sugar Smart Change 4 Life HERE
