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Q: My kids crave candy and sweets what can I do?
A: My kids love candy and sweets, too! I don't make it completely off limits because my kids are older and
we have so many other food restrictions. Completely eliminating foods can
sometimes lead to an unhealthy relationship with food--and make kids want the food more. Also, one day my kids
will go off to college and I don’t want them to feel deprived and go crazy with
junk food! That being said, I have very, very clear limits about candy.
My kids can not have any candy or sweets that contain gluten. In addition, my son cannot have candy that contains dairy. If candy with these ingredients is given to them (on Halloween or Valentines Day) I allow them to trade it in for a candy they can have. I NEVER give my kids ANY candy that they have a strong reaction to. This is really, really important. A bad reaction to candy could be caused by candida(yeast overgrowth), low magnesium, a reaction to dye, or the sugar in the candy. I have noticed that my kids react better to candy if they have had a nourishing meal with some protein and vegetables so
I make sure that that candy and sweets are with more nutritious food.
If my child is given candy at school or in a goodie bag, I often tell them they can have it on Friday after dinner. I think the process of waiting to eat candy also teaches them that they can have treats but not every time someone hands them something. If they desperately want it so much and can't hold off on eating it, I sometimes will try to find them a healthier option that has some nutrients but is still sweet.
The Natural Candy Store allows you to search for candy that is free of gluten, dairy, gmo's and dyes! We like Enjoy Life chocolate, Jelly Belly Superfruit Mix and HariboHappy Cola which are gluten-free, dairy-free and free of artificial dyes. Of course, every kid is different and every situation is different—try to learn from your experiences what is best for your child!