​​Hi Reader,
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My kids’ sugar intake feels out of control right now.
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And of course I worry – I know all the negative health and mood effects that can come along with it.
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But I also increasingly feel like this problem is one that is bigger than what I can manage as their mom.
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Teachers give out candy at school as prizes. The yogurt my kids get at school is basically dessert. Every birthday party has both cake and candy. There always seems to be a holiday and that brings an influx of candy.
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Without me even buying it, it’s still completely out of control.
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It’s true that kids are hardwired to prefer sweet tastes from the moment they are born. And research shows that this preference continues until adolescence, when children stop growing. So there is a strong biological factor in their desire for sweets.
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I want to have the answer for you on how to handle it but so much of it is out of our hands.
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Treats are way too available to our growing kids who need nutrient dense foods to fuel the growth process.
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Since I can’t overhaul our society, I will continue to focus on my own role as much as I can, and what that looks like is:
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1. Primarily buying fruit-based treats for anything I want to keep on hand at home. My kids love frozen chocolate covered banana slices, unsweetened dried mango, Wyman’s Just Fruit frozen cups (kinda like if Dippin’ Dots were made from fruit), popsicles made from fruit juice, and BEAR fruit rolls.
2. Making fruit-based or macronutrient balanced treats at home that are lower in added sugar. My kids LOVE bananas coated in vanilla Greek yogurt that we put in the freezer, and many of the recipes from my site, like these muffins and these no-bake cookie dough bites.
3. Keeping my comments to myself about the sugar excess: while it IS a problem, it’s not our kids’ fault. And it’s not going to help the situation by making them feel bad about liking sugar – especially since they are biologically driven to.
4. Avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages: I see these as one of the biggest problems in excess sugar intake. So every once in a while is okay, but I almost always say no to soda and sports drinks.
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Everyone's Favorite Recipe

Sheet Pan Pancakes

I mean it when I say this is everyone’s favorite recipe! When someone tries it, it becomes a staple. It’s just SO easy, customizable to what your family enjoys, and easy to freeze and pull out later when you need a quick breakfast that’s going to fill bellies and make everyone happy.

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This Weeks' Prep Ahead Snack

Again – who has time to meal prep? (If you do, I love that for you, I just can’t relate at this moment in my life.) So this week I made my no-bake oatmeal balls.
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Low prep ✔️ Easy-to-grab ✔️ Nutritious ✔️ Kid-approved ✔️

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Want More Help With Sugar?

If you want to dive deeper into how to take sweets off the pedestal for kids, I created this free Sweets & Treats eBook just for you!

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What You're Loving

One of the most highly-purchased items that I’ve featured in the newsletter over the past 6 months is THIS pantry organizer. It’s stylish, easy-to-clean and convenient to keep on your countertop or in your pantry. If you don’t have one, you’re missing out!

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Have a great week,

P.S. Need inspiration for packing lunches, making simple and healthy dinners or my favorite ready-to-eat snacks to grab from the store, take a look at my Meal & Snack Survival Guide!

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Disclaimer: this message contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.​
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