Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

During quarantine, there are a lot of snacks being consumed because why not? We’re not going anywhere and snacking is something to do. However, we know that it is not necessarily a good thing.

If you’re a parent, at some point, you’re going to want to pull back on the sugary snacks a little.

The American Heart Association recommends that children consume less than 25 grams of added sugar per day.  That’s exactly six teaspoons.

In her new picture book Mommy Can I Eat This?, health coach Maria Sofia reminds both parents and kids that it’s okay to enjoy sugary treats from time to time, as long as they do so in moderation.

 In fact, she says, moderation is preferable to deprivation. How do you teach kids moderation and enforce it over time? She offers these three great tips

Take the “one bite per day” approach

Practice with a chocolate bar.  Rather than eat it all at once, break off a piece to have each day.  Determine in advance how many pieces there will be, and how many days the chocolate bar will last.  Set that expectation – and stick to it.

Play the Sugar Cube game

One sugar cube is equal to one teaspoon of sugar.  Allow your kids a total of five sugar cubes’ worth of sweets per day, using sugar cubes to demonstrate how much has been consumed.  Kids can save cubes up for a special treat, but must give cubes up if they eat too much sugar in a given day.

Reward moderation with non-food treats

Instead of putting surplus sugar cubes toward a big dessert, put them toward a special outing or event, such as a day at the zoo or an afternoon at the movies.  Make sure to bring your own snacks!

Good luck!