How to Cut Back on Sugar Over the Summer Holidays

How to cut back on sugar over the summer holidays

During the school term, there is the reassurance of routine to help keep your child’s diet on track. You’re more likely to have established rules, and they know what is accepted and what isn’t. It can feel like this all goes out of the window when the summer holidays arrive.

It’s not just the change to your routine that can impact the way your child gravitates towards sweet treats. It’s also the change of location. Enjoying a day out with the kids this summer holiday? Feel like you’re surrounded by sugary snacks left, right and centre?

Unfortunately, so many family destinations also prioritise sweet temptations as part of the experience. This also means endless demands for drinks, slushies, ice cream, sweets and chocolate.

But as well as the cost to your wallet, shelling out on sugary snacks will also come at a price for your children’s teeth.

Why are sugary snacks bad for children’s teeth?

High-sugar foods are seen as ‘empty calories’ providing few nutrients but many calories. If your child is consuming more calories than they are burning throughout the day, this could lead to weight gain.

Another problem with sugary snacks and teeth is that sugar causes tooth decay. The more often it is consumed, the more sugar is used to fuel harmful bacteria that lurks in the mouth and attacks the teeth. This eventually leads to cavities.

The daily recommendations for maximum sugar intake are five teaspoons for children aged four to six years old, rising to six teaspoons for children aged seven to 10, then seven for everyone over the age of 11.

A can of fizzy pop can contain as many as seven spoonfuls of sugar – add to that a chocolate bar, which frequently contains upwards of six teaspoons of sugar, and recommended daily allowances are already doubled.

Sugar can also lead to hyperactivity and mood swings in children. They might have a sugar rush followed by a crash, which means they might be unruly and struggle to follow instructions, and then become irritable and tired. Some children will have adverse reactions to sugar that could make them sick. All of this will add up to a negative summer holiday experience.

Tips to cut your child’s intake of sugar

If you think you might need to put your foot down with your child’s sugar intake, there are helpful tips and tricks we can share with you. Remember that you’re in charge and you can have the final say on what your child eats. They might whine for a while, but they will soon be distracted by the next thing that grabs their attention.

Be strict on sweets

Cutting back on sweet treats is the best way to cut sugar consumption. It may not be an easy ride, but a habit is only supposed to take two weeks to break – so stay strong! Pre-empt hunger by offering children fruit and vegetable sticks and stock up on sweet fruit such as oranges, strawberries and blueberries.

Save dried fruit for mealtimes

The process of drying fruit alters the naturally occurring sugar to become extremely sticky – and this can stick to teeth raising the risk of decay. While raisins might be popular with children, try to avoid letting them snack on these between meals. It’s far better to make these an occasional treat after a meal.

Avoid fizzy drinks

Fizzy drinks have no nutritional part to play in a child’s diet and the damage done to teeth as it is flushed around the mouth is unnecessary. Offer your child unsweetened fruit juice made up with water instead. Ideally get them to drink water and milk. Fizzy drinks can also lead to hyperactivity, so your child will soon start to feel more in control of their behaviour once they break this habit.

Read the packaging

Sugar lurks everywhere, particularly in processed food. Cooking from fresh and being ingredient-aware is an easy way to cut sugar from your child’s diet. If something is marked as “low fat” you can assume that it will be high in sugar. Always check the packaging before you hand over a treat to your child and don’t assume that something that is marked as “healthy” will be a balanced treat.

Think ahead

If your children find the temptation of sugar too much, pack up a picnic, leave your wallet at home and go to a park or beauty spot where constant demands for sugary snacks won’t spoil the day.

Being prepared and pre-empting their demands can make it easier to say no, particularly if you have another treat you can share with them.

Time treats carefully

You don’t have to cut out sweet treats completely, but you can time them better so that there is less damage to your child’s teeth. For example, offering a sweet treat after a meal can help to minimise the damage from the sugar, as they will produce more saliva while chewing and digesting their meal.

You should also take control of portions and make sure your child doesn’t have unlimited access to a large bag of sweets, for example.

Final thoughts on cutting out sugar during the summer

Don’t sugar-coat it: educating your children at an early age on the dangers of too much sugar to their dental health will stand them in good stead for life. Children can understand basic concepts like tooth decay and how their dietary choices will impact their long-term health.

If you’re struggling to get the message through, you can ask for help from your dentist. Your dentist is an authority figure in your child’s eyes, and they may have more respect for what your dentist has to say. Use this important backup to communicate your core message and get your children on board with keeping their teeth healthy.

If you have any concerns about tooth decay contact Bhandal Dental Practice to day.