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Thank you to Jenna Pepper, guest blogger for this post.  Jenna is a nutritionist and writes fantastic articles about healthy eating for families on her own blog, Food with Kid Appeal.

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Did you know that kids are still developing their ability to control impulses?  Psychology researcher Mischel did a study with preschoolers and marshmallows to evaluate impulse control.   Kids were told they could eat ONE marshmallow now or wait and get more later.  1/3 ate the marshmallow immediately, 1/3 were able to wait and the other third waiting some time but not long enough to earn additional marshmallows. Did you know that all humans are hard wired to feel good after eating sugar and fat containing food?  Author and neurobiologist Lise Eliot reports in her book What’s Going on in There that drinking mother’s milk triggers the release of endogenous opiates in the brain; those opiates give the infant a sense of pleasure and well-being.  Once we’re done with mother’s milk there are plenty of sweeter and fattier foods for us to eat and get a sense of well-being from.

Knowing about developing impulse control and our brain’s response to treats helps parents understand why kids keep nagging us for more candy canes, holiday cookies and apple cider well after the tree is down and school is back in session.  Here are some suggestions to help you and your family over come the holiday treat hangover.  Even better this prevents special occasion treats from turning into a daily bad habit.

Not now.
Kid’s hate hearing no.  Who doesn’t?  Not now goes over so much better, they may still pout they aren’t getting what they want right away, but when they know they can expect to have something yummy at the next birthday party, family gathering, holiday, after eating a healthy meal, etc. their pout will be over before you know it.
Talk about health.
When kids constantly want not-so-good food, tell them that too much isn’t good for their growing body.  A little is OK.  A lot doesn’t help them grow.
Offer an alternative.
Sometimes the request is their response to a tummy rumble.  Offer them a healthier alternative, a box of raisins, some trail mix, some nuts, a piece of fresh fruit.
Make healthier snacks relevant.
When you do offer an alternative tell them why the healthier option is good for them.  Good carbohydrates offer energy for all the play they want to accomplish, protein builds brains for better school achievement, and builds muscles for better athletic accomplishments.  Click here for more ideas on how to make healthier choice relevant to your child.
Ignore.
When they pester you, tell them you’ve already discussed it and ask them to tell you what you told them last time.  Tell them next time they ask you will not respond.
Give it time.
It might take a few days, but being firm in teaching the balance of healthy food most of the time, treats for special occasions will take root with your kids.  Giving in to the whining does make it stop, temporarily, but the tireless treat requests will keep coming if you don’t nip it in the bud.  I notice my kids ask for candy and treats more after a party, and requests wane a couple days later.

jenna pepper, houston, tx
www.foodwithkidappeal.com
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