Treats vs. Snacks for Kids: How to distinguish between them, and how to manage
treats.
Have you ever met a kid who doesn’t LOVE snacks? Nope. Snacks are a definitely
preferred over meals in my household – hands down. They're fun, tasty, and you can
usually eat them with your fingers! And snack foods are often kid-favourites too. But
sometimes the reason your kid may be all about the snacks is because their snack is
actually a treat! You heard me – you might be mistaking a treat for a snack. Don’t worry
– it happens to the best of us. And I’m here to help you distinguish between the two and
give you some treat management tips.
So what constitutes a snack?
A snack is basically a mini-meal made of whole foods like fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds,
whole grains, dairy foods…you get the picture. Whole foods are packed full of essential
nutrients that our little ones need for proper growth and development. Whole foods help
kids get the energy they need to run at recess time, and the ability to concentrate in the
classroom! And because kids have little tummies, what we offer them between meals
needs to pack a nutrition punch. So, choosing nutrient-dense snack foods is important! I
suggest always including some protein and a fruit or vegetable and or a whole grain
food. Here are some nutritious snack examples:
What is a treat?
A treat, on the other hand, tends to be less nutritious and will generally contain more
calories, sugar and , fat. Treats can be homemade (less processed) or store-bought
(more processed), but regardless, they tend to be nutrient-poor and sugar/calorie-rich.
Here’s where this gets tricky though… often treats are disguised as snacks. Especially
down the kids aisle at the grocery store. Think sugary granola bars, fruit gummies and
fruit cups with added sugar.
Although treats are fun to offer occasionally (for those two and over), it’s important for
them not to be mistaken as a snack. This is because, as mentioned above, kids have
small tummies but big energy and nutrition needs. Between meal eating times (snacks),
need to consist of nutritious foods, not treats. Treat foods offered at various times, even
once a day? Not a problem.
Snacks versus treats
Snacks:
Apple dipped in peanut butter
Granola bars that contain whole food ingredients like nuts, seeds, oats and fruit, with
minimal added sugar (such as Real Food Bars by Made with Local).
Carrots + cucumber + hummus
Cheese + crackers
Avocado toast
Banana + almond butter
Nut + dried fruit trail mix
Homemade whole grain muffins
Yogurt parfait
Nut + seed bars
Treats:
Ice cream
Chips, tortillas, pretzels
Granola bars that are dipped in chocolate and high in sugar
Cookies
Cake
Chocolate bars
Candy (gummies, licorice, etc.)
Soft drinks
Sweet milkshakes
Managing Treats
Chocolate is my weakness. But I allow myself to have what I love because having a
healthy relationship with food means enjoying all the foods I love and finding a balance.
I want this for my kids too! I am still in control of the food offered at meals and snacks,
but I know that it can be tricky when it comes to treats. How often to serve them? When
to serve them? How much to serve?! You want your kids to learn to enjoy them in
moderation, but not over-indulge. Part of teaching your kids to be “competent eaters” is
allowing them to explore new foods (even treats!). Here are my top tips when it comes
to managing treats.
1. Keep it random. Kids are smart. If you start offering dessert after supper
routinely, they will come to expect dessert every night. Set a number that sounds
right to you. In my household we have dessert or treats three to four times a
week either as part of a snack, after a meal, or (gasp) with a meal!
2. Try not to be restrictive. Avoiding treats completely will not work. In fact, it will
likely backfire big-time. Kids who feel like they don’t have access to treats often
feel the need to “save up” or over-consume when given the opportunity
elsewhere. Instead of saying “no” try saying “yes”, but in a structured way. For
example, if your child requests dessert after supper say, “it’s not a dessert night
tonight, but I was thinking I could make cookies tomorrow for dessert! Do you
want to help me?”. This strategy is a great way to control the number of treats
your child has throughout the week, and not make your kids feel as though
they’re forbidden or restricted too much. It’s also great to include kids in the
kitchen as a way to encourage kitchen skills and a positive relationship with food.
3. Don’t associate treats with behaviour. Treats should be offered regardless of
behaviour and independent of whether they eat all of their meal. Rewarding your
child with dessert for consuming all their veggies translates into “eating veggies
must be yucky -- I was given a treat only because I ate them!”. When treats are
offered as a reward it’s easy for kids to associate the food that came before as
gross. My recommendation is to put all food on a level playing field. This means
calling food by its real name (cookie versus treat) and not using it as a reward or
punishment. If cookies are always offered for good behaviour at the grocery
store, this makes cookies a much more sought-after food. By keeping food away
from behaviour and offering “treats” regularly you allow them to become less
desirable.
There’s no set rule on how often or how many treats should be offered for kids over the
age of two. If you have toddlers under the age of two the recommendation is no added
sugar. Sorry little sibs! Although all my kids had sweets on their first birthday, we
generally tried to keep them sweets-free until two years old. Deciding on a number of
treats per day or week is personal-- it depends on what works for you family! We stick to
no more than one a day, but usually 4-5 per week. What’s most important is keeping
the conversation about food positive and offering nutrient-dense, whole foods first!
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