Avoid the Junk Food Trap
Toddlers need to eat healthy to get the nutrients their growing bodies need. Candy, potato chips,
and other low-nutrient “junk foods” shouldn’t be part of their diet because they can crowd out the healthy foods needed. Also, food preferences are established early in life, so don’t miss opportunities to help your toddler develop a taste for nutritious foods. Even if your child likes candy or chips, don’t feel like you must give in. Kids can’t run to the store to buy them, so just don’t keep them in the house. If your toddler asks for candy, simply say, “We don’t have any candy.” Then present two healthy snack alternatives to choose from. Even a child who mourns the lack of candy will still enjoy the sense of control from deciding which healthy snack to eat.