Questions and answers about desserts in children's diet

The vast majority of the questions that, as parents, we ask when offering traditional three dishes to our children refer to dessert. Do children necessarily have to take dessert? Is it as important as the main courses? We clarify all your doubts about the desserts in the children's diet. Tips for pa

The vast majority of the questions that, as parents, we ask when offering traditional three dishes to our children refer to dessert.

Do children necessarily have to take dessert? Is it as important as the main courses? We clarify all your doubts about the desserts in the children's diet.

Tips for parents about desserts in children's diet

Is dessert as important as the two courses or the main course of the meal?

No. Children do not necessarily have to eat three dishes, especially the smallest ones. One of the main disadvantages of eating three dishes is that, both the energy and the macro and micronutrients are divided among all, so if you do not eat all, the necessary contribution is not covered. However, by offering a unique dish, we can more easily make sure that what our child eats contains all the essential nutrients and energy they need.

Is it necessary to insist to the children about the dessert?

No, absolutely not. Children should never be urged to finish a plate of food. Parents should, on the contrary, teach them to listen to the signals and attend to the needs of their body, so that they themselves decide how much they want to eat, and whatever their decision, we must respect it.

Does a meal necessarily have to end with a dessert?

No. A meal must end when the child, or the adult, is full. Eating too much, even a piece of fruit, is the first step on the road that leads to overweight.

What should we offer our children to finish the meal?

If after the single dish or the two dishes we have offered our children, they are still hungry, we can offer them, preferably, a piece of fruit or a piece of cheese. It is much better to keep the dessert light, avoiding sweets, even if they are homemade. If we establish a tradition at home and the child learns that after the meal there is a piece of cake, sponge cake, a flan or other type of dairy dessert, it is easy for the child to learn to eat less of the other dishes to "save room" " for the dessert. However, if we reserve these desserts for special moments, such as birthdays or celebrations, it will be a pleasant surprise for our children.

When do I then offer the fruit to my son? Cuando When you want! There is no more appropriate time to offer fruit to children, fruit should always be our main solution for when our children say they are hungry.

Both the breakfast and the snack, without forgetting the snacks between meals, any time is good for our little ones to receive the cocktail of vitamins, minerals and fiber provided by the fruit.