The Candy Challenge

What it is:

If you have been following any social media platform since May, chances are you have heard of this challenge. The basic premise is that you as the parent, set a bowl of candy in front of your child, tell them not to eat any until you get back, and you walk away. Then you wait and secretly watch (and even film) what they do next. Watching your child’s reaction and testing their patience is supposed to be amusement for you, the parent.

Why it’s not the best idea (even if it’s cute to watch!):

It sounds pretty innocent right? It is likely meant to be honest fun but it’s based on the idea that candy is “forbidden” or “bad”. This can really backfire when raising young eaters. Restricting candy and other sweets can increase a child’s preference and consumption of these foods and can even impact their eating behavior beyond childhood.

What you can do as a parent instead:

Normalize candy and sweets!

How to do it:

• Stop calling candy and sweets (and other “junk” food) “bad”

• Take an “all foods fit” approach

• Include candy and sweets with regularly scheduled meals and snacks

• Work with one of our registered dietitians who can take your child’s individual needs into account

It may sound like the exact opposite of what you should be doing. You are likely thinking “What if my child becomes addicted to sugar? What if they eat too much - the whole bag of candy or the whole cake or the whole pint of ice cream?”). We understand it sounds scary, but we’re here to answer your questions and guide you through the process of normalizing candy and sweets. Contact us to schedule a session with one of our registered dietitians (Psssst: your health insurance likely covers it!).