Grocery stores are packed with sweet, carbohydrate-heavy snacks that will catch your little one’s eye. While these treats may not seem significantly unhealthy, indulging in them all day adds up. Constant munching can cause oral health issues, childhood obesity, and other health problems. To avoid these complications, strengthen your youngster’s dental care routine and help them break their habit.

How to Get Children to Stop Snacking on Junk Food

1. Buy Less

Most children need to eat every three to four hours, which equates to about two snacks a day. If you have a surplus of goodies in the pantry, it’ll be easy for your little one to eat more than necessary. Cut back on how many sweets you have in the house or store them so that you can control their consumption. For example, if you buy treats in bulk, put a few pieces or packages in a container and place the rest of the box on a high shelf.

2. Create a Plan

Plan when your child will have a snack. Base this schedule around when they wake up, when they have lunch at school, and when the family has dinner. Give them something to eat at the halfway points between their meals. For example, if lunch is enjoyed at noon and dinner at 5 p.m., serve a snack at 3 o’clock.

During the school year, pack a treat for them to eat between breakfast and lunch. You can limit the serving size by purchasing packaged snacks or portioning out a healthy amount into a small container.

3. Offer Healthy Alternatives

Have healthy options readily available so that you can quickly put them in front of your child the moment they get hungry. Celery with peanut butter is a crunchy and sweet treat that’s packed with healthy fats and proteins to help your child grow. Other healthy alternatives include yogurt and nuts, fiber-loaded oatmeal, or orange slices.

4. Keep Them Busy

Your little one may eat when they’re bored, and they’ll fill up on too many gummy candies, potato chips, and other unhealthy goodies—this will cause tooth decay and weight gain. To prevent boredom-induced snacking after school, read to your child, or play with them when they get home. You can also enroll them in an after-school program and extracurricular activities or schedule play dates with their friends.

If your little one is experiencing a toothache from munching on too many sweets, contact the team at Kapolei Keiki Dental on Oahu. These professionals have provided children of all ages with gentle dental care services. They’ll examine your little one’s mouth, clean their teeth, and make suggestions on how to address the discomfort. For more information about their dental care services, visit the website or call (808) 944-1020.