I remember writing a post a couple of years ago saying why I wouldn’t let my daughter eat chocolate for breakfast on Easter Sunday. Have things changed?
Anyone who is a regular reader of my blog knows 1) I am a dietitian 2) my daughter is OBSESSED with chocolate and always has been 3) I have to wrestle chocolate out of her hands sometimes.
I do find Christmas and Easter a bit hard for my silly brain, as there is so much chocolate around. I’m all about moderation and of course we have to enjoy our food but still, there is just so much food.
Tactics to get through this include breathing deeply and getting my head around the fact that the gremlin will have a few days of more treats than normal.
To answer my first question though, I haven’t changed and I cannot let her have chocolate for breakfast! I just CANNOT do it. My dietitian brain cannot give in. Yesterday she had a boiled egg and soldiers before I could let her have a mini chocolate egg from her hunt. Then she had a rabbit chocolate lolly after she ate her roast, including meat and vegetables.
I wondered if I was the only loon and if others were the same or a lot more liberal.
This is what I found out when I asked my fellow bloggers.
“Our little boy is 20 months and we’re definitely going the limit route. I have asked for him not to get any but I know both sets of grandparents have bought him some little chocolate things for Sunday. He can have a couple, if that! Then I’ll ration the rest.” Nicole from The Frugal Cottage.
“I ration the chocolate out. They have a little bit of a choc fest on Easter Sunday (although I will limit it and not for breakfast!) and then the eggs gradually get eaten over several weeks, usually after dinner as their “something else” (otherwise known as pudding!)” Louise from Little Hearts Big Loves.
“Growing up we had to eat breakfast first. Other than that is was fairly a free for all for the one day, but we were still expected to eat our meals. Any left over chocolate was given in small portions over the next few days. As Piglet gets older I plan to adopt a similar sort of route. This year at 14 months he will get very little chocolate though – I’ll help him out by eat it” Kimberly from Odd Hogg.
“We try and ration but inevitably she has more than usual. This year I’ve hidden a few healthy treats in plastic eggs too!” Lucy from Real Mum Reviews.
“We definitely have limits, perhaps a little more lenient on occasions like easter but it isn’t a case of scoffing their faces. I tend to hide it away during the day and break a few bits into a bowl.” Helen from All The Beautiful Things.
“We don’t really do eggs to be honest. They’ll get an egg each and then will have a little piece each day for dessert in the evening. Certainly nothing crazy and it’s more likely to be found forgotten in a cupboard eventually! Last year we did a wee hunt with different gifts in plastic eggs – just small plastic party bag stuff!” Laura from Edinburgh Life with Kids.
“My son has one egg and he can eat it when he wants but that’s it!” Jen from Just Average Jen.
“We will do a hunt with small eggs / treats then they will be able to have one or two but once excitement has died down I will whip them away for our general sweetie box to spread things out. Hunt also has non-food stuff too.” Sian from The Mama Story.
“My children got lots of eggs last year and it was a nightmare stopping them from eating the chocolate all at once. This year, they have bought each other a chocolate egg and everyone else is giving them money.” Bek from Dilly Drops.
“My kids can tuck in after each meal but they still have to have proper meals too! Me? I eat it from the moment I get up til the moment I go to bed, usually hiding in a cupboard!” Laura from Five Little Doves.
“I think it’s definitely breakfast first although this year we have only brought them one egg each and restricted what family give. We will probably do a Easter egg hunt but with limitations on eggs.” Nigel from DIY Daddy.
“I operate on a ‘when it’s gone it’s gone policy’ – they’re going to eat it all anyway, whether that’s all in one day or over five days! So I let them have it before breakfast, for breakfast and after breakfast! Interestingly by not setting a limit they often say they’ve had enough and don’t want anymore…” Natalie from Crummy Mummy.
“Ooo no! I hate my girls eating too much chocolate on the best of days. Easter Sunday, they’ll have breakfast as normal. Sure, we’ll do an egg hunt, but chocolate will be rationed and spread out over the course of a week.” Emily from Twin Mummy and Daddy.
“As the little man isn’t allowed chocolate, most of our gifts this year will be little non-edible gifts. A little nibble might be allowed before breakfast, but only a nibble.” Victoria from Mummy Times Two.
“I’ll be honest I can be a Scrooge when it comes to chocolate. She will have some over Easter and as a treat. But most the of the time she actually refuses it now and asks for a banana or an apple instead!” Jenna from Then There Were Three.
“Our two have quite a healthy diet so at times like Easter we do ease up. That being said it’s no for Breakfast and also because we both have large families we have only bought one egg for each this year.” Richard from Two Bottles of Milk.
“We’re having a ‘healthy Easter egg hunt’ for my 19 month old. We’ve got the refillable plastic eggs and we’re stuffing them with things like raisins, cut up grapes and strawberries. I did it last week when my 2 year old nephew was over and he LOVED it!” Claire from The Happy Weaner.
“Mine will have breakfast as usual and then have half a medium egg and then lunch and then the other half of an egg for pudding. Over the past 9 years I don’t think I’ve ever let my kids have more than 2 medium sized or a large handful of smaller eggs across Easter Sunday. One of my kids still has goodies left over from Christmas so I’m never too concerned they will over eat.” Carla from Random Thoughts of a Twenty Something.
“The egg hunt happens as soon as they wake but they only collect them! I’m such a mean mummy!! They can have a small egg after breakfast (I’m talking hollow 5cm), then negotiations start for more throughout the day with a big egg after dinner. The majority of their haul (plus any eggs from anyone else) go in the ‘treat cupboard’ to be dished out after dinner at weekends. As mine are 5, 8 & 11 now, they are quite happy with this and actually wouldn’t stuff it all at once anyway. They rarely eat a whole large egg in one go. I think if you are generally strict with their sugar intake and make sure they understand why, it pays off in the long term!” Sonia from Buzy Mum.
“We have breakfast first (still too young to know any different!) and then I let her have 1 egg during the day at her own pace 🙂 The rest of the family have brought Easter books / toys etc. to limit the chocolate.” Lauren from Sophie’s Nursery.
I was reassured that I was not the only one who restricts it. I was also cool to see so many children getting other tokens rather than chocolate. The gremlin had one egg and her lolly; the rest of her bits included a holiday dress and a book.
What about you? Is Easter a chocolate fest for you?
I imagine I will relax a bit more as they get older but at the moment we sre strict with the amount of chocolate because I have always seen a direct correlation between amount of chocolate eaten and meltdowns. If Monkey has too much in one day he gets all silly and irrational and weepy so its just not worth it!
This was the first year I let eldest (5) have half a chocolate go for breakfast. I did say that I expected him to have something else too, which he did eventually. But, tbf, it was he only chocolate he ate, apart from one small hollow egg after our Easter egg hunt. I don’t think it matters what time of day it is, I think the quantity matters more.
I’m pretty strict with chocolate, my son is 20 months so doesn’t really know the deal with Easter yet. Luckily he’s also not a big fan of chocolate, preferring an orange or blueberries. All eggs have gone in the cupboard as treats for mummy and daddy. I bought him a new jacket as his Easter present. I’m sure it will get harder as he gets older if he has a sugar addiction like his mother
No one’s getting chocolate for breakfast in our house. 😉 We have hot cross buns followed by church. Chocolate comes later – otherwise it’s not a treat. 🙂 Glad it’s not just me
My girls had chocolate for breakfast….lol Oops.
I have said they can eat their eggs whenever they want but they must eat their meals. They have been quite good. They have limited themselves without me really having to. Phew.
#TwinklyTuesday
My kids are 18 and 11 and both still wanted an egg hunt lol. They had their meals as normal and chocolate for after dinner. They ar pretty good with it.
#TriumphantTales
We’ve never rationed or had strict rules with sweets and chocolate. As a result our kids are genuinely not that bothered by it and are never greedy or overindulgent. I think that by removing the ‘forbidden’ element, the desire isn’t that great x
I wouldn’t say we’re strict but we’ve always been careful about Little Man’s eating habits, since he was weaned. I believe good food choices and habits start early… we do allow him biscuits and chocolates and other treats, but in moderation. Of course there is the off day, but we get back on track. I always offer healthier options, like a cracker instead of an Oreo. We limit his juice intake also… never offer it to him unless he asks.
#TriumphantTales
We definitely aren’t a chocolate fest easter household either. A few eggs shared during the week, but Easter weekend wasn’t massively full of chocolate. I feel too guilty for that! #twinklytuesday
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Totally agree, chocolate cannot be for breakfast!! He had one little chocolate at church then all the other bits have been rationed and only small bits after a meal instead as pudding. #TwinklyTuesday
Thank you for including my thoughts on this one! It’s good to know I’m not the only one who restricts the chocolate fest. They did have a little more chocolate on Easter Sunday than I was really happy with but they’ve been very good about it being rationed since then!
I think as they get older I’ll allow more but no way at the moment. I don’t need that kind of sugar rush so early in the morning! Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
Little Man had so much chocolate for Easter this year that next year I need to ask a few people to tone it down a bit. They’re going to last for months! He has to have breakfast before he has anything else, and then I limit how much he has. If I didn’t he would willingly live off the stuff! He’s too much like his Dad!! Thanks so much for linking up to #TriumphantTales. xx
Ben got so much chocolate for Easter which considering he’s only just 11 months is crazy… I ate most of it for him, he was allowed some, but with all treats, we made sure breakfast and even lunch had been eaten before chocolate time. he only has like a small amount each time but i was not impressed with the amount he was given that I just HAVE to eat and that without me or my MIL buying him any!!!! haha
Thanks for sharing with us at #TriumphantTales, i hope to see you again on Tuesday
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