suggestions for alternatives to sweets

[celeryfans]

My 10yo gets the bus home from school most days with another girl and boy, both of whom buy sweets for the journey home. DD now does the same, and I am concerned. I don't want to go down the route of banning them - I want her to make good choices by herself (and I also don't want to make her feel she can only eat sweets in secret). She gets £2 pocket money a week, some of which she has to use buy fish food/filters etc, so she must be dipping into her piggy bank to supplement. I suppose I could wait until the money ran out, but I would rather help her before that. I can see that it is very tempting, and hard to sit and watch the others eating something you really enjoy, so I wondered if anyone had any suggestions for a healthier alternative, so she has something to keep here fingers/mouth busy! The other two are more streetwise (and the younger siblings of teenagers, DD is the oldest), so an apple is not going to cut it. I should say that, generally,her diet is pretty good, and she is happy to eat plenty of fruit/veg/wholefoods. I would like to keep it that way...!

[Mumraathenoisylion]

jelly sweets obviously still not amazing but no sugar and home made is better than shop bought?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

One small packet of sweets per day alongside a healthy diet Int going to hurt. Id instil a couple of rules though: use her own pocket money with no dipping into savings; teeth brushed when she gets in; little to no junk at home as a trade off.

[celeryfans]

Thank you both!

[bananasandchocolate]

We take things such as fruit, (not popular!) Small bitesize cakey type things, crackers/breadsticks and popcorn, which is kind of more healthy than crisps, iyswim.
Maybe suggest some healthier but still tasty alternatives, with sweets on a Friday, for example.

[verajean]

Hi Mums,
I’m a student carrying out research into children’s breakfast choices and have made a post with the link to a questionnaire on the ‘Classified – student surveys’ forum, under the title ‘University Dissertation Questionnaire for Mothers with Children between age of 5-13’ if you could take 5 minutes to complete this, I would be so grateful – and if you have the time, share it with friends/family!
Thank you

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

I agree that if it's just one small bag of crisps packet or sweets a day and she isn't going over her £2, it's not worth a fuss.

I know my two slip to the sweet shop before getting their bus, or before I pick them up. They occasionally go to the village shop too (this is a decent walk, so it sort of cancels out).

I simply buy more fruit and less bad stuff.

[Aliceismagic1]

Probably not something you want to start her off chewing 24/7 but sugarfree gum? If she had a stick a day then one 48p pack would last her all week!

[aubreye]

DS1 buys sugar-free gum as it "tastes nicer" anyway and lasts longer.

No sweets at home, only fruit. That's the only thing they're allowed to help themselves to as well.