Reducing sugary, high-glycaemic-load (GL) foods in your child’s diet can be a daunting task. These foods are often the ones children love the most, and changing established eating habits requires patience and persistence. However, making small, manageable adjustments can lead to significant improvements in your child’s energy levels and overall health.

What You Need to Know:

✔ Children often prefer sugary foods due to taste, habit, and marketing exposure—changing this requires both environmental and behavioural shifts.

✔ Reducing sugar doesn’t mean cutting all sweet foods—substitution and positive reinforcement work better than restriction alone.

✔ According to the Behaviour Change Wheel, interventions that involve modelling, enablement, and environmental restructuring are among the most effective.

✔ Making changes as a family enhances motivation and builds a supportive social environment for sustained habits.

Here are Five Practical Steps to Reduce High-GL Foods:

1. Involve Your Child in Meal Planning
Let them help choose recipes, write the shopping list, and cook meals. When kids feel ownership, they’re more likely to try new, healthier foods.

2. Make Healthy Foods Visually Appealing
Use colourful plates, fun shapes, and DIY meal stations (like veggie faces on wholegrain pizza) to make meals fun and approachable.

3. Gradually Substitute High-GL Foods
Reducing sugar doesn’t mean cutting all sweet foods—substitution and positive reinforcement work better than restriction alone. Start small—swap white bread for wholemeal, sugary cereal for oats with berries. Gradual change increases acceptance and sustainability.

4. Model the Behaviour You Want to See
Kids mimic what they see. When you consistently eat and enjoy healthy foods, they’re more likely to do the same.

5. Reduce Processed Food Availability at Home
Make it easier to choose well—keep ultra-processed foods out of sight or out of the house and stock up on nourishing options like nuts, fruits, and veg.

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Create a shared meal planning space in your kitchen—use a chalkboard or whiteboard where children and teens of any age can get involved! Everyone can see and contribute. This makes healthy eating a family routine and supports planning, ownership, and shared responsibility.

💬 Encouragement for Parents: Remember, it’s normal for children to resist dietary changes initially. Consistency and patience are key. Celebrate small victories and continue to encourage healthy choices. By creating a supportive home environment and modelling healthy choices, you’re not just changing meals—you’re changing habits for life!

📌 Next email: Is it Just a Spoonful of Sugar?

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team