Learn how my family includes donuts and other sweet treats into a balanced diet. Plus find out why we choose to include sweet treats in our diet.
Hi Friends!
If you follow along on my Instagram account, you may notice that I frequently post pictures of my family or I eating donuts (or one of our other favorite sweet treats). Clearly, I love donuts. But I also hold a strong belief that it’s important to teach my family how to have a healthy relationship with food from the get-go. Developing that relationship means that no foods are made off limits. Everyone, regardless of their profession, weight status, or desire to be healthy will likely have a healthier relationship with food when they believe that all foods can fit into a healthy diet.
You may be thinking, well isn’t it contradictory for you to be a Registered Dietitian yet promote eating donuts. Absolutely not! An unhealthy relationship with food can develop when certain food groups (especially really desired ones) are avoided or restricted. What happens when you tell someone they can’t have a specific food or food group? The answer is simple – they end up desiring it more. The thought of not being able to have that food – whether it be donuts, pizza, French fries, etc. leaves them to thinking about it more. Eventually, they end up giving in and eating that food – which typically leads to guilt for giving in and overindulging associated with the craving.
Those beautiful feeds or perfect Instagram stories full of “healthy” foods can seem inspiring to some, but for many individuals, this can be harmful. What may appear to be helpful can cause people to feel ashamed of their food choices. The shame can keep them active in a disordered eating cycle which includes guilt, restriction, overindulging, and back to guilt.
Children who live in a household where food or food groups are frequently restricted often start sneaking foods or overindulging the foods not available in the house. At a young age, they struggle to understand a healthy relationship with food. In the long term, this can lead to disordered (sometimes severe) eating habits as an adult.
Including not so nutrient-rich foods in your family’s diet, such as pizza or donuts, doesn’t have to be a daily habit. Part of including all foods into a healthy diet means understanding how to listen to your body and what it desires while also practicing balance. Below are several tips on how your family can include donuts (or some of your other favorite not so nutrient-rich foods) into your eating habits.
- Conquer hunger first. When my family plans a donut outing for breakfast, we typically eat a protein source such as a hard-boiled egg or yogurt along with a serving of fruit first. So when we arrive at the donut shop, we aren’t ravenous. Extreme hunger coupled with a craving for a certain food can lead to overeating in a hurry.
- Limit it to one. Part of our plan is that we each get to pick out only one donut. That doesn’t mean we pick out one donut for now and several donuts to enjoy later or the following day. We know we are done with that one donut. This can apply to cookies, ice cream, french fries, etc – eat one serving now and don’ buy extra for later.
- Eat adequate fruits and vegetables. Just because we may enjoy a donut as part of a breakfast or a snack doesn’t mean we skip out on the nutrition-packed foods throughout the remainder of the day. Regardless of the type of food, you consume at one meal, eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day helps to create balance and still meet nutritional needs.
- Be mindful of other choices. If we have plans to attend a birthday party later (which I assume will include cake) or I know we have plans to eat another sugar-sweetened food, donuts will likely not be a part of that day. Planning meals and snacks in advance is always helpful in creating a balanced dietary intake.
- Who knows if they will want it. Just because you offer them a donut (or other sweetened food), it doesn’t mean they will eat it. My husband used to go into a slight panic mode when he would see a donut sitting in front of my son. How is he going to act if he eats all the sugar, he would say. The funny thing is that my son hardly ever eats an entire donut. This is evidence that avoiding restriction can help control portion intake and teach our family how to listen to their body and hunger cues.
Your Family’s Dietitian,