{"id":9331,"date":"2025-08-22T22:48:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T12:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?p=9331"},"modified":"2025-08-22T22:48:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T12:48:29","slug":"central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By Alyssa Said, Redwood Wellbeing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do some kids seem to think about sweets all the time, while others hardly give them a second thought? This difference often comes down to something called a \u2018sweet food preoccupation\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we say a child is preoccupied with sweet food, we mean they\u2019re thinking about it a lot, asking for it often, or having big emotional reactions when it\u2019s around or taken away. It\u2019s like sweets are taking up too much space in their mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s not black and white. We all sit somewhere along the continuum of sweet food preoccupation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At one end is neutrality (sweets are no big deal).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the middle is mild interest (very normal \u2013 most kids love sweet food!).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At the far end is fixation or obsession, where sweets feel like the most important thing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids can move along this spectrum depending on their environment, emotions, or what\u2019s happening around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what\u2019s a healthy goal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re not aiming for kids to not like sweet food \u2013 that\u2019s not realistic or even helpful. Sweets can bring joy, fun, celebration, and connection. The goal is to support a relationship with sweet food that\u2019s calm, flexible, and guilt\u2013free \u2013 not driven by anxiety, urgency, or secrecy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s developmentally typical for kids to love sweets and ask for them often. They might get excited about dessert, talk about chocolate a lot, or choose sweet foods when given the option. That\u2019s okay and expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if sweets start to dominate your child\u2019s focus or affect their behaviour, you may notice they are;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Frequently sneaking or hiding sweets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Getting very upset when treats are limited.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seeming unable to stop eating sweets, even when full.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Constantly talking about lollies or comparing with peers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lying or hoarding treats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In these cases, sweets are no longer just enjoyable \u2013 they\u2019ve become emotionally loaded or symbolic of comfort, reward, or rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research suggests that genetics somewhat influence our preference for sweet foods, and that babies are born with an innate inclination toward sweetness. This preference is tied to specific taste receptors that are present from birth. These receptors, part of the body\u2019s sensory system, allow infants to more easily detect and respond positively to sugary tastes which come from energy\u2013rich foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Genetics may give a child the potential to be more drawn to sweets, but it\u2019s the environment (how sweets are talked about, offered, and experienced) that shapes what kind of sweet food relationship they develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Think of it this way:<br><\/strong>Genes = the wiring<br>Environment = the programming<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even with a genetic tendency, a child\u2019s sweet food preoccupation is heavily shaped by what\u2019s happening around them. Some key environmental triggers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Making sweets seem \u201cforbidden\u201d or \u201cspecial\u201d<br><\/strong>Comments like \u201csugar is bad\u201d or \u201cyou can only have dessert if you finish dinner\u201d make sweets seem rare or powerful \u2013 which makes kids want them even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Using sweets as a reward<br><\/strong>Linking sweets to \u201cearning\u201d or \u201cdeserving\u201d teaches kids that treats are the best food and everything else is just a chore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Comforting with sweet food<br><\/strong>Offering lollies or ice cream to soothe an upset child can teach them to use food to deal with emotions rather than learning other coping tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sweets as a love language<br><\/strong>When treats become a symbol of love (\u201cI brought you donuts because I love you\u201d), kids can connect sweet food with feeling valued or accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Over\u2013restricting sweets<br><\/strong>Trying to keep all sugar out of the house can backfire. Kids often become more curious, eat in secret, or overdo it when they finally get access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Parental modelling<br><\/strong>If adults are sneaking sweets, talking about being \u201cbad,\u201d or showing guilt around treats, kids absorb those messages and start to mirror them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inconsistency\/food drama<br><\/strong>Constant changes in rules, food battles, or emotional reactions around sweets create anxiety and confusion for kids, which can increase fixation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The bottom line\u2026<br><\/strong>Kids are naturally wired to love sweet food. That\u2019s okay. What matters most is how we handle it. When sweets are restricted, moralised, or over\u2013emphasised, kids become preoccupied. But when sweets are part of everyday life, offered without drama, and surrounded by trust, most children settle into a calmer, more balanced relationship with food over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alyssa Said \u2013 founder of Redwood Wellbeing, is a mother of two, a high school PDHPE teacher, and as a certified body image and food relationship counsellor. Alyssa coaches women with poor body image and disordered eating patterns and equips parents to support their child\u2019s body confidence and balanced approaches to eating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Alyssa Said, Redwood Wellbeing Why do some kids seem to think about sweets all the time, while others hardly give them a second thought? This difference often comes down&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sync_status":"none","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35,40],"tags":[166,116],"series":[],"class_list":["post-9331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellbeing","category-parenting","tag-alyssa-said","tag-article"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/feed\/podcast\/default-podcast","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"1uXG98NR9v\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\">Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/embed\/#?secret=1uXG98NR9v\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains&#8221; &#8212; On The Coast Families\" data-secret=\"1uXG98NR9v\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","syncStatus":{"isSynced":false,"status":"none","error":"","message":"Not synced yet.","title":"Not synced"}},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child&#039;s obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child&#039;s obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"On The Coast Families\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OnTheCoastFamilies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1170\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"780\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"LukeAdmin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"LukeAdmin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"LukeAdmin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/ffd0cbff2ca55a6b7676bbae7f32f4e8\"},\"headline\":\"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\"},\"wordCount\":782,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Alyssa Said\",\"Article\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Health &amp; Wellbeing\",\"Parenting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\",\"name\":\"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child's obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg\",\"width\":1170,\"height\":780},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/\",\"name\":\"On The Coast Families\",\"description\":\"On the Coast Families is an innovative, bi-monthly publication for families living on the NSW Central Coast\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization\",\"name\":\"On the Coast Families\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/OTC-Families-web-logo_v3.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/OTC-Families-web-logo_v3.png\",\"width\":301,\"height\":129,\"caption\":\"On the Coast Families\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OnTheCoastFamilies\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/onthecoastfamilies\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/ffd0cbff2ca55a6b7676bbae7f32f4e8\",\"name\":\"LukeAdmin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fe0acc7e97cea7beeba18a17f7117afe248c328afd8cc501e40a184facadf57?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fe0acc7e97cea7beeba18a17f7117afe248c328afd8cc501e40a184facadf57?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"LukeAdmin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/author\/lukeadmin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families","description":"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child's obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families","og_description":"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child's obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.","og_url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/","og_site_name":"On The Coast Families","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OnTheCoastFamilies\/","article_published_time":"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1170,"height":780,"url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"LukeAdmin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"LukeAdmin","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/"},"author":{"name":"LukeAdmin","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/ffd0cbff2ca55a6b7676bbae7f32f4e8"},"headline":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains","datePublished":"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/"},"wordCount":782,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","keywords":["Alyssa Said","Article"],"articleSection":["Health &amp; Wellbeing","Parenting"],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/","url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/","name":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains - On The Coast Families","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","datePublished":"2025-08-22T12:48:28+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-22T12:48:29+00:00","description":"Central Coast mums: Worried about your child's obsession with sweets? Learn the difference between a natural love of sugar and a preoccupation, with tips from a local expert.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/happy-toddler-boy-with-two-donuts-near-his-eyes.jpg","width":1170,"height":780},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/central-coast-kids-sweet-food-preoccupation-tips\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Is Your Child Preoccupied with Sweet Foods? A Local Expert Explains"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#website","url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/","name":"On The Coast Families","description":"On the Coast Families is an innovative, bi-monthly publication for families living on the NSW Central Coast","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#organization","name":"On the Coast Families","url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/OTC-Families-web-logo_v3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/OTC-Families-web-logo_v3.png","width":301,"height":129,"caption":"On the Coast Families"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OnTheCoastFamilies\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/onthecoastfamilies\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/ffd0cbff2ca55a6b7676bbae7f32f4e8","name":"LukeAdmin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fe0acc7e97cea7beeba18a17f7117afe248c328afd8cc501e40a184facadf57?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2fe0acc7e97cea7beeba18a17f7117afe248c328afd8cc501e40a184facadf57?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"LukeAdmin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au"],"url":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/author\/lukeadmin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9331"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9333,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9331\/revisions\/9333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9331"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=9331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}