Tips & Tricks from 20 Aussie Mums & Dads
Christmas is coming and the option for delicious cakes, beautifully designed biscuits and caramel centred chocolates are popping up on our door step every day. This doesn’t stop on Christmas day because Aunty June, Grandma Mary, the next door neighbours, your partner and anyone else that loves all the Christmas themed sugary treats has bought you a tonne of them. Then you find that mid-January comes and you’re working your way through your 4th box of chocolates, those assorted biscuits and eating the Christmas tree chocolates that the kids missed behind the back of the tree. Then the panic sets in that you have put on 2kg in the space of 3 weeks….ekkkk.
Well Parents’ Voice is here to voice our parents best tips and tricks for preventing and controlling the excess of food that Santa brings to your door this year.
20 Parents’ Top Tips and Tricks
Thanks to all the parents that passed their helpful advice onto us.
Kim – Mum of 2
“In our house we try to counter the piles of treats by reducing the presence of food in the house especially before meal times, it can be easy to mindlessly snack on foods and skip meals. We also try and separate out our dinners with dessert. Usually a brisk walk to the park after dinner helps to burn off excess calories.”
Jenny – Mum of 2
“We try to keep a platter of chopped up veg and fruit around the house to prevent minding snacking on sugary items. If it’s chopped up it encourages our family to eat it compared to having to prepare yourself.”
Ivan – Dad of 2
“At meal times around Christmas I try and introduce more veg and lean meat to keep the appetite suppressed.”
Lauren – Mum of 1
“We try and give the treat food away to get it out of the house, lol. Also it is important to realise that it is Ok to have some treat food, don’t feel guilty just try and control the amount you have.”
Kim – Mum of 2
“We try and have light lunches in the house with some cold meats and fresh salads and light puddings. There is always an option for healthier snacking such as dried fruit and nuts around.”
Nino – Dad of 2
“I try and get my kids outside more, playing with their Christmas gifts or at the park to burn off extra calories. Also we simply don’t buy too many treat foods, or if we do we offer them at large family gatherings to share the load.”
Anje – Mum of 2
“Simple, don’t buy treat food lol! In Fiji we have loads of fresh fruit that we introduce throughout the day such as apples/pears/peaches.”
Sam – Mum of 2
“Try for healthier meals such as lean meats and vegies on the BBQ. We don’t tend to serve a traditional dessert at Christmas, just fruit works.”
Jane – Mum of 2
“We try and leave healthy food out around the house; cut up veg, dips, nuts, fruit and try not to buy sweet treats. If we do have a surplus of junk we take it away.”
Colin – Dad of 6
“We try not to go overboard on junk food, it’s OK for them to have some, just get the kids out of the house and active during the Christmas period”.
Sybille – Mum of 2
“My kids have no sugar after childcare. If they have any treats it tends to be in the morning, so they can burn of it off when they are most active. After dinner we just offer fruit.”
Dee – Mum of 2
“It’s all about the stocking fillers, you don’t need to add sugary treats just be imaginative with toys and games for the kids. We ban M and M’s in our house as it causes my kids to climb the walls.”
Karen – Mum of 3
“We do the usual of introducing healthy snacks, but our family loves cricket, so we get the stumps out and have an awesome session with the family to burn off Christmas lunches.”
Sally – Mum of 2
“We put the treats in the house in a unrecognisable container and then bring only a few out every day to prevent over consumption.”
Kristy – Mum of 2
“In our house we say to the kids that we will save some of the treat food for Santa, and then we remove them from sight.”
Lucy – Mum of 2
“If my kids are gifted sweets I offer to buy them from them, and give the kids a couple of dollars to spend at the op shop instead. They are usually happier with a ball or small toy anyway.”
Rebecca – Mum of 2.5
“Avoid the prolific chocolate-based Advent calendars! We put the excess junk food aside for treats over the coming weeks/months and will often bring it out to share at my son’s birthday in January.”
Tim – Dad of 2
“In our house, we’re more about activities in addition to just sitting and eating. Playing with new toys is an easy distraction.”
Alice – Mum of 2 (Campaigns Manager of Parents’ Voice)
“In our house we have done Lego advent calendars the last couple of years. It’s a lovely way to start the day and so much more fun than chocolate ”
Luke – Dad of 1 (Parents’ Voice comms)
“In our house chocolate doesn’t last long, so I hide it in frozen spinach packs in the shed or put it on high shelves so small people can’t find it. But we tend to buy 90% dark chocolate and snack on healthy food and visit the park a few extra times during the Christmas period.”
If you have any more tips and trips of your own feel free to share with us and we will post them up during January time.
Have a good Christmas everyone 🙂
Written by Luke Daley,
Parents Voice Communications Officer,
Registered Nutritionist
2 Responses
This year we have done a reverse advent calendar. The kids put something into the basket that we have bought and that they like or se everyday and we will drop it off at a local family shelter before christmas.
What a lovely thing to do with your family. Thanks for sharing Denise!