Do you feel like sugar is this big, confusing thing you have to “get right”… or risk raising a sugar-obsessed toddler?

If you’ve ever worried about introducing sweets, setting limits, or wondering if you’re doing too much (or not enough), you’re in the right place. With so many messages around sugar, it can feel like one wrong move could shape your child’s relationship with food forever.

In this episode, Kathy shares a behind-the-scenes look at how she’s personally navigated sugar with her own child, from avoiding added sugar in the early years to intentionally introducing it in a way that supports balance, autonomy, and a healthy relationship with food. She breaks down what actually matters, what’s often overcomplicated, and how small, consistent choices over time make the biggest difference.

She also walks through how to hold boundaries without creating restriction, why your own eating habits matter more than you think, and how to raise a child who can enjoy sweets without feeling out of control around them.

Episode 28: Afraid of having a sugar-obsessed toddler? I was too. | Food for Tot Podcast with Kathy O’Bryan | The Mini Me Dietitian

  • Why avoiding added sugar before age two can support long-term food preferences
  • What “added sugar” really means (and where it often sneaks in)
  • How early feeding choices shape your child’s relationship with sweets
  • Why introducing sugar after age two actually matters for long-term balance
  • The biggest mistake parents make when trying to “control” sugar
  • How to offer sweets without putting them on a pedestal or making them a reward
  • Simple ways to hold boundaries around sugar without creating restriction
  • Why your child asking for more doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong
  • How your own eating habits influence your child more than you realize
  • What it looks like when a child truly has a healthy relationship with sweets
  • How to navigate holidays, daycare, and situations outside your control
  • Why exposure and practice, not avoidance, build long-term self-regulation

Food for Tot Podcast with Kathy O’Bryan | Episode 28 on Spotify

Food for Tot Podcast with Kathy O’Bryan | Episode 28 on Apple