How much candy is OK for kids? NetWellness (2024)

So, how do parents help their kids learn how to enjoy candy in moderation?

The bulk of the foods your child eats should help her get the nutrients her body needs. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy foods and healthful oils such as omega-3.

Limiting "empty" calories

Think of empty calories as the extras -- added sugars, solid fats -- that do not add many (or any) nutrients but do add calories. The amount of “empty” calories your child should be allowed to have is small and depends on age, gender and amount of daily physical activity.

For example, for children between the ages of 9 to 13 who get fewer than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days, the allowance is:

• 120 calories a day for girls
• 160 calories a day for boys.

To develop a more specific plan for your children, visit choosemyplate.gov. Under the Supertracker tab, enter your child's information into My Daily Food Plan.

Mini-sizing candy choices

Luckily, most candy companies offer miniature-sized bars. This helps with portion control. For instance, a regular size Snickers bar has 250 calories. Compare this to a "fun" size Snickers that has just 80 calories and a miniature Snickers that has only 42.5 calories. To check the specific calorie count, look at the Nutrition Facts label. You will find that some miniature candy bars contain fewer than 50 calories, while others have closer to 100 calories.

Once you have a good idea of how many empty calories your children can consume, it is just a matter of doing some simple math to decide how much to allow them to eat per day. For most kids, it is about 1 to 3 miniature or fun-size pieces of candy.

Other things to keep in mind

Discuss with your child the importance of limiting candy. Talk about practical ways that he can make healthy choices.

Talk with your children about donating some of their candy to senior centers or organizations serving those in need.

Store the candy out of sight so it is not a constant temptation.

If you know ahead of time that your children will be eating too many empty calories, plan meals in advance to make up for this. Try loading plates with salads and vegetables your children enjoy along with leaner, lower-calorie options, such as:

• baked or grilled fish;
• chicken or turkey breast;
• broth-based soups.

Also, try to avoid serving fast food, fried foods, and other meals that tend to be higher in calories.

Key points to remember

Your child’s diet should be mostly foods high in nutrients such as:

• vegetables
• fruits
• whole grains
• lean protein
• lowfat dairy
• healthful oils like omega-3.

Decide how many “empty” calories your child should have each day.

Teach your child ways to stay within these “empty” calorie guidelines.

Plan lower-calorie meals for special occasions and holidays when your child may be eating too many empty calories.

It pays off

Remember – eating “empty” calorie foods like candy should be limited. Helping your child to learn to limit empty calories today can have lifelong health benefits.

This article originally appeared in Chow Line in 2009, a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and was adapted for use on NetWellness with permission.

Erin Lombardo, dietetic intern at The Ohio State University, assisted in the review of this content.