You do not need to introduce sugar as a milestone or make sweets part of a toddler’s routine. U.S. guidance recommends avoiding foods and drinks with added sugars for children under 2. Offer varied, nourishing foods, choose unsweetened options, and use whole fruit when you want a naturally sweet choice.
What counts as sugar—and what should you avoid?
Added sugars are sugars put into foods or drinks during preparation or processing. They are different from sugars naturally present in whole fruit and plain milk. CDC says infants and young children have no room in their diet for added sugars; the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) likewise advises avoiding foods and drinks with added sugar for children under 2. CDC guidance on foods and drinks to avoid or limit and AAP guidance for caregivers give examples such as sweetened yogurt, muffins, and cookies.
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Check the Nutrition Facts label for “Includes … g Added Sugars.” The number refers to added sugars, not all sugars naturally present in the food. Plain milk contains lactose, and whole fruit contains natural sugars; those are not the added sugars these recommendations address.
What to offer as your child starts solids
CDC and AAP recommend starting foods other than breast milk or infant formula at about 6 months, when a baby is developmentally ready. Sugar is not a required first food or ingredient. Readiness signs include sitting with support, good head and neck control, opening the mouth for food, swallowing rather than pushing food back out, and bringing objects to the mouth. Choose textures appropriate to your child’s abilities. See CDC’s guide to when and how to introduce solid foods.
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Build variety from vegetables, fruits, protein foods, dairy without added sugars, healthy fats, and whole grains. To add sweetness to a meal, offer soft, age-appropriate pieces or preparations of whole fruit rather than sweetened foods. CDC’s foods and drinks to encourage guidance describes the broader mix of foods to offer.
How to make sweets an occasional food, not a daily routine
A calm, predictable approach is more useful than treating sugar as a special event or turning meals into a strict test. WHO recommends responsive feeding: notice a child’s hunger and fullness cues, and encourage eating without overriding those cues. Its complementary-feeding guidance covers children 6–23 months and emphasizes gradually increasing food consistency and variety. The guidance supports a responsive mealtime approach; it does not establish that one taste creates a permanent preference or that a particular rule guarantees a specific outcome. WHO complementary-feeding guidance.
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- Make unsweetened foods and drinks the everyday default.
- Offer a range of nutritious foods, including whole fruit, without using sweets as a reward or routine soothing tool.
- Let the child’s hunger and fullness cues guide how much they eat.
- When choosing packaged food, compare labels and select options without added sugars when available.
Fruit, juice, and sweetened drinks are not interchangeable
| Choice | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Whole fruit | A suitable naturally sweet option; preferred over juice. |
| 100% fruit juice | Do not give before 12 months. After 12 months it is unnecessary; for ages 1–3, AAP recommends no more than 4 ounces per day. |
| Fruit drinks or juice drinks | Not the same as 100% juice; they can contain added sugars. Avoid sweetened drinks for children under 2. |
For drinks, CDC identifies water and unflavored, unsweetened milk as good choices. Milk recommendations depend on age: cow’s milk should not be presented as a drink before 12 months. See the CDC guidance on foods and drinks to avoid or limit and AAP’s added-sugar advice.
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