Did you know that the sugar in a cup of hot coco often exceeds a child's sugar limit for the day?
Look at the added sugars in this container of coco: 19g added sugars
If you add 5-6 marshmallows, the sugar content will total about 25 grams.
Remember that the limit for kids is 25 grams added sugar PER DAY.
I'm not saying that you can never have hot coco.
I love hot coco, especially with marshmallows!
What I would like you to consider is that maybe hot coco should be saved for special occasions, and should not be a daily addition to breakfast or afterschool snacks.
So what warm sweet drink can you have instead?
Vanilla milk!
My son is drinking vanilla milk in this photo. Vanilla milk is the go-to hot drink at our house, I call it coco's healthier cousin.
Vanilla milk meets that need for warmth without all the added sugar.
Here's how you make it:
Microwave a mug full of milk until warm.
Stir in vanilla extract and a tiny bit of almond extract (just a drop).
Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon sugar.
Stir and enjoy.
If you start out serving this when your kids are young, they will come to love vanilla milk and enjoy it all their days. If you've only ever served hot coco, vanilla milk might taste bland to them.
Give it time.
My older kids warmed up to vanilla milk after I stopped buying hot coco. Now hot coco is something I save for special occasions!
Let me know what you think if you try it!
Happy Holidays!
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