You shouldn’t give candy or cake to children under 2, new guidelines suggest

This April 21, 2020 file photo shows a Hershey’s chocolate bar with almonds in Philadelphia. Hershey says its Halloween candy sales were up slightly this year despite lower enthusiasm for trick-or-treating amid the pandemic. | AP

New US dietary guidelines suggest that children under 2 years old can’t get candy or cake.

Parents should only feed their children breast milk for the first six months of their life without any sugar added, the U.S. government said in new guidelines released this week.

• The guidelines suggest parents limit sugar-filled foods to less than 10% of calories per day after age 2. That means less desserts, snacks, candy and sweetened drinks to infants, according to The Associated Press.
• “It is really important to make healthier choices, every meal, every day, to develop a pattern of healthy eating,” said Pam Miller of the Agriculture Department’s food and nutrition service.

More details

Babies should only have breast milk at least until they reach 6 months old, the guidelines said, according to The Associated Press.

• If there’s no breast milk available, babies should take iron-fortified infant formula and supplemental vitamin D.

These guidelines are issued every five years from the Agriculture Department and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to NBC News.

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