EASTER isn't complete without an array of colourful chocolate eggs ready to consume at any given moment.

But according to the experts, our kids are eating far more sugar than the recommended amount, and Easter shouldn't be an excuse.

Pauline Cox, MSc Functional Nutritionist & Author said overconsumption of sugar can lead to a plethora of issues for kids and adults, so parents must be mindful over Easter.

"Too much sugar in our children’s diet not only increases their risk of serious chronic health issues such as type 2 diabetes, with 36,000 children under the age of 19 in the UK with type 2 diabetes but also behavioural issues and tooth decay, the leading cause of hospital admission amongst children,"Pauline told Fabulous.

While it can be a concern, Rachel Kettlewell, child nutrition expert and Founder of children's brand, Fearne & Rosie said it's all about balance and building "healthy relationships with food," rather than labelling certain foods as being "bad" for kids.

For Rachel, Easter is a reminder that we need to "provide education around healthier food choices."

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"Childhood obesity levels are rising with the government reporting 1 in 7 children starting school are obese and by the time our children leave primary school that number rises to 1 in 4,"Rachel told Fabulous.

"Easter is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate different foods and teach children about what’s in the foods they are eating, where their food come from and the impact different foods choices can have on their bodies."

How much should chocolate should kids be having?

According to Pauline, food classified as high in sugar contains over 22.5g of sugar per 100g, while low sugar foods have under 5g.

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To put that into perspective, a typical 500g chocolate Easter egg by a well-known chocolate manufacturer, typically contains 56g of sugar per 100g – and that's just one egg.

According to NHS guidelines, children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24g of free sugars a day, that's equivalent to six sugar cubes.

For kids between 4 and 6, it's even less with no more than 19g of free sugars a day (5 sugar cubes) being recommended.

There's currently no guideline limit for children under the age of 4, but Rachel recommends they avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and food with sugar added to it as much as possible.

Tips to help manage the choc-fest this Easter

Since Easter is "not a typical day" Rachel says it's ok to indulge a little and celebrate with some chocolate.

But there are some ways your kids can enjoy the Easter break without going overboard, the experts say.

Rachel says to use Easter as a way to get creative with food and introduce kids to fun food pairings.

"Mix chocolate eggs with porridge oats to create a more balanced meal that will also keep your child fuller for longer," she said.

Or pair chocolate eggs with mixed fruits, berries and even some veggies so your child is experimenting with different textures and flavours.

Pauline's tips for a fun-filled Easter while reducing chocolate consumption

Keep the chocolate eggs out of sight

It sounds simple but often when kids are engaged with other distractions, they forget or are less interested in the chocolate eggs.

"Instead offer up sections of the egg after lunch or dinner alongside some fruit and nuts which will lessen the blood sugar spike," she says.

Less is more

"There are some lovely Easter goodies ideas that don’t all involve lots of chocolate," she says, so perhaps consider those.

It could be an Easter jigsaw or a toy that comes with a bag of chocolate buttons.

Other ideas include a Easter hamper that has a few bars of high-quality chocolate with some Easter books, socks, tangerines or nuts.

Get the kids involved

Try having fun with activities rather than making Easter all about eating chocolate.

Traditional activities such as egg painting, an egg hunt using decorated boiled eggshells, Easter basket making and baking are all fun activities that children can get involved in, with less focus on sugar.

Stay active to balance out the blood sugars.

Use the Easter break as an opportunity to spend time as a family.

Try a nice walk or a game of hide and seek. Bike rides and exploring castles and the countryside are a good option too.

"[These] can all help counterbalance the chocolate-fest at Easter," says Pauline.

"Whilst we cannot out-exercise a bad diet, we can help keep active when blood sugar levels are peaking due to a more-than usual feat of chocolate."

Beat the cravings

To health beat the craving, try eating a range of healthy fats in addition to your chocolate treats

A tip not just for kids but adults too, Pauline says.

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"They are especially important in children because of their rapid brain development. Essential fatty acids are particularly important for children’s focus, mood and growing brains," she explains.

"Many children lack these key fats found in oily fish, which has been shown to reduce sugar cravings."

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