As a registered dietitian and a mother, I’ve seen firsthand how misunderstandings in adult nutrition can lead to detrimental eating habits for children. Despite the wealth of information at our fingertips, misconceptions persist—often passed from one generation to the next, without questioning their long-term impact. The result? Our youth routinely encounter food and beverage choices that undermine their growth, health, and future well-being. So, where are we going wrong?
It’s not that parents or caregivers set out to harm their kids’ diets. Instead, we exist in a landscape flooded with convenience foods, aggressive marketing, and outdated advice. Adults might serve sweetened coffees or sugary snacks before and after sports simply because “that’s what we’ve always done.” Over time, essential nutrients take a back seat, while excessive sugars, artificial additives, and empty calories become the norm.
As noted in Intelligence.Coffee’s “Coffee, Kids, & Cultural Controversies” (2024), these myths about what’s “healthy” or “normal” often stem from cultural traditions. Consider coffee culture in places like Brazil, and now America, where enjoying coffee sweetened with generous amounts of sugar is deeply ingrained. From an early age, children watch adults relish this sugary beverage, internalizing it as a household staple. Over time, this shapes their palate and cements sugar as an expected part of everyday life—both in coffee and other foods.
While cultural traditions and communal rituals are valuable, we must recognize when they lead us astray nutritionally. Coffee itself can be part of a balanced lifestyle, appreciated for its flavor complexity and even paired thoughtfully with nutrient-dense options. But when households serve it routinely sweetened—emphasizing sugar rather than food quality—children learn to crave sweetness and disregard the more nuanced, healthful dimensions of their diet.
This is precisely why Dope Coffee Company created a rich Coffee-Infused syrup to add sweetness and flavor without excess; it is why Dope Coffee Company partners with brands like Edensque, a shelf stable oat milk company that doesn’t rely on excessive sugar for taste and mouthfeel. By choosing quality, we retain the comforting aspects of coffee culture—coworkers chatting over a morning cup, families bonding in the kitchen—without passing along poor nutritional habits. Shifting the focus from sugar-laden coffees to more balanced choices helps break the cycle of misconception and sets a new standard for what’s “normal” at the breakfast table and beyond.
From a dietary perspective, parents (and adults) should step back and question the daily patterns they’re modeling. Are we teaching kids to associate sweetness with their first beverage of the day? Is sugar becoming the benchmark for flavor satisfaction? Just as we’d involve children in picking fresh produce or reading labels at the grocery store, we can discuss why we choose certain coffee pairings or milk alternatives over others. Or can you?
Education is key. Teaching youth about balanced plates, moderate use of sweeteners (either date or sugar cane), and the value of whole, minimally processed foods encourages habits that extend well beyond their formative years. When kids understand that coffee—or any food—can be enjoyed with depth and complexity, they learn that sugar need not dominate their culinary experience.
By confronting these misconceptions, we give our children the chance to thrive on and off the court, growing into adults who savor flavors with discernment and understand the difference between tradition and sound nutrition. It’s time we challenge the status quo, break the sugar cycle, and forge a healthier path forward.