Dessert is a sensitive issue in many homes. But with these healthy tips, you and your family can learn how to enjoy sweets responsibly.

It sounds so familiar. "No dessert unless you finish your dinner!" Parents are typically found with these words on their lips as they respond to children who bargain for dessert before or during dinner, or who have not eaten enough dinner to warrant being "done eating" and therefore ready for dessert.

Dessert is a sensitive issue in many homes. There is nothing wrong with desserts or sweets of any kind … as long as it is done in moderation. If eating dessert at your house leads to the following, it may be time to rethink that end-of-meal ritual:

• Desserts are eaten without moderation.
• Desserts take the place of more nutritious foods.
• Sweets have become a bargaining chip or reward for having eaten a less valued food.
• Dessert foods make your child rambunctious, particularly before bedtime.
• Dessert has become a ritualized ending to every meal.
• Your children are experiencing a heightened level of tooth decay.

Beware of Dessert Pitfalls

Here are some common misconceptions about dessert. Consider whether you, your spouse, or your child has fallen into any of these pitfalls:

• Dessert is the punctuation point at the end of each meal.
• Dessert is a reward for having eaten the meal.
• It is OK to have several desserts in a single day.
• If a person eats a sweet snack not during a meal, then it doesn't count as a dessert.
• Desserts need to be sweet and processed to qualify as a real dessert.

Children must not be allowed to arbitrate how regularly desserts appear at your dinner table. You are the person who shops for and buys the food. You are the person who will determine your menus, when to serve desserts, how often, and what form they will take.