Parents are embracing a new “gummy bear mum” trend which encourages children to enjoy treats without labelling foods as “good” or “bad”.
‘Gummy bear mums’ allow treats alongside nutritious foods while trying to prevent children associating sweets and snacks with guilt or shame
The parenting style has gained traction on social media as an antidote to so-called “almond mums” – parents who take a highly restrictive or diet-focused approach to what their children eat.
Despite its sugary name, being a gummy bear mom doesn’t mean allowing youngsters to gorge on sweets whenever they want.
Instead, the philosophy involves keeping fun foods such as biscuits, crisps and sweets around alongside more nutritious choices, while attempting to remove guilt and shame from eating them.
The idea is that a child shouldn’t feel they have done something “bad” by eating a cookie or view dessert as a prize they must earn by clearing vegetables from their dinner plate.
The term was popularised on TikTok by creator Justyna McGuire, known online as Jersey Justyna, who used it to describe the type of mum who keeps the fridge and cupboards stocked and is happy to let her children try the latest snacks.
It has since become shorthand for a more relaxed approach to children’s relationship with food.
The trend stands in stark contrast to “almond mum” culture, a phrase inspired by a resurfaced clip of Yolanda Hadid advising her daughter Gigi Hadid to eat “a couple of almonds” after the model complained of feeling weak.
Some parents embracing the gummy bear philosophy say their own childhood experiences of restricted foods, dieting and concerns about weight have made them determined not to pass the same anxieties on to their children.
But experts stress that taking shame out of food doesn’t mean abandoning boundaries.
Psychologist Pamela Rutledge has suggested removing moral judgement around eating can support a healthier relationship with food, while emphasising that children still require structure and opportunities to develop self-regulation.
Parents remain responsible for deciding which foods come into the home and providing balanced meals containing the nutrients growing children need.
And youngsters, particularly younger children, are still developing the impulse control needed to make their own decisions about eating.
The gummy bear approach therefore isn’t supposed to be a sweets free-for-all.
Instead, its supporters argue that a packet of gummy bears can comfortably exist alongside fruit and vegetables without either becoming a source of guilt – allowing children to enjoy a treat without believing their choice says something about whether they have been “good” or “bad”.
