GummyTalk Forum

Okay, I need to vent and maybe get some advice. My 4-year-old found my bottle of vitamin C gummies in my purse yesterday and thought they were 'mommy's special candy.' He ate THREE before I caught him! I'm not worried about the vitamins themselves (they're organic, no artificial colors), but now he keeps asking for more 'orange candy' and I'm struggling to explain why he can't have them. Has anyone else dealt with this? I feel like I'm creating a weird power struggle over something that's supposed to be healthy!

Oh man, Olivia, I feel you! Not with kids, but my wife did something similar last month. We were packing for a hiking trip and she tossed my vitamin C gummies in the snack bag thinking they were fruit snacks. We got to the trailhead and she'd eaten half the bottle! She said the texture was 'weirdly firm' but kept eating them anyway 😂 My advice? Maybe try making it a game? I photograph nature with kids sometimes for workshops, and we turn things into 'adult vs kid' stuff - like 'these are mommy's special grown-up vitamins, you get your own kid ones!' Might work?

As a fitness pro, I see this ALL the time with clients' families. First - make sure they're stored properly (high shelf, child-proof lid). Second, have you tried the chewable tablets instead? Some brands have a chalkier texture that kids don't associate with candy. Or consider getting him his own children's vitamin C gummies (in a different shape/color) so he has 'his' version. The texture thing is real though - my nephew refuses any gummy vitamins because he says they're 'slimy' compared to real gummies. Kids are so particular!

Thanks both! Jack - the hiking story made me laugh, glad it wasn't just us! Wendy - good point about storage, I'm usually so careful but my purse was a fail. I like the idea of getting him his own version. Do you know any brands that use vegetable-based colors? I'm trying to avoid the super bright artificial ones. Also wondering if I should just switch to a powder I can mix in his smoothie and avoid the whole gummy battle...

If you go the smoothie route, I've had success with camu camu powder - it's natural and packed with vitamin C! I mix it in my post-hike recovery drinks. But back to the funny stories - my sister's dog once ate an entire bottle of her vitamin gummies. The vet said the dog would be 'very regular' for a few days but was fine. At least it's not just human family members causing the chaos! Maybe we need 'NOT CANDY' labels on these bottles in huge letters 😄