13 year old boys spending pocket money on junk food

[Chocamochalatte]

So I gave my DSs 13 £1 to get something on the way home from school today (expecting them to buy a chocolate bar) Discover that they spent it on two boxes of cakes - brownies and battenbergs!

Is this normal?!?! Am I wrong to keep reminding them that they will get fat if they continue?!?!

They are very fit, do sport three to four times a week, go to Cadets twice a week and spend more time out of the house at the park etc than in, but am not happy with them eating so much crap!!

[princessalbert]

I live near a shop, and often see teenagers walking past eating a cooked chicken drumstick or a whole pack of cookies.

Down at the other shop I see groups of kids who buy a large 2 l bottle of coke etc and share it.

It is a bit odd, but seems to be the norm.

[Squeegle]

I think it's pretty normal. When I was a teen I would spend my money on 3 creme eggs and scoff them in one go. I would also eat whole tubs of Nutella. I was very thin. You can do it at that age. I'm still fairly thin by the way although I don't scoff junk like that now!!

[Chocamochalatte]

It just seems really greedy to me and I don't want them getting in to a habit of eating like that. I'm tempted to stop giving them pocket money but then I don't want them to hide what they're doing

[fortyplus]

Mine both did this. Ds2 used to buy 2 family size bags of M&Ms - eat one on the way home and one later. Then about 4 bowls of Shreddies as well as his evening meal. But he grew about 7" in a year so I think he just needed loads of calories to keep up. He's sporty and t 18 is now 6'1" and 11 stone

[Chocamochalatte]

That's reassuring Forty :)

[Beamur]

My DP fessed up that he spent all his dinner money on sweets the whole time he was at senior school.
He is still slim and sporty (and loves sweets!) at fifty-something.

[LoveVintage]

Yup, mine do that. They have hollow legs at that age, never stop eating, including crap. Yet they are slim as whippets (weeps) All you can do is try and redress by attempting to feed them healthily at home.

[Ludways]

My ds (12) would rather eat cakes than anything else, it's normal. He's all skin and bones.

[really1234]

Yep, DS (13) would also spend all his money at our local Costcutter given half the chance. If he had a pound he'd usually buy cookies rather than a chocolate bar, better value for money as he sees it.

This is the reason that most of his pocket money goes into his bank account with only a small amount of cash given.

[BackforGood]

Pretty normal - they spend all the energy they take in at that age, just growing. If they have an active lifestyle and you generally feed them a reasonable diet, then the odd box of cakes won't harm them.

I'm impressed he could get 2 boxes of cakes for £1 though - bargain

[Chocamochalatte]

Thanks everyone, feel a bit better now!

Backforgood, that's one thing they've learnt from me, how to hunt out a bargain!!