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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this enough food for a pre-teen boy?

67 replies

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:33

My DS is nearly 12. Recently he’s been saying that he’s hungry all the time so wondering if I need to change his diet, or perhaps just give him bigger portions?? If he’s like that now, what is he going to be in 2-3 years time! 😂

As an example, today he’s eaten:

Breakfast - bowl of shreddies with milk
Snack - mini flapjack and apple
Lunch - home made broccoli, red pepper, and sweet potato soup with bread roll.
Snack - 2 crumpets with butter
Dinner - cauliflower stew with boiled potatoes and 2 boiled eggs (sounds odd but it’s a traditional recipe from where I come from!)
Supper - another bowl of shreddies 🤦🏻‍♀️ and a bit of an Easter chocolate egg.
Drinks - just water.
All adult portions.

This is probably a standard day for him, minus the chocolate. He’s active (couple of sports and plays out with friends) but nothing significant. Weight-wise he’s totally fine.
I know breakfast should be better and have tried adding protein like omelettes etc but he’s not into that at all.

I’m a worrier, so of course I’m now worrying that I’m not feeding him enough, or that I’m feeding him too much! Stupid brain 🙄

Anyway, what’s your opinion lovely and wise mumsnetters?

OP posts:
sophiasnail · 16/04/2025 15:22

Have you asked him what he would like? He might have some fixed ideas about what would fill him up! (He might also say a big bag of sweeties every day, so I'd make it clear you are asking for suggestions not a shopping list!)

BobbyBiscuits · 16/04/2025 15:19

If he's always hungry and slim/healthy weight then of course he needs more food.

Do you give him pocket money or money in exchange for chores? Most kids that age do tend to have a bit of cash that they spend on snacks from outside the house.

The meals you supply sound very healthy but not that protein rich.
Can you not just either give him a budget for his own snacks or just buy a bunch of stuff he can help himself to whenever he feels like it.

Obviously fruit, veg etc as well as crisps, pretzels, cheese, maybe ramen noodles, beans or spaghetti hoops on toast? Things he can prepare or eat easily. I hope you've taught him how to cook some basic things?

Murdoch1949 · 16/04/2025 15:01

Boys eat like horses. Yes, it will get worse as his growth spurt really kicks in. He's not eating lots of chocolate/sweets/crisps & isn't overweight, so all good. Just carry on feeding him well, maybe a bit more protein. Let him have free access to fruit & vegetables and then just hope he leaves home by the time he's 25 or he'll bankrupt you.

Freshflower · 15/04/2025 23:39

It doesn't sound like a lot for a growing boy tbh ,good there is healthy veggies. There needs to be more added at each course and definitely more protein. I find my dc is really hungry if I've just given soup and bread at lunch .

Aussiebear · 15/04/2025 23:09

Could it be he's secretly binning the healthy food and you should buy him some crisps?

Otherwise, maybe more quinoa

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 22:22

Amazing thank you all, loads of good ideas here. Please keep them coming! 😊

OP posts:
Olive567 · 15/04/2025 22:17

Protein and fat will be more satiating- would he try Greek yoghurt with berries and maybe oats and toasted seeds; peanut butter; smoked salmon and cream cheese; cheese and crackers; tuna sandwiches; pancake stack made with eggs, yoghurt or cottage cheese and oats; sardines on toast; boiled eggs for snacks.

Blossombeanie · 15/04/2025 22:15

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:59

Ohh I like the idea of wraps thanks. What fillings do you usually have?

I have a Greek husband who goes overboard with food but generally:

falafel, avocado (into guacamole), Hellim cheese fried (yum- my daughter doesn’t like cheese either but does like this), roasted or fried peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, hummus, fried chicken substitutes (vegetarian). Greek flatbreads or normal wraps. Mayonnaise.

This goes down well with my daughter who is fussy with food so can just pick whatever she wants

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 22:14

RareGoalsVerge · 15/04/2025 22:10

More typical would be:
Breakfast
2 bowls cereal + banana

Snack
Flapjack & apple & handful nuts

lunch
Soup with 2 or 3 rolls, possibly with some sliced chicken for protein

Snack
2 crumpets w butter & nutella
Handful dried apricots

Dinner
Not a bad maincourse but probable bigger portion and could you make it with bone broth to boost the protein?

Do a hearty proper english pudding like apple pie & custard or jam roly poly. Something to stick to the ribcage.

Sounds good. We don’t usually eat dessert but my husband makes an amazing apple crumble so will ask him to make it more often. 😁

OP posts:
RareGoalsVerge · 15/04/2025 22:10

More typical would be:
Breakfast
2 bowls cereal + banana

Snack
Flapjack & apple & handful nuts

lunch
Soup with 2 or 3 rolls, possibly with some sliced chicken for protein

Snack
2 crumpets w butter & nutella
Handful dried apricots

Dinner
Not a bad maincourse but probable bigger portion and could you make it with bone broth to boost the protein?

Do a hearty proper english pudding like apple pie & custard or jam roly poly. Something to stick to the ribcage.

OatFlatWhiteForMe · 15/04/2025 22:02

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:37

Oh also, any ideas for healthy snacks very welcomed! He doesn’t like cheese (gutted 😂!) and apparently nuts etc don’t fill him up.

Greek yogurt, nuts, berries and honey?

PurpleThistle7 · 15/04/2025 22:00

Oh and for a specific example today she had (I think)
breakfast - bowl of porridge with raisins and an apple
snack - peanut butter sandwich
lunch - snack sausage things, bread roll, cucumbers, tomatoes, crisps, a couple biscuits and a clementine
snack - peanut butter toast (she isn’t a huge cheese fan either so we go through a ‘lot’ of peanut butter)
dinner - bbq chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli - had the same amount as my husband and went back for more (she was at dance camp all day so was ravenous)
couple biscuits later on

I grew up in a house with a lot of food restrictions and I have a terrible relationship with food and am overweight. I am trying to break this cycle for my kids so they can eat whatever they want most of the day (with some rules!). I am lucky to not have to worry about the money, but it still surprises me how much they get through. I think my son eats more than yours and he’s 8 - but my kids are really active so it depends on how much he’s doing too. My daughter mostly manages her own food - she makes her breakfast, lunch and snacks and serves up her own dinners so she can have as much as she likes. My son unfortunately has more of a sweet tooth so we need a bit more structure for him.

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:59

Blossombeanie · 15/04/2025 21:52

can you do something like wraps with fillings in a bowl so he can help himself until he is full? A good protein filing plus veggies and sauce and maybe air fry potato fries?

Big bowl of pasta filled with broccoli and tuna.

protein bars are quite filling and many taste good too.

Ohh I like the idea of wraps thanks. What fillings do you usually have?

OP posts:
Cel77 · 15/04/2025 21:58

More carbs and protein to fill him up. Bananas and peanut butter are great snacks.

ThinWomansBrain · 15/04/2025 21:57

Porridge is probably more filling than shreddies.

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:57

Thank you all! OK it seems I need to add more protein! He does it chicken, we often make him chicken sandwiches for lunch. Also I tend to add red lentils to soups (but I didn’t have any today!). But he doesn’t really like red meat - he will eat it if in front of him, but he’s not very keen. He’s also pretty tricky with snacks - he doesn’t like toasts (I mean, who doesn’t like toasts!), nutty spreads, any kind of cheese, not a big fan of pasta either, no cold meat of any kind including ham (he does eat chicken sandwiches but has to be roasted chicken 🙄) etc.

So I feel very limited with his snacks …

OP posts:
PurpleThistle7 · 15/04/2025 21:54

My daughter is 12 and would eat more than that. She’s super active and eats nonstop. Lots of peanut butter so might be worth a try?

otherwise agree with everyone - lots of carbs and not a lot of protein. I’d add some to every meal to be honest.

RacingDriver · 15/04/2025 21:54

If it helps my 10 year old who is pretty active but also very slight now eats quite a bit more.
Breakfast - Cereal and slice of toast with peanut butter
Snacks - 2 Satumas or Banana plus some yoghurt
Lunch - Chicken salad / Ham&Cheese Sandwich plus Crisps or Jacket potato berms and cheese with nuts / fruit
Snacks - Flapjack/Oat bar, maybe a chocolate biscuit bar
Dinner - Spaghetti Bolognaise (same amount as me)
Snack - Milk and crumpet/hot cross bun etc

Also drinks a fair bit of milk, water and has fruit smoothies at the weekends.

Blossombeanie · 15/04/2025 21:52

can you do something like wraps with fillings in a bowl so he can help himself until he is full? A good protein filing plus veggies and sauce and maybe air fry potato fries?

Big bowl of pasta filled with broccoli and tuna.

protein bars are quite filling and many taste good too.

Hankunamatata · 15/04/2025 21:51

Dc loves egg muffins - bacon slices in bottom muffin tin then egg and baked. Make handy snacks

Hankunamatata · 15/04/2025 21:50

Protein is the thing that keeps you feeling full.

Yogurts
Smoothies with milk
Milkshakes
Eggs

My teen dc who does lots sport eats

Eggs with toast
Cereal and milk
Banana

Protein bar (as fussy bugger who refuses homemade items)

Peanut butter sandwiches(seed bread)
Apple
Banana

Family dinner usually curry, bolo etc
Yogurt

More peanut butter sandwiches

Jsidken · 15/04/2025 21:50

Cereal won't fill him up. He deffo needs more protein. Scrambled eggs and wholemeal toast breakfast, skyr or protein yogurts as snacks, ready cooked chicken that he can make into a sandwich or put in wraps, tuna mayo sandwich, home made lentil soup, pots of cottage cheese or cottage cheese pancakes, smoothies made with banana, oat, milk and protein powder, wholemeal toast and peanut butter. More food in general but particularly protein.
Let him.sit down with you and come up with ideas together. Plan for things that he can easily do himself for snack food or supper etc.
He's probably on the cusp of a big growth spurt, a big appetite like this is normal in teens ahead of a growth spurt, particularly boys

JorgyPorgy · 15/04/2025 21:46

Bluedoor11 · 15/04/2025 21:33

My DS is nearly 12. Recently he’s been saying that he’s hungry all the time so wondering if I need to change his diet, or perhaps just give him bigger portions?? If he’s like that now, what is he going to be in 2-3 years time! 😂

As an example, today he’s eaten:

Breakfast - bowl of shreddies with milk
Snack - mini flapjack and apple
Lunch - home made broccoli, red pepper, and sweet potato soup with bread roll.
Snack - 2 crumpets with butter
Dinner - cauliflower stew with boiled potatoes and 2 boiled eggs (sounds odd but it’s a traditional recipe from where I come from!)
Supper - another bowl of shreddies 🤦🏻‍♀️ and a bit of an Easter chocolate egg.
Drinks - just water.
All adult portions.

This is probably a standard day for him, minus the chocolate. He’s active (couple of sports and plays out with friends) but nothing significant. Weight-wise he’s totally fine.
I know breakfast should be better and have tried adding protein like omelettes etc but he’s not into that at all.

I’m a worrier, so of course I’m now worrying that I’m not feeding him enough, or that I’m feeding him too much! Stupid brain 🙄

Anyway, what’s your opinion lovely and wise mumsnetters?

I’d give him a couple slices seeded whole grain toast with something like PB & J for breakfast ,
Maybe a banana/ other fruit & yougurt with lunch.
Maybe oatmeal or granola in eve instead of another bowl shreddies.

Hayley1256 · 15/04/2025 21:45

There's not much protein in his diet if that's a typical day. I would encourage him to eat more chicken and red meat. Eggs are also quite filling. Also do this really nice sweet potato falafel which you can eat straight out of the fridge. Cheese and crackers is also a good snack

PumpkinPie2016 · 15/04/2025 21:44

He probably needs more protein.

My son is 11 and he also eats a lot! I think they are just growing so much at this stage - not just height but they will start to build muscle as well.

On a typical day (say a school day) my son might eat:

Breakfast: 3 weetabix and an apple (occasionally toast as well 😳)

Snack at school: apple

Lunch: school lunch but say fish fingers, peas, potato cube things, plus cucumber, raisins and pasta off the salad table. Flapjack for pudding.

Snacks - whatever he can snaffle when he gets home. Might be cheese and crackers/biscuit/toast.

Home made tea- obviously varies but things like spag bol/chicken stir fry/sausages with veg and mash. Always veg with his meal. Adult portion.

Supper: 3 weetabix (again!)

He is tall and skinny but honestly, he's like a bottomless pit!! Our neighbour who we are friends with is a doctor and he assures me this is perfectly normal 😂