Older teens and junk food

It isn't ideal and I wouldn't like it either but it is probably a phase and they will want to eat a bit more healthily as they get older. I don't think you can be so controlling as to confiscate and destroy the food they have bought with their own money.

You'll force them into hiding their treats and in turn eat in secret which could result in issues with food.

I am a foster carer and although I can encourage/suggest the young people I care for what they do with their pocket money I would not be allowed to stop them buying snacks or treats, either with any money from a part time job or when younger from their pocket money. I guess it is has never been a major issue because they do have had some access to "junk food" when younger. But if I stopped someone spending their own money on a tube of pringles I'd be in major trouble with the authorities!

@Pinkyelloworangeandred My teen keeps buying junk with his money, but I've told him if he eats it in front of me or his younger siblings then he has to share!

Plus no food in his room either!

If I feel he is eating too much junk, he gets a raised eyebrow and reminded that although I don't mind him eating junk, just keep it balanced. He does LOTS of sports to be fair.

All you can do is tell them not to give their unhealthy snacks to the younger ones and tell the younger ones that whilst they are little, they are not allowed to eats lots of junk food. When they are older, they will be able to choose themselves just like their older siblings.

You older kids shouldn’t have the same rules as your younger kids in many other ways (such as bedtimes, tech, what they’re allowed to watch etc) so it shouldn’t be a difficult concept for them to understand, surely?

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable.

Health is a huge concern.

Quite how you police it, I have no idea, apart from trying to appeal to their better nature about your very real concerns.

There’s always a compromise somewhere if everyone is reasonable.

I didn't say anything about branded clothing on demand.

The basics are fine. Supermarket brand if needed.

I'm sorry OP, but you have to let your older children make their own mistakes re: junk food (and anything else for that matter). All you can do is advise, not dictate.

I cooked 99% of our meals from scratch and junk food was rare when mine were young but now they're older and out and about with their own money I have to let them get on with eating filth.

My heart sinks when I see them making bad choices but they're at an age where they have to take responsibility and hopefully one day they will realise I'm right 😁

But are you planning on patting them down and turning out their pockets when they walk in the door? Sniff their water bottles for signs of monster? Hide in the hedge to intercept the food delivery guy?

(Ok this post I think has crossed the smartass line but you do realize that this is a weird idea right?)

YABU, you’re making food an issue, hence why your children are buying “junk” in abundance and spending £££.

We never restricted food, they could have had an abundance of “junk” food however as we never made an issue of it , they simply didn’t bother even tho it was available to them 24/7.

They are both working FT now and they only have “junk” food when out and about with friends/family meals etc.

I don't agree with the pp that it is your job to clothe them. At least not beyond the basics. My mum bought my school uniform / suit for sixth form, underwear and an overcoat. I would sometimes ask for e.g. a pair of Converse for Christmas or birthday, but it would be out of the question to have branded clothing on demand. I spent my weekend job wages on anything else I wanted, and I had very few outfits. Sure, I'd have liked more, but I couldn't afford them, and neither could my mother. It was fine.

Get them one outfit of stretchy athleisure clothes and leave it at that. If they want anything else they can buy it themselves.

Then buy them the very basics from a supermarket and tell them if they want anything else, they need to fund it.

You can't just refuse to clothe your kids.

Yes. Because it's your job as a parent to clothe your children.

I don't think clothes should be included. When I was that age (in the 90s) I had to buy all my own clothes and make-up from my weekend job wages. Remove all expenditure on them besides a home to live in and the same food everyone else gets. Let them decide if junk food is a priority.

I think lots of teens have this phase where they suddenly realise they are now in control of what they can eat and get carried away...like when you head off to uni and realise no one can stop you eating takeaway pizza every night. I doubt it will last forever... eventually you realise what a waste of money it is and how shit you feel

You are being controlling and unreasonable, sorry!

They are allowed to choose to eat unhealthy things sometimes. The world won't end.

I hear you OP but Im not sure what you can do.
My 13yo DS eats junk at school and calls in the shop on the way home to buy Doritos or Haribo. It's really frustrating as we've taught him all about nutrition and how what you eat affects your physical and mental health etc. but we cant fully control what he consumes. I just ensure the meals, snacks and drinks we provide are healthy (in the main -we obviously have treats too!) and hope that he'll learn as he gets older!

I get it OP, but I'm not sure what you can realistically do. Mind, I've read this dilemma on MN a few times and I find it baffling. When I was a teen there was no way in hell I would waste my hard-earned money on takeaways - I needed it for clothes, CDs and socialising, because I didn't get any pocket money.

Is this phenomenon related to teens having more of an online social life these days, as well as being addicted to all the junk food? They don't feel the need to spend money on clothes or going out, because online is where it's at?

Whenever I watch channel 4 or whatever now, basically all the ads are for getting food delivered. It's mad.