Breakfast - is this enough and can I improve?

[WitchityGrub]

This morning for breakfast my 14 year old DS (skinny and growing) and I (not remotely skinny and dieting) had this:

1 slice of brown bread and butter (I didnt have this)
1 softly boiled egg
2 sliver/slices of smoked salmon (obviously we wouldn't usually have this but I picked it up as a treat)

He isn't doing a huge amount (almost none) or exercise. Im doing a couple of online workouts a day.

He'll be 'hungry' again in an hour. Am I being mean with food? I'm trying to give him decent food rather than sugary carby cereals.

My 2 year old dd had 2scrambled eggs and cereal this morning. I think for you eat what fills you up. Maybe ask your son what/how much he wants? Or get him to feed himself.

I find your tone/attitude towards the portion size a bit worrying. Like you feel guilty about food and have to justify what passes your lips. (Sorry for my armchair psychology)

But then I do have the attitude that food is a pleasure... as my waistline would demonstrate 😆

Can't he get his own snack??

Nelly I thought the same.

At that age I would have had 3 eggs and one and a half slices of toast. Female and very skinny until my thirties.

My nine year old daughter can easily polish off 2 cheesy scrambled eggs with a slice of toast - healthy, slim, not sporty.

Do you limit the rest of his meals in this way?

My 15 year old just helps herself. Obviously I cook meals...but lunchtime and breakfast is up to her. It's better that way OP. Does he ever get to choose his own meals?

My nearly 4 year old, perfect weight, would eat at least that.

My 14 year old makes her own breakfast

But if I made her that, she'd probably have had a bowl of porridge later, or an apple and banana after.

3 eggs seems excessive!

If I had a choice, I'd give my 14 year old a heap of eggs (2 at least!) and toast. He won't eat any of my suggestions though so it's 2 bowls cereal . He's then hungry all day. So I'd suggest you double what you're giving him and encourage him to make it himself!

Tony how many do you have if you scramble them then? Scrambling less than 3 results in nothing! I eat three eggs at a time when scrambling all the time. I'm not fat.

3 eggs seems excessive

Bloody hell, I'm a light eater to the extent that I'd often be accused of competitive under eating, but I really can't think of a situation where 3 eggs (=200-250 calories and costs about 50 pence (M&S or Waitrose basic free range eggs before anyone accuses me of crimes against hen welfare) would be 'excessive' as the main component of a meal for an adult or 14 YO.

My 5 year old would eat that! (And probably more!)

It might be fine for you but it's nowhere near enough food for the average 14 year old boy. I'd double everything and add a few sausages or bacon on the side too.

At 14 I think he’s more than capable asking for more/saying his sill hungry.

However this is mumsnet and some think you must stuff a teen with a full loaf and 20 eggs for breakfast as they are “growing”. I’ve known a lot of teenagers and never known one to eat this way. Then a lot of here give a toddler a snack every 5 minutes too

Not even my dh would eat three eggs for breakfast! One or two are fine. Nothing to do with calories or cost, we have chickens! Maybe our eggs are bigger and more filling!

It might be fine for you but it's nowhere near enough food for the average 14 year old boy. I'd double everything and add a few sausages or bacon on the side too seriously? Every day?

3 eggs seems excessive

🤣🤣🤣

@tonyaster, I suppose it depends what you’d have with the eggs. I would have 3 eggs with tomatoes, but would reduce eggs if eating it with toast, for example.

There's a happy medium between him inhaling a whole loaf as some Mumsnetters claim their teen boys do
.... and being mean

Sorry, but that is mean
A teenager will generally need significantly more calories than a middle-aged adult, especially a dieter

If smoked salmon was rationed because of cost or availability, then OK

However, give him 3 eggs and 3 slices toast to go with his salmon slivers.
Add a tomato if you have any

(I'm 63, healthy weight and I'd have 2 eggs)

My DS is 13.

He would and regularly does have two eggs and once slice of brown toast, he doesn’t eat salmon so would just have the eggs and toast.

It would keep him going until lunch time.

I have one or two eggs poached on toast. Dh has two. Dds have one. All healthy weights and active!

One or two are fine. Nothing to do with calories or cost, we have chickens

Are you sure it's chickens you have, not ostriches?

Boys do tend to eat more, and if he normally has sugary cereal try giving him porridge. Filling and low in calories

@Tonyaster

No, not everyday, who wants to eat the same thing everyday?!

But yes, one egg and one slice of toast is not enough breakfast for most people imo, especially a 14 year old boy.