Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

14 year old only eating rubbish when left alone

103 replies

losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:04

Would this annoy you? I can't tell if I'm expecting too much. Ds1 is having to isolate at the moment due to a positive test in his bubble. We have plenty of food in the house he could eat but he just eats rubbish. As an example today he's eaten plain boiled noodles, a scotch egg, a giant cookie and a packet of crisps. He ate similar yesterday. I buy these things to go in packed lunches and as occasional treats. I'm disappointed that he is lazy to even make a sandwich but also doesn't see the big deal. Am I wrong to just stop buying this stuff? Packed lunches can be boring from now on.

OP posts:
strappedup · 30/09/2020 18:05

yabu. He’s 14

Holdingtherope · 30/09/2020 18:06

Y teens the same, I went through it too. I thinks it's normal. I provide 3 well balanced meals a day and minimise rubbish bought but he still buys it

Slightlybrwnbanana · 30/09/2020 18:06

If he added some fruit it sounds fine to me. Tbh!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
jomaIone · 30/09/2020 18:06

If he was eating that stuff on his packed lunch, I don't see the issue.

Smallsteps88 · 30/09/2020 18:09

He’s a teen, it’s what they do. Lighten up.

Original poster
losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:09

He wasn't eating it all in one day! He'd normally have a sandwich/pasta salad and one treat.

OP posts:
Original poster
losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:11

Lighten up. Really? Maybe this is why we have an obesity epidemic. Tbh I find it disrespectful to eat so many treats when he knows they need to be spread out. He's not the only one who lives here!

OP posts:
IHaveBrilloHair · 30/09/2020 18:11

Totally normal, unclench, nothing bad will happen.

Slightlybrwnbanana · 30/09/2020 18:13

Doesn't he normally just buy his own stuff when he's out?

Slightlybrwnbanana · 30/09/2020 18:14

His treats were a cookie and a bag of crisps. Hardly eating the whole household's worth!
You didn't mention he was obese before?

Sharpandshineyteeth · 30/09/2020 18:14

I think it’s selfish too OP. Tell her one treat tomorrow and that’s it.

ParisianLady · 30/09/2020 18:15

Pick your battles, this is a non issue as it's a temporary situation. 2 weeks of plain noodles and cookies won't make him obese.

Just throw some veggies or fruit in his general direction.

It's probably just the novelty of being able to eat rubbish and he'll be asking for peas before you know it.

Incidentally, why can't you make his food if that's what you'd normally do? Couldn't you make some and leave it out for him if he's isolating? (Apologies if I've misread your post here)

Original poster
losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:17

Yes he does buy his own stuff and I have no doubt that it's absolute shite, I did the same when I was a teen. But it's usually balanced out with some goodness. I don't need to unclench, if I was that uptight my house wouldn't be full of junk food!

OP posts:
EasternDailyStress · 30/09/2020 18:18

It's laziness. My DS is 17 and just the same.

Don't worry about it, he'll be fine in the long term.

BluebellsGreenbells · 30/09/2020 18:18

If it bothers you share them out and give him a weeks worth in a basket. He can eat them all in one day but that’s it for a week. His choice.

3 teens - all similar, none are over weight

Wearywithteens · 30/09/2020 18:19

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Original poster
losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:20

You didn't mention he was obese before
Does he need to be obese for me to be concerned?

Well I was hoping he might make his own sandwich really but clearly my expectations were too high!

OP posts:
FubsyRambler · 30/09/2020 18:20

Mine was like that, I didn’t bother keeping treats in the house.
He learnt to bake. Grin

TwilightSkies · 30/09/2020 18:20

You do sound overly annoyed by this. Try not to be, it’s not worth it.
Teens are like bins.
Calmly explain to him that the food is for other people too.

vanillandhoney · 30/09/2020 18:20

Meh, I was the same as a teenager and tbh I still have days like that now and I'm 31!

My parents were overly strict with food/treats and I think it's what pushed me to go totally in the opposite direction when I got the chance!

Smallsteps88 · 30/09/2020 18:21

Lighten up. Really?

Yep. Really. Such a restrictive approach to food leads to teens going to town on junk whenever they get the chance. As you are now finding out.

CakeGirl2020 · 30/09/2020 18:22

His 14, a child. Children don’t tend to be perfect all the time.

I’d just leave him to it for now, he’ll be back and school soon enough. A few days of noodles and a cookie isn’t really a big deal imo. With teenagers you do kind of need to pick your battles and moaning over a pack of plain boiled noodles and a cookie just isn’t worth it.

Original poster
losenotloose · 30/09/2020 18:23

I'm really surprised at the comments. No veg, no fruit just processed rubbish but it's fine!

OP posts:
AgeLikeWine · 30/09/2020 18:23

He sounds completely normal. Most teenagers won’t make themselves a delicious plate of steamed vegetables when they are hungry.

Smallsteps88 · 30/09/2020 18:26

No veg, no fruit just processed rubbish but it's fine!

Don’t you have veg with dinner?

Swipe left for the next trending thread