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Original poster

Is this an appropriate portion for DS12?

284 replies

JacksonPercy · 13/12/2023 19:07

DS12 is trying to get a bit fitter as he competes in a sport and wants to get better. He’s tall for his age (around 5 ft 5ish) and isn’t a skinny build, he’s not heavy but he’s got a little bit of podge around his middle/torso (you wouldn’t really notice with clothes on). He’s got a good diet overall, likes fruit and vegetables and loves trying new foods but he does have a big appetite so I’m trying to make sure his portion size is right.

I’ve attached a photo of tonight’s dinner - it’s most certainly not “insta worthy” but I swear it’s tasty 🤣! It’s a medium size plate, half with lettuce and cucumber, around 20ish pasta shells, 3 beef meatballs and a slice of garlic bread with some cheese on top. The sauce is just passata mixed with herbs and he’ll have a cup of semi skimmed milk. Does this seem reasonable? If he‘s hungry after he’ll have a granola yoghurt tub thing/fruit/oat biscuits.

He’s got extra training sessions/running plans in place for extra physical activity and I just want to add that this is all led by him, I would never restrict his diet or anything like that or force exercise - he genuinely just wants to do better at his sport. I eat like a horse and don’t put on weight and I’ve never competed in sport so I haven’t had to think about this kind of thing.

Is this an appropriate portion for DS12?
OP posts:
ilovetea14 · 14/12/2023 00:24

My ds is 12 and 5ft 11size 11 shoe that would be a snack for him.

squidgybits · 14/12/2023 00:36

Why so much cucumber? Why such a small plate? Where is the rest of the pasta, meatball and sauce ? What kind of portions have you been feeding him up till now?
So many questions

christmaspaws · 14/12/2023 00:39

squidgybits · 14/12/2023 00:36

Why so much cucumber? Why such a small plate? Where is the rest of the pasta, meatball and sauce ? What kind of portions have you been feeding him up till now?
So many questions

OP has said he loves cucumber so imagine that's why

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theduchessofspork · 14/12/2023 00:44

squidgybits · 14/12/2023 00:36

Why so much cucumber? Why such a small plate? Where is the rest of the pasta, meatball and sauce ? What kind of portions have you been feeding him up till now?
So many questions

Why don’t you at least read all the OPs’ posts??

ukgot2pot · 14/12/2023 01:20

The food itself is not great. Very carb heavy and this type of food will lead to your son just wanting to eat more. I would definitely add in a lot more lean proteins with better carbohydrates if you son is doing a lot of training - i.e. - chicken/lean mince/fish/ with better carb choices - i.e. - sweet potato/rice/veg.

justanothermanicmonday1 · 14/12/2023 01:20

I don't understand why he has 70% cucumber on his plate? He should have a plate of pasta, slice of garlic bread, and a side salad if that's what he wants.

Such a random & strange combination

justanothermanicmonday1 · 14/12/2023 01:21

I see that he wanted this for dinner. My comment still applies 🤣

caringcarer · 14/12/2023 02:41

My Foster son I
Is very sporty. He is 5 foot 7 and medium build with not much fat on him. He would have the lettuce, cucumber and cherry tomatoes salad in a bowl as that is virtually no calories. Then he'd have about double the penne pasta and twice as much protein plus the cheese on top but possibly not the bread because it's not very nutritious. Fruit and yoghurt for dessert. Fish is good protein if he's sporty.

caringcarer · 14/12/2023 02:46

JacksonPercy · 13/12/2023 19:32

It’s definitely not a side plate, just a really close up photo as the kitchen is a mess.

I didn’t want to go into too much detail but he’s been being called fat at school and even his friends have “fun” nicknames about him being fat that he laughs along with but I can tell it makes him uncomfortable. His sport is a team sport, he plays for two teams - one he will end up not being played in for being too slow, the other has a few parents at the weekend making very clear digs about his weight from the sidelines (along with other boys). He’ll be devastated if he’s dropped.

I know loads of kids eat 10x more and are built like a rake, I was one of them and still am but he’s not - he has a belly and slight moobs and back fat rolls. You can’t see them in clothes because he’s wearing a bigger size but he gets grief in the changing rooms for it. I expected a growth spurt to sort it out but it’s been over a year now. Do I just ignore it and tell him not to worry, it’ll sort itself out?

Please don’t think I am causing this, he has been upset over his fitness and body image since starting high school, I genuinely don’t care, it’s him who has brought it up and I just laughed it off and told him he’s not fat at all. It’s really hard to win when you don’t have a rake thin child, people go on and on about how it’s the parents but I genuinely don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

He could do sit ups to lose the tummy. Press ups and Burpees for Toning his body. He needs more protein. My son eats salmon because high protein not too many calories.

Pelham678 · 14/12/2023 02:54

Branleuse · 13/12/2023 19:14

He's probably looking a bit chonky because he's about to hit puberty and have a growth spurt. I don't think he needs to diet

This. He doesn't need to lose weight if he's got a tiny bit of extra weight round his waist.

Also I agree he needs more protein than he's getting.

If he wants to get fitter, he might want to do another kind of exercise that's different to the exercise of his sport. So, swimming if he's a runner, cycling or football if he's a swimmer etc. Often really elite performers did different kinds of sport when they were younger as it develops aspects such as fitness, coordination etc.

mathanxiety · 14/12/2023 03:03

Cucumbers are basically water.

He needs more protein.
Meat, fish, beans, eggs, cheese, nut butters and peanut butter, plus Greek yogurt, are all good sources.

If you're feeding him veg, give him broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, etc. (cruciferous veg) that offer a variety of nutrients as well as fibre. Spinach makes a tasty salad.

He could fill up on root veg too - carrots and parsnips both offer carbs plus other nutrients - and sweet potatoes offer both carbs and vitamin A. Same goes for legumes.

CaraMiaMonCher · 14/12/2023 03:05

He needs WAYYYYY more protein.

CaraMiaMonCher · 14/12/2023 03:09

greenbeansnspinach · 13/12/2023 19:29

What about drop the garlic bread, as it’s just refined carb, and not really that useful as a food. Substitute wholewheat pasta, and up the protein. You could use Tuna, salmon etc. Salad is ok but what about green steamed vegetables which would be more tasty. Then fruit, full fat unsweetened yoghourt and a few nuts. The problem with giving him a meal such as the picture with tve best will in the world is that there isn’t a great amount of any sort of food value in it and he’ll be hungry soon and quite possibly be asking for snacks.
You could think about using lentils and beans as a matter of course in many main meals and go for more complex carbs generally.
How great to have a kid who’s already thinking about his nutrition and is sporty too!

The garlic bread is certainly more useful as a food/energy source than the bloody lettuce and cucumber 🤣🤣🤣

CaraMiaMonCher · 14/12/2023 03:11

caringcarer · 14/12/2023 02:46

He could do sit ups to lose the tummy. Press ups and Burpees for Toning his body. He needs more protein. My son eats salmon because high protein not too many calories.

Show quote history

Toning doesn’t exist, and you can’t spot reduce fat.

adventadvent · 14/12/2023 03:13

My youngest is slim, but went through a podgy stage when he was 12.... he's back to being slim and going to the gym 3 times a week

mathanxiety · 14/12/2023 03:23

catswagbumble · 13/12/2023 22:46

Is this normal eating though? There is a propensity on MN to say that teenage boys will eat "you out of house and home" or similar. In my experience they are enabled gluttons who are pandered to by DPs and if it was someone asking advice re their DDs I think the responses would be different.

Show quote history

My DDs all did sports in high school, and we were given nutrition ideas by the coaches. The swimming and water polo coaches in particular were adamant that nutrition was vital. They threatened to drop girls from the team if they started to look skinny.

My DD who did both swimming and water polo (two different seasons) gained a stone the first year and another half stone in her second year of water sports, mainly muscle weight. The coaches emphasised whole grains, veg, calcium, and protein. I remember bringing a big roastimg tray of mac and cheese made with whole wheat pasta and topped with a bolognese sauce to a team dinner, and it disappeared in ten minutes.

My advice to anyone whose daughter is doing a sport is to feed her, and don't forget iron. A conscientious coach should have nutrition recommendations for parents.

ApplePieand · 14/12/2023 04:00

Is he filling up with high calorie biscuits, I’d lose the garlic bbread and extra cheese and have more pasta and meatballs

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 14/12/2023 05:01

Nope. That is not enough food.

Forgottenmypasswordagain · 14/12/2023 05:02

Maybe for a toddler.

Andhereweshallbe · 14/12/2023 06:34

Increase the pasta meal by a bit and decrease the lettuce. Or put lettuce in a side bowl as its taking too much of the proportion of the plate. His meal shouldn't be half salad particularly when garlic bread is taking a large chunk of the other half and has virtually no nutritional value. Well done on him eating a sauce with his pasta though. On the occasions my son has it, he has just cheese and his mate only has butter! You're trying your best and unfortunately an ounce of fat on you and other kids are so nasty and cruel. I'm. Disgusted by the parents though. Disgraceful. Do check what he's eating outside of home and have a discussion with him. Have him watch ultra processed people with that TV doctor Chris (he's a twin I can't remember the surname but it sounds eastern European). He needs to make good choices outside of the home too. Good luck

Andhereweshallbe · 14/12/2023 06:35

Also he swears a lot but check out Eddie Abbew on ista or Facebook etc. Just Google him

EtiennePalmiere · 14/12/2023 06:36

Since when do you have to be stick thin to play football, those people are rude. If he's fine with that portion I don't see the problem and I agree a gym membership is a good idea, better more exercise than being neurotic about food at that age.

Andhereweshallbe · 14/12/2023 06:36

Eggs are your friend

Whataretheodds · 14/12/2023 06:52

ShirleyPhallus · 13/12/2023 19:23

I will go against the grain, I think this is a huge portion for one person - we’d serve that size plate as a sharing dish between four including two tall sporty teens and my tall handsome husband and I’d be too stuffed to eat anything the next day!

Very funny

RainbowZebraWarrior · 14/12/2023 07:01

Andhereweshallbe · 14/12/2023 06:34

Increase the pasta meal by a bit and decrease the lettuce. Or put lettuce in a side bowl as its taking too much of the proportion of the plate. His meal shouldn't be half salad particularly when garlic bread is taking a large chunk of the other half and has virtually no nutritional value. Well done on him eating a sauce with his pasta though. On the occasions my son has it, he has just cheese and his mate only has butter! You're trying your best and unfortunately an ounce of fat on you and other kids are so nasty and cruel. I'm. Disgusted by the parents though. Disgraceful. Do check what he's eating outside of home and have a discussion with him. Have him watch ultra processed people with that TV doctor Chris (he's a twin I can't remember the surname but it sounds eastern European). He needs to make good choices outside of the home too. Good luck

Totally agree with the other kids being nasty and cruel and the bloody parents should be ashamed. Also agree with putting the salad in a separate bowl.

Van Tulleken is the name of the TV Doctor twins. Dutch descent.

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