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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:
UnbeatenMum · 13/12/2023 19:19

I'd double the meatballs and definitely give a yoghurt or other pudding. I don't think it needs more carbs though.

Hedonism · 13/12/2023 19:19

Also give him full fat milk, it carries the nutrients better.

Tistheseason23 · 13/12/2023 19:20

The cucumber won’t fill him up. He could have a big bowl of pasta and meatballs and a salad on a separate plate.

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TheGrimm · 13/12/2023 19:20

I always served my son a large bowl of salad and fruit salad everyday separately. He would help himself to the prepared main meal components. He is a big protein eater so 3 meatballs would not suffice. He’s never been overweight. How does your son feel?

Wisterical · 13/12/2023 19:22

Serve the 'salad' separately, give him full fat milk and (at the very least) double the amount of meatballs.

MrsKwazi · 13/12/2023 19:22

and honestly, not being snarky, there is zero point in cucumber and lettuce on any plate. Beans, broccoli, squash, soooo many vegetables to choose from. even peas have a better nutrition profile at least it contains some protein too.

FrostyFlo · 13/12/2023 19:22

Not enough protein on that plate . Carbs are probably ok ( pasta / garlic bread ) Vegetables ( depending on other meals eaten today ) probably not enough as cucumber is mainly water so just a large portion of it doesn't really count , but definitely need lots of protein.

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!

cezannesapple · 13/12/2023 19:23

UnbeatenMum · 13/12/2023 19:19

I'd double the meatballs and definitely give a yoghurt or other pudding. I don't think it needs more carbs though.

Growing teens need plenty of carbs plus enough protein and fat. I’d give a larger serving of pasta and meatballs and more cheese. Cucumber and (what looks like) iceberg has very little that is good you in it so would try and make a more varied salad. Mixed leaves with tomatoes, olives etc. with a tasty dressing.

NaturalStudy · 13/12/2023 19:23

My 4 year old would eat that amount of pasta and garlic bread, so IMO he needs much more. As long as the food is healthy I would feed him as much as he will eat. Being fit isn't about limiting your calories, professional cyclists eat 10,000 calories a day.

Jacfrost · 13/12/2023 19:24

Judging by the size of the cucumber that's a small side plate...try plating his food up on a normal dinner plate to give you a better idea of how much more pasta and meatballs he should be having!

Jacfrost · 13/12/2023 19:25

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!

Stop it 🤣🤣😍

ValuableLimeLesson · 13/12/2023 19:27

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!

Same. I can't fathom how that isn't enough for at least three meals.

(On a serious note: he's a growing boy, doing sport - he needs so much more protein than that, and he'll be starving not long after eating it.)

wherethewildthingsgo · 13/12/2023 19:27

I agree that looks tiny. I would fill an entire pasta bowl or plate for him and he can have salad on the side. I would be making sure he was filling up on proper food like that than giving him a granola bar afterwards to fill the gap.

ActDottie · 13/12/2023 19:28

It looks like a lot because the plate is so full??? But then I think maybe the plate is small? Hard to tell

TaylorsSwimShorts · 13/12/2023 19:28

I've a 12 yr old (girl though) who plays football in an academy, as well as at school and for fun, as well as tennis and ice skating, she's tiny and in 10 yr olds clothes, but she would inhale that, to be completely honest I plate up more for my almost 2 year old , I've a 14 year old teen boy and though older and much bigger than yours, he eats miles more than that, a huge dinner plate or deep pasta bowl full to overflowing , and still often goes back for more, he boxes, so does burn a lot as well, but I'd say your boy needs much bigger portions .

Mojolostforever · 13/12/2023 19:28

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!

And a small chicken lasts your family for a week.🤔

Madameprof · 13/12/2023 19:28

Looks like masses of salad to a tiny bit of pasta to me. My boy is 13 and would definitely eat more pasta and meatballs than that. I'd restrict him to four meatballs tho as he has a tendency to eat a lot of processed meat. But that plate wouldn't fill him up. If I gave him that a) he wouldn't eat all that lettuce and b) He'd be pouring himself a bowl of cereal an hour later.

AuntMarch · 13/12/2023 19:29

He's taller than me, and still growing- I'd say he needs considerably more, especially protein wise if he's active.

titchy · 13/12/2023 19:29

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!

Grin
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!

TheSpruce · 13/12/2023 19:31

The nutritional value of that meal is not great. Also, please use a normal sized plate!

3luckystars · 13/12/2023 19:31

That’s not enough at all.

Amammai · 13/12/2023 19:31

My 6 yo would easily eat that. He’s average height and average weight. A 12yo doing sport would need a much larger serving of pasta and meatballs.

Woush · 13/12/2023 19:31

The answer to healthy and filling pasta is in the sauce, in my view.

Add to your passata, red lentils, grated carrot, onions, peppers, celery, mushrooms, chickpeas...and finely chopped whatever you've got really. Also stock cube, herbs, garlic, tin if chopped toms etc. I go one further and blend the whole lot to a thick liquid - because various of my kids think they don't like pulses/onion/peppers - even though they eat them all the time without realising.

Makes for a very nourishing pasta sauce. Tons of veg per person just in the sauce. Add meatballs or mince or whatever (I often serve without as vegetarian).

For that sort of sized kid, I'd guesstimate at 2 heaped ladles full of the pasta and sauce mixed. My older/bigger teens might have 2 1/2 or 3 ladles full. I don't tend to serve with garlic bread tho.