To think this isn’t really enough food for a 13 year old?

[ChocolateCrepe]

DS has been given 2 slices of a supermarket pizza, 4 chicken nuggets, a handful of fries (literally about 12) and a few cucumber chunks for his dinner

I think this is nowhere near enough food for a growing teen
The adult who gave him the food thinks it’s plenty and I’m being silly

DS is far too polite to ever comment if he didn’t think it was enough but I’ve made him a sandwich and he is now eating it happily

WIBU?

A very beige meal with minimal actual nutrition... Mine wouldn't stand for it but depends if they are used to living off junk.

So a quarter of a supermarket pizza? I think my 13yo and 11yo children (who are girls so probably need fewer calories) would need something else, a pudding and some snacks later on. Is he able to help himself to toast/fruit/whatever later if he's hungry? What does the food for the rest of the day look like?

And that’s helpful how? 🙄

OP you seem to be avoiding the question of how big is the pizza and what 2 slices actually represent.

4 year olds need around 1600 calories a day compared to 13 year olds 2000 - so not that much less in fact.

Is there a big drip feed coming soon? Feels like it. Mean step mother? Kid weights 14 stone at 5 ft 1?

I was going to ask if my DC and your DC share a Dad. But unless he has a 13 year old we've never heard of he's not.

My DC always used to come home from their dads having been fed the same portion size as their pre-school aged siblings. They were always starving and would either have another dinner or beans/sardines/cheese on toast.

No where near enough. My 10 year old would still be hungry let alone a teen.

What do you mean yours 'wouldn't stand for it'? You mean they'd be rude to whoever gave them a different type of meal as a one off?

That would be plenty for my 14 DD, she would never eat a full pizza to herself, even a shop bought one. People feed/kids eat far too much. I don’t think he’ll starve.

My almost 12 DS, would think that was fine, but would eat a dessert, then be looking for cheese and crackers and an apple, about an hour later. He's very small and very slim (think wearing age 9 school trousers).

Wouldn’t fill my 12 year old DD who is absolutely tiny but would be far too much for my chunkier 13 year old DS. It’s all relative. No one can say what is too much for your own child.

She answered. A standard 10 inch pizza cut into 8. So two slices = a quarter.

DD will eat a snack pizza, some chicken nuggets and veg for dinner, followed by yoghurt. Shes 9. If she has cricket or Rugby practice that night (the odd dinner is caused by trying to get kids to different clubs overlapping times) there might be another snack in there. DD11 eats similar (her activity is Scouts, which can be 2hrs worth of outdoor activities plus the mile walk there and back), but with added chips.

A 14yo needs more food than a 4yo. He needs more than an adult woman, especially if active.

I think it's the quality of the food that's the issue here, not the quantity. Isn't the recommended serving of pizza for anyone 2 slices? The same 2 slices with a big salad, some slaw, still a few fries if liked and followed by banana and Greek yogurt would give much better nutrition and be more filling, though the pizza portion size is the same.

Yes, we can all manage a 10 inch pizza or more on our own, but doesn't mean to say we should.

@titchy I’ve answered the question on size of pizza several times??

I’m also very aware that this isn’t a healthy meal, not every single meal you eat has to be completely healthy, apologies that we have a treat night once a week fgs 🙄

Ds is nearly 8 and that wouldn’t be enough if he had a regular busy day. Might have been enough if he had lots throughout the day. Dreading the food shopping when hits the teenage years.

It's not a ssmall portion, but i'd be very worried about the lack of fruit/veg!

@ChocolateCrepe why is he ‘eyeing up food’ when you’re there? Just get him some more food?

I can’t envisage any situation where I’d watch my Dd go hungry whilst I’m there and wouldn’t get her something to eat.

Feel for your DS if Dad is giving small packed lunches too. Could you top up his school meal account so he can buy more if he wants it? I know you shouldn't have to but I wouldn't want my DS to feel hungry because his Dad is tight.

And of course he should have more than a quarter of pizza and 4 nuggets. Does he stay the night with Dad or can he come home to you and get toast / cereal?

@Ostryga i just said I made him a sandwich?

My ten year old would be happy with that but I’d expect pudding as well. A yogurt, fruit etc.

I can understand splitting a pizza as they can be quite expensive and very calorie dense. So a quarter pizza, with extra chips and salad, veg or beans to fill up would make it a cheaper meal. Needs enough of the sides to work though.
It depends of this is a cost issue, a not realised issue or a being mean issue really.
And when you say his dad, are you still together so it's your household too or ex abd you aren't there or involved while this is happening.

Ds2 (14) is under a dietician due to a health issue. His goal is 3,000 calories per day.

Actually I think @Funkyblues101 has a point, healthy, balanced meals tend to be more filling because they satisfy your actual nutritional needs so you're not constantly craving more food for the rest of the evening. That's one of the reasons why people who eat junk food can't stop - their bodies are crying out for actual nutrients.
The quantity of food is irrelevant if it's all rubbish all the time, it's no good for a 13-year-old. How can any child hope to get their five a day eating meals like this? That's what OP should be taking issue with, not the amount of chicken nuggets or cardboard pizza the child has been given.

Thank you all (or most) for the helpful replies
Its time for yet another chat about this I think

How is his weight and height?

If he's a healthy weight, has plenty of energy and is growing normally, it would indicate its enough calories for him. Many teens eat more than they need. We massively overeat in the UK.

It sounds like a fairly modest meal but not that extreme.