to ask you to help me to devise meal plans for my student dd

[PaidthepiperTuneismine]

DD is doing exams at the moment and is exhausted. I'm doing all that a Mum can do (i.e. keeping my nose out) and advising her on nutrition/sleep/fresh air/exercise.

If you were to devise a meal plan for 'brain' food (she is putting enormous pressure on herself to do well in her A-levels next year), what meals would you put in there?

I'm aware that B12 (is that Thiamine?) is a brain food. Omega 3 and 6 also seem to be important. She's 17 and has heavy periods, so she's on a multivitamin, but I'm just wondering about meal plans to ensure she gets the best nutrition.

Ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks? You're welcome to provide one recommended meal or a whole range (I'll probably put all of your ideas into a meal plan, so any suggestions welcome).

B1 is thiamine. It looks after burning carbohydrate.

B12 has a role in brain and blood cell development.

You need to be careful with omega 6 as too
much has an inflammatory effect which is harmful to health.

Focus on good quality protein and veg (lots of dark green stuff) and moderate carbs which are as natural as possible, eg baked sweet potato rather than pasta. Avoid UPFs.

Co-enzyme Q10 is a good supplement for concentration and brain function.

A balanced diet is key.

My mum used to supply me with dried fruits and mixed nuts to snack on. I was never too fussed about what she or my dad cooked whilst I was revising but if I was making it myself I wanted simple stuff that I could eat and then carry on working, nothing too heavy that would make me sleepy eg a sandwich for lunch rather than pasta. As it was mum would make lots of eggs, fish, grilled food with loads of veg and curries of an evening. I'd have loads of fruit too.

Does her multivitamin include iron? Low iron can cause fatigue and heavy periods make it much more likely.
If it’s not included I’d suggest looking for a gentle one - something like spatone or floradix is usually advertised as being easier on the stomach than iron tablets which can cause digestive upset.

You can also increase iron in her meals with leafy green veggies, eggs and red meat.

I'd just provide a balanced diet with plenty of different fruit and veg.

I haven't thought about doing a different diet plan for my daughter who is also doing her exams. Plenty of sleep and downtime is very important too.

Try not to get too stressed/over-the-top about this type of stuff :)

I think for nutrition it's just about having a really good range and variety of veg and then a range of pulses, complex carbs, and protein. So stir fries, lentil curries, soups etc where you can get a lot of your 5 a day from one meal.

Thank you all!

Her multivitamin does indeed contain iron but not a high strength of it. I'll spatone I think.

I'm very aware of the various components required (in their individual forms). What I should have been more clear about perhaps is translating that into an actual meal?

Anyone able to give me a breakfast, lunch and dinner?

*buy spatone

What she enjoys!

Chinese 🙄

She loves salmon. Do you bake it or grill it? Fry it?

I need specifics lol.

I'm thinking Mango juice? Lots of salmon (I don't know of other oily fish?). Steak and spinach?

Salmon steamed in a foil package with veg and homemade chips.

Porridge for breakfast with fruit?

Saying that I lived almost entirely off fresh orange juice and ginger nut biscuits for my gcses. Whatever takes her fancy is good.

Brilliant. She likes porridge (bless her). Loves salmon. That's excellent.

I know that flax seeds and nuts are good. Would you buy the flax seed oil capsules or buy actual flax seeds?

What about a smoothie for breakfast - oat, flax seed and then fruit she likes? Or overnight oats with berries and flax seeds.

For lunch a wrap or a sandwich with chicken (or quorn chicken) or tuna, lettuce, tomato, mayo.

Or a warm tortilla wrap with refried beans, tomato, avocado, coriander and cheese.

Or a nice homemade vegetable soup with crusty bread.

For dinner- sweet and sour pork/tofu/chicken and veg

General Tao meatballs and noodles

Teriyaki salmon with japanese rice and edamame

Chow mein

Mabo dofu

Shredded chilli beef

All chinese dishes have sides of bean sprouts/bok choi, mushrooms etc or incorporate in the meals.

Avoid too much sugar and white carbs to avoid spikes and then slumps.

Lots of veg, salmon, lean meats. Healthy fats. Plenty of water!

To be perfectly honest, this all seems a little over the top. What have you been feeding her since she was little, and why can't you continue that way?

Lots of variety, lots of vegetables, whole grains, and protein. And don't stress so much about it - she's bound to pick up on it!

Any fish is excellent brain food
its extremely quick to cook
i live on my own, so have my fish 2 days in a row while fresh after my shop
day 1- fish baked in oven - just salt, pepper and maybe a slice of lemon, lemon juice or a sprinkle of dried herb like tarragon, dill or thyme. I serve it with either a simple baked potatoe ( cooked in microwave then shoved in oven with fish to crisp), or new potatoes.either way no peeling. Then simple boiled greens - broccoli, or microwaved frozen spinach
day 2. The other piece into a pasta ( salmon and courgette, sea bass and tomato, etc), or a spicy noodle with loads of stir fry veg or similar

i switch between salmon, trout, sea bass and occasionally treat myself to fresh tuna or plaice or prawns. But always 2 days

a meal soup is also good- minestrone, chicken and leek, etc…pack with lots of veg. again can make then use for meals over 2 days with a nice fresh bread or a cheese toast on side

then the old basics with mince- chili, spag Bol, savoury mince or even curried mince. Pack in veg again. If she makes a batch she can freeze portions to have followin* weeks and save cooking.

I think you are overcomplicating this, really, unless she has a diagnosed deficiency just general healthy balanced meals is all she needs.

Protein + fruit&veg + carbs
Wholefoods
Not too much sugar and limited ultra-processed foods (UPF).

Unless she has a lot of problems I think the best thing you can do is go out for a big walk and eat some jacket potatoes.

I'm not sure about the hysteria regarding her food. She is just a kid at school - not an Olympic athlete who needs their food so controlled!

Surely whatever you have fed her for the past 17 years is still going to work?

Unless there is a backstory here of course!!

Or am i missing something and kids need to have a different diet when they enter 6th form? McDonalds will be going out of business if that's the case!

Smoked mackerel pate on toast / celery / little gem leaves / wraps is a great snack or lunch and high in Omega 3. Also much cheaper than salmon

www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/speedy-mackerel-pate/amp/

I don't bother with capers or fresh herbs so it's a mainly store cupboard dish

Baked salmon and broccoli
Sirloin steak with onion, mushroom and cherry tomatoes, served with homemade chips with skin on. Some baby leaf spinach and pickled beetroot goes well with this. Serve with pure OJ to help absorb the iron.

Actually give OJ or berry type smoothie with every read meat meal to heal absorb the iron.

She should have oily fish 3x per week.

Tuna sandwiches are good for lunch

As are proper homemade broth soups eg lamb/ chicken

A ham and cheese omelette with salad is a good snack type meal

Sardines and mackerel are other oily fish to try.

I'd up her good red meat count to help with iron.

Eg meat and 2 veg meals. Serve a leafy green veg every night. Sprouts, kale, etc

Gammon, lamb chops, etc as base.

If she likes Chinese make homemade sweet and sour. Try pork over chicken.

Try to include all the colours of the rainbow eg berries, beetroot, sweetcorn, carrots, turnip, leeks.

For breakfasts rotate eggs and muesli. An occasional healthy fry up.

Whatever she eats, exercise alongside studying and drink electrolytes with that. I really believe that this is the most important part of my routine along with diet. Food wise I could be much better myself but the ideas above all sound delicious I'm going to try them