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).

Not really. She is putting pressure on herself which I don't agree with and I see that she's exhausted. Next year she will be off to university. She doesn't know that I worry, but I'm pretty sure that every parent worries?

She will know that you worry, kids are not stupid.

The best thing you can do is dial it down, not ramp it up with this perfect food thing. Take her out for a walk and eat some ordinary healthy food.

We all worry, but we don't all ask for advice on optimal nutrition...! You are worrying too much - perhaps if you model worrying less your daughter might start to follow suit?

This. The approach you're taking is way OTT for a healthy teen! It all sounds very intense, which is a recipe for burnout.

Unless she's anaemic or otherwise malnourished, surely you just continue to feed her a mixed nutritious diet with plenty of protein and veg? Water for hydratation, outdoor exercise (even if just a walk) to help her wind down and destress, and good sleep.

The reason is that I'd prefer to feed her food that contains the required nutrients rather than to give her supplements.

I'm worried because she is putting such stress on herself. I don't interfere, so I'm just trying to do my best for her as her Mum.

She will pick up on your anxiety though, which will feed her own stress.

Stress is bad for health.

The best thing you can do is try to worry less and set that as an example for her.

Of course and I understand that as we are all trying to be the best Mum to our children but, it also sounds like you are putting yourself under a lot of stress too regarding this issue.

As i said before, i hadn't even considered that i would have to change my daughter's diet (saying that she has decided 3 weeks ago to become a vegetarian)! Sleep, Water, Rest and Fun with friends is what i am concentrating on.

She has absolutely no idea that I'm stressed. I'm stressed because she is stressed! Lol. Don't tell me that she knows that I'm stressed because she is stressed so that will stress her lol.
I'm so blasé about it all.

and that is what I am focusing on but she has decided that she must get A* in everything.

I'm trying to calm her the fuck down.

I think you are mistaken here.

I would think it would be a good idea to deal with the stress in your household in a better way.

Ok. You know me and my dd better than I know me and my dd.

I provide orange juice, mixed nuts and dark chocolate for when my lot have exams - all good for the brain apparently. But meals the same as usual.

Ok, look. Forget I started this thread.

I'm out.

Of course I don't.

But you are responding to her stress is an unhealthy way, my guess is that your stress is not as well hidden as you think.

Completely agree with this. So long as she has in general a good mixed diet then if she is also taking multivit/minerals the surplus will simply go down the loo.

I used to prioritise their favourites during revision season and yes fruit/nuts is a good snack but I'd focus more on trying to get her to at least go for a decent walk every day or keep up any physical activity she does and a decent sleep time.

Then play it down for all your are worth. Keep an hour to watch trash tv together in the evenings, talk about non school related inconsequentials which interest her. Its just about keeping the atmosphere light and rolling with some of irrational moods.

But, changing her diet wont guarantee her an A* in everything, she sounds like a clever girl so i am sure that she realises this.

My daughter is also extremely clever and on track for A's and highest in her class but, I can't imagine that she would be expecting me to coach her food/nutrients etc intake like this

If she has a balanced diet plus a multivitamin that includes iron and she isn't diagnosed as iron deficient then I wouldn't give extra iron as she could end up rather constipated and unwell.
From reading all of this perhaps yoga, mediation or some mindfulness walks might be more helpful. Perfectionism with study, diet etc. can become destructive.

You need to teach her how to look after her own diet.

Just a balance of protein/vitamins/carbs/fresh fruit and veg etc.

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

my favourite way to cook salmon is to poach it - just an inch or two of liquid in the pan, no need to fully cover fish, with lid on. Can use leftover white wine, or milk or even water - all good. Moist and delicious but I never eat the skin (only recently realised other people do! so if you like to just note this method won’t make it crispy)

I'm trying to calm her the fuck down.

Ah well, there we go then. No wonder she's 'stressed'.

Ok - so this was clearly just a silly/joke thread!

What a waste of time.

@PaidthepiperTuneismine maybe ask MN to move this over to the food topic, you might get what you're after there.

You’re not blasé about anything, because this isn’t a normal or healthy way to react and she will be picking up on your stress, which will just make it worse for her.

It's very nice you want to help her but she just a balanced diet, plenty of wholegrain, veg, fruit, lean meat, exercise everyday and get sunlight. But it's important she is mentally prepared for the outcome if she doesn't achieve the grades she hopes for. I worry that obsessing over food that 'may' help brain function is setting up for a higher level of disappointment if she doesn't achieve the grades. Just to play devil's advocate, if my mum had started doing this when I was doing exams I would have found it more stressful....

Lots of fish , fresh fruit. milky drinks, protein

Fish can be , a fish finger sandwich, mashed sardines on toast, fish and chips,
Milky drinks include smoothies, hot chocolate.
Protein can be egg snacks; scrambled, or an omelette, or pancakes. Hard boiled eggs kept in the fridge.
Fruit salad, fruit smoothies with yoghurt. Fresh juice.

Some of the replies here are batshit.

OP asked for practical tips - recipes - so that she can enable her daughter to eat a nutritious diet.

No idea why so many posters are telling her she's going about it the wrong way because she just needs to encourage a nutritious diet.