To ask how to feed my teenage son

[Roseyposeypie]

DC1, 14 (15 soon). Very tall, skinny, still growing. He’s had issues with low iron, it’s currently back to normal but he’s still tired and sometimes stressed with GCSE revision. What can I feed him to give him energy? He likes most things (except milky drinks and yoghurt so no protein shakes) but is increasingly interested in trying food from different countries (especially Korean, Chinese). We eat good home cooked meals every evening (e.g. chilli, stew, casserole, curry, baked fish) but I think I probably need to try and get more protein into him during the day - breakfast/lunch/snacks etc. I wasn’t working today so made him some spicy Korean chicken and rice which he ate loads of. I can’t do that every day though. Any tips? Recipe book suggestions? Etc

Would he eat last nights leftovers for breakfast?

Tacos with chicken or fish?

Or make a ramen with prawns or chicken and with a boiled egg on top. It doesn’t take any longer than cottage pie etc.

lunches, I assume?

Omelette made with 3 eggs, cheese and vegetables. He could learn to make this himself!

Could you batch cook and freeze any extra?? How about buttermilk pancakes with fresh fruit for breakfast?? Or breakfast bars which he can help himself to??

Does he like nuts?

On the Batch Lady programme, she and Joe swash made French toast to freeze. Not sure how that would taste when heated up, but apparently it works!

At that age, my DS1 was eating 6 eggs a day. 3 eggs on toast (which he cooked himself) was his go to snack.

I also used to let them have more cereals that was probably good for them, because of the fortification.

My 14 year old is supplementing every meal eith hard boiled eggs..I boil up a carton of 15 each week and put them in a.box in the fridge. That, bananas, 0eanut butter and toast are hi go to snacks, but mostly the eggs. He's obsessed. Minimum two a day as well as normal meals.

What does he currently eat for breakfast? If it’s mainly cereal then introducing eggs is a good start. We have poached on brown toast or pancakes and home made waffles (Aldi waffle maker) various savoury and sweet toppings .Also good old porridge with honey and banana goes down well too..

If it sounds a faff it isn’t and the more you make it the quicker you get.

When I was a teen I had hollow legs and eggs were a cheap way for my mum to fill me

Also if you’re feeling adventurous try ranchos rancheros huevos but I only do this weekends .

Eggs, green leafy vegetables (spinach can be added to loads of things) wholewheat spaghetti, protein wraps and bagels, nut bars, peanut butter, marinade &cook chicken thigh fillets and leave them in the fridge for after school wraps and toasties, cheese, tuna. Just a few of the things I fed 5 boys with when they were at the hollow legs/eating machine stage! Having a glass of orange juice (vit c) with his meal will help with the absorption of iron.

Thanks. Some good suggestions. Interesting to hear about all the egg eaters!! And yes, he loves nuts but I think he went through a few weeks of eating too many and got bored.

Is he coeliac?

He's old enough to be fixing snacks for himself like scrambled eggs on toast for example. Let him explore and experiment in the kitchen. Show him that it doesn’t always have to be a woman’s job. Teach a man to fish and all that…

Can you recommend a good waffle recipe?

Mine is a little older and lives in the gym. It is hard to keep him full!

He alternates eggs and porridge for breakfast. He has rice/pasta chicken and veg for lunch and then whatever I make for dinner. This is often supplemented by yogurt and or cereal.

Suggestions as others have said but also protein bars for easy snacks? DSs eat protein pancakes from Lidl too which they both love and don’t have too much sugar. Lots of eggs get eaten and we cook up chicken all the time which they can take from the fridge, mostly eaten in paninis. Tuna pasta salad could be good too.

I found the BBC good food 3-2-1 recipe for pancakes so good I tried their waffle recipe and it’s just as good.

I don’t use the vanilla extract. I use the blender method and weigh all ingredients except melted butter into the blender to reduce mornings washing up.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-waffles

He should be capable of cooking full meals at that age, ask him what he wants to make and leave him to it.

I got some souper 'ice' cube trays - half cup would probably work well to batch cook something like the Korean rice. He can take out a cube and microwave it quickly.

Teach him how to make quick easy filling meals - omelettes, Scooby sandwiches with toasted bagels, cheese, avocado, egg, cooked meat, salad etc. Or things like egg fried rice with chicken and edamame. Chips in the air fryer. Simple pasta dishes - cheese & bacon for the sauce. Beans on cheese on toast. Scrambled egg on toast.

I second eggs. Porridge for breakfast,

Buy some pizza bases and ingredients to put on them, tomato/mozorella/various meats etc and he can then choose what goes on them.

Alternatively french bread pizzas - get a baguette and cut it in half length-ways, depending on the size of the baguette cut into smaller pieces. Add tomato/mozorella/other toppings of choice and stick in the freezer so he can cook in about 15/20 minutes.

Couple of tins of sardines so he can have sardines on toast.

It's not just protein he needs.

If he's skinny as well as low energy/iron etc, then it sounds like he needs more of everything to be honest

Calories general are what you need for energy, however carbs are the most easily accessible forms of energy for the body. Rice, pasta. Bread would be great, as it has fat and carbs.

Healthy fats and carbs together, granola mixes. Nuts and fruits to snack on maybe.

If you want him to have more protein, you can get protein bars and cookies. Some will be fortified with vitamins and minerals.

He should be cooking for himself at that age. If he's bored of nuts (how??) try adding seeds to each meal to bulk out.

Bean wrap is a great hungry go-to snack that can be made up quickly. Microwave the beans, shallow fry any veg and meat chopped up from the night before (onion, peppers, cauliflower rice, seeds, flaked almonds, bacon medallions), put in a toaster-warmed wrap with chipotle sauce, plus any fresh items (grated cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes, sour cream etc).

Otherwise Mexican scrambled egg (add veg), refried beans and toast. Eggy bread with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Variety of nut butters for toast. Add bacon medallions to anything.

Pot of lentil soup for after school

If he has low iron, get him iron supplements. The spatone one is gentler and won’t cause constipation issues ( that some can get with iron supplements).

Have you taken him to a GP? Could he need stronger iron supplements from a GP?

This as well as improving his diet.