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Teen boy!

72 replies

Mama1980 · 02/06/2021 15:46

Hi, please give me your recipes for filling up a unfillable teen boy. My ds1 is 13 and constantly hungry, he's stick thin, very active but underweight. Because he was a micro preemie he has yearly dr checks and this morning the dr basically said he's great but in the underweight category.....he eats me out of house and home! But he said it's nothing to worry about but some more calories would be good considering how active he is.
Typical day he will eat
Breakfast 2 weetabix, banana and seeds (he usually goes for a run about an hour later) smoothie
Whole grain toast and fruit when he gets back
Mid morning snack can be anything plantain chips are a current favourite.
Lunch usually something like a large couscous salad, eggs and cheese. Or three bean salad and tofu.
Afternoon fruit and yoghurt, often more toast.
Dinner two portions of whatever were eating. So tonight it's veggie bolognese, pasta with carrots and garlic bread. Sometimes he will have more fruit, sometimes biscuits and peanuts.
Evening he will have porridge, eggs and beans, crumpets.....something like that for supper.

Any ideas where he can squash in some more calories?
I only cook with full fat stuff, no reduced sugar etc I'm vegan but he isn't. He doesn't like fizzy drinks but does have water, fruit juice and milk.

OP posts:
JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 22:39

Yeah really dont understand why you dont understand how you would feed your kid op? These posts are so ridiculous

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 22:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

titchy · 05/06/2021 23:00

@JHMJHM

Absolute bullshit. Are you honestly saying you are a mum who is confused about feeding your grown up kids? At best pathtic at worst very fucking wierd
You ok hun?
TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:01

I think you are misunderstanding, JHMJHM. It’s a real struggle to get calories into these boys during growth spurts. It’s normal, not fetishing at all.

My DS is struggling too, OP, not helped by the fact he does a lot of rowing & running and also he gets bored with big portions of same foods on his plate. He’s better with smaller meals but seems to be constantly munching or making something.

Over half term, we worked together a bit, so a typical day was:

Boiled eggs & avocado
Cake
Protein shake (I don’t like these but he says they bulk him out)
Pasta/brown rice, big portion chicken or fish, green veg
Porridge in one of those tubs
Fruit
Banana smoothie with berries & peanut butter
Whatever dinner is
Crumpets, crisps or omelette
Sweets while watching telly
Cheese & biscuits, Pepperami

I’ve no idea how many calories that is, but it’s a combination of healthy and crap & stuff that fills him up.

It is very hard to provide food like this. I didn’t struggle with other DCs but DS has found it a problem keeping his own diet going. I’ve also encouraged him to wake up a bit earlier (I.e. before midday!) because he literally can’t fit in that many calories in half a day’s wakefulness.

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:03

Yes! Why in earth would an educated experienced mother need to ask how to feed her son?! Its blinking bonkers!!!

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:07

It’s not so much about how to feed the sons, but how the heck one fits it all in, and which are the right foods. My ds has asked for advice - its ok to bang on about healthy eating but this isn’t about that, it’s about how to provide high bulk foods to growing kids (who happen to be boys). My DDs didn’t struggle in the same way, but I would have provided the same help. They had different problems - how to get enough protein over being veggie. DS I am concerned about because he’s constantly - and I mean constantly - eating. Am I supposed to allow it? If so, how can we make it work around the rest of the family? These are the tips I value, anyway. I can’t speak for OP but it sounds like a similar dilemma.

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:08

Im not misunderstanding at all. Just double amount. Flapping about gigantic boys is ridiculous. I have 3 and i dont feel like im catering for an army.

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:12

It’s not flapping - it was a simple request for more tips. That’s what I think you misunderstood. Maybe your sons have a different metabolism? The OP have a list of a typical day, which consists of a large amount of food already, and is asking for tips on how to bulk out further. I’m having the same problem - 5 meals, snacks and he’s still underweight.

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:16

OP, something else that helped us: mine is like yours, doesn’t eat puddings or cake usually. However, he identified one cake he does like, and I just make it available as a quick & easy snack. Otherwise it sounds like you’re already doing the obvious - full fat milk etc. Nuts are good in place of crisps & more calorific. I discovered that doubling up food simply doesn’t work for mine, he just gets bored with what’s on his plate & dithers.

I’d like to find out more about these whey powders. His sisters are long distance runners & take them, but I’m concerned about growing kids having them.

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:21

5 meals and snacks and underweight is biologically impossible.

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:22

Well, I have the evidence!

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:31

Well good on ya creation there is no way i could do 3 meals a day plus snacks!

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:31

I’ve just looked back at my DS’s text from a few weeks ago - he is 5’7 and 1/2 and weighs 48 kg.

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:34

Precisely! I can’t do it Grin. I also kind of refuse to do it - he needs to control it himself, and part of that is getting himself out of bed to fit all the calories in. I’m not a skivvy, I don’t mind making the expected meals, but part of growing up is sorting this stuff out for yourself. That’s what I tell him, anyway! I guess I have a social responsibility to provide enough food & of the right sort but he can help with that, too.

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:44

It's been a mildly interesting debate- i just cant believe for a second people dont know how to fatten their kids up.
So bloody disenegeous.
Bread and butter

TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:51

If only it were that easy! I really would have said the same. My other DCs just had double portions or, as you say, extra bread or a few biscuits.

But saying that - I expect it’s a snapshot & not a full picture. He’s hungry like this because he’s underweight currently. I doubt it will last long, my friends with boys the same age say things even out pretty quickly. It’s a bloody pain, especially while working from home, hearing the cupboards and cutlery etc always on the go.

I remember my DB being like this when he was a similar age & once bragging he ate 6 Big Macs. That’s really rubbish and I’d hate for my ds to do that.

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:52

@TheCreationOfDistance

It’s not so much about how to feed the sons, but how the heck one fits it all in, and which are the right foods. My ds has asked for advice - its ok to bang on about healthy eating but this isn’t about that, it’s about how to provide high bulk foods to growing kids (who happen to be boys). My DDs didn’t struggle in the same way, but I would have provided the same help. They had different problems - how to get enough protein over being veggie. DS I am concerned about because he’s constantly - and I mean constantly - eating. Am I supposed to allow it? If so, how can we make it work around the rest of the family? These are the tips I value, anyway. I can’t speak for OP but it sounds like a similar dilemma.
Just woman up and dont be so wet ?
TheCreationOfDistance · 05/06/2021 23:54

No need to be rude! I am made of steel, thank you very much 😁

JHMJHM · 05/06/2021 23:56

Ah sorry bud

Mama1980 · 06/06/2021 11:25

Wow lots of messages.
TheCreationOfDistance it does sound like we have a similar dilemma, I agree the amount of food seems just insane. Gaining weight healthily is tricky, so much of our food is geared to encouraging people to lose weight advice on gaining it is thin on the ground.
JHMJHM thanks for your perspective but as I said I've only talking about this due to dr advice, as I explained my son is an ex micro preemie who required extensive surgeries on his abdomen and bowel so it's slightly different to 'usual' - hence the medical monitoring of his weight/height/muscle/tone/heart health/ eyes etc. It will continue until he's 18.

OP posts:
Mama1980 · 06/06/2021 11:29

Sorry I can't name check everyone on the app, but for those who asked yes we are in the UK.
And for whoever asked yes Metabolic rate can potentially be affected by preemie birth and the treatment they receive.
Thanks again everyone for the tips and advice, it's very much appreciated.

OP posts:
Carrotcakeforbreakfast · 13/06/2021 16:14

My teen DD is similar. Very tall and slim. Very active and always hungry!
She eats more than her dad!

What works here is the usual meals we all have but I make soup a couple of times a week with lentils/beans etc and she has that when she wants.
She also eats a lot of apples with peanut butter.
Chicken drumsticks with various marinades.
Noodles.
Porridge
Full fat greek yoghurt which i make in the instant pot. She quite often has that with some frozen berries etc drizzle of honey.

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