Teen DS constantly wants MEAT as a snack - how to fill him up?

[Londono]

DS, 13, often declares that he wants MEAT (said in capitals to me!) when he is hungry. He often has dinner at his dad's and I collect him afterwards but rustling up MEAT not long before bed is not happening. What can I do to fill him up and satisfy him? He'd quite happily eat a load of toast/pasta but it feels like it is protein that he is craving.

If he liked chicken I'd just roast a chicken and let him snack on that but he isn't keen on chicken (will eat it sometimes). I'd like to keep away from processed stuff like pepperami/ham etc as I'm not convinced that would be filling enough. Any suggestions? I think his ideal would be if I put steak in front of him every night!!

He isn't trying to bulk up, he is very sporty though and does lots of sport every week. I am concerned he may be nutritionally deficient too, he gets a lot of fast food at his dad's and has got pickier at my house as a result.

Pork steaks much cheaper than steak - would that work occasionally?

Lots of mince bulked out with veg (carrot, onion, celery, courgette etc.) - rissoles, home made burgers, chilli, bolognese, cottage pie etc

Omelettes with whatever leftovers are in fridge

How about veggie chilli? This one is lovely, v cheap to make and you can make a big batch so he could heat up a bowlful after school. It's very healthy and filling with lots of protein and fibre.

gasmarkfive.com/2015/04/01/proper-chilli/

Yes, he loves pork so pork steaks would go down well @jackstini

I've never made an omelette in my life but I always have eggs in so I will give it a go.

Buy the ham and pepperami. They're filling, especially in a whole grain bread sandwich

Hard boiled eggs, peanut butter and whole grain bagels or bread, oatmeal/ porridge are also good sources of protein.

Are we really making slow cooked brisket/burgers/meatballs/whole dinners for teenage snacks?

I'd firstly be making sure he's eating enough at his dads. He needs to be having a proper dinner

Snacks I'd just say eggs, peanut butter on toast, cheese, yoghurt, protein shakes, hummus, nuts. Yes we all want steak but it's not really an appropriate after dinner snack. Could get some sandwich fillings in and he can make himself a sandwich. If he wants more I'd probably expect him to batch cook on the weekend

I know you said meat but would he have a protein shake? If you get vanilla you can mix in coco or banana. Cheaper than meat and easy for him to prepare.

My son often grabs a pepperoni stick and a chunk of cheese to snack on as dinner is later.

He does like most but not all fish. I don't think he is eating well enough at his dad's, no, but that isn't something in my power or influence to correct so I'll continue to pick up the pieces afterwards.

I don't think even if I was keen on pepperoni sticks that one would be enough to satisfy him.

My ds loves 2 fried eggs on top of Koka noodles. He makes them himself.

@Londono I have had hollow legged teenage DS's , 10 years on not so much.

If he is not eating well enough at his Dad's then those would be the days I would cook some sausages , even the cocktail sized ones and have them in the fridge

I get your point about not wanting him cooking in the evening after dinner so how about Spanish omelette ( can be bought ready made ) cut in pieces , or mini sausage rolls or ready made meatballs from a packet which can be eaten cold. I realise these would not be a staple diet , but if he is active and just genuinely still hungry after a well balanced dinner at your house I am not sure this is dreadful every so often

Otherwise ( Bad Mother me ) if he is genuinely hungry & will eat chicken on occasion I would say - that's what there is. If he isn't hungry enough he won't eat it but if he is he might ( not saying you should do this all the time. ) Or a big packet of cheese he can have a go at.

Otherwise leftovers from family meal if you not need them for the next day - he could finish off.

In our house steak is a treat - not a fridge snack 😊( the leftover bits if any yes would be a help yourself fridge thing. )

All the best - DS now in his 20s and actually eats less than when he was a teenager I believe.

He will eat chicken in a wrap (probably with ketchup!) so perhaps that's the kind of thing I need to offer, and I've bought steak once in 2022 that I can remember so it isn't something that is regularly on offer to him either.

I do need to find a balance between giving him some decent options and not pandering to his latest whims.

@Londono "I do need to find a balance between giving him some decent options and not pandering to his latest whims." Well said 💐I love DS and sometimes like to pander to him - sometimes it is "that's what there is " - all best to you

Sardines on toast if he likes fish.

Also maybe a batch of chick pea and kale or spinach curry in little tubs in the freezer. You can have some of those mini coriander naans in the freezer too or just eat with toast. Loads of protein and iron, really tasty and very cheap. Teach him to make it at the weekend with you as it's great student food!

Cheese omelettes and toast.

When DC (boys) were in their teens I used to roast a chicken and leave it in the fridge for them to snack on. It actually works out cheaper than loads of other snacks. They can have chicken sandwiches or instant noodles with shredded chicken or just gnaw on a drumstick like cavemen. There was usually enough left on the carcass to make a chicken noodle soup or a chicken and mushroom risotto for the whole family too, all for about £5.

You could also cook a pack of sausages and leave those in the fridge as snacks.

Cold chicken sandwiches (just buy the ready cooked stuff)
cold sausages
Microwave bean casseroles/chickpea curries

Pitta bread done in the toaster is a lot less a hassle than rice or mash etc.

Basiliskstare
He is now in his 20s and eats less than when he was a teenager I believe

Exactly the same in our family

When ds was in the phase I kept a different kind of meat snack in the fridge each week depending on what was on offer or what I felt like. cooked chicken thighs, cooked sausages, a gammon/piece of cooked bacon that he could slice, meat from turkey legs, slow cooked and stripped, then he had nuts to eat, and eggs that he'd fry or scramble.

It was intense while it lasted 😆

Bacon butty

Ha, sadly I am chief cook and bottle washer for said teenagers!

I sometimes cook up a big batch of chilli con carne, that's a great snack, I just microwave it and put in wraps or serve with some microwave rice or just stir through some cheese and have it as it is. Mince is cheap if you get the higher fat mince, I just use a paper towel to remove the excess.

we also mix any leftovers with egg and bake in muffin paper cups as snacks.

He does eat quiche and I've never made him eggy bread but I could give that a whirl too.

My teen has started making his own eggy bread recently. He seems to like it

Otherwise leftovers from family meal if you not need them for the next day - he could finish off.

I was going to say that — very sporty DB had two dinners (and a cooked lunch if he could!) for a few years. He didn't really want snacks, it was something more 'solid'.

I was never as bad, but I can remember as a teen having seconds and still not feeling that full! I think you burn an awful lot of calories growing and doing school work, never mind exercise on top.