Teenager - small meal after school options

[SpaceOP]

DS is 13, tall, active etc. He also has ADHD and is on meds that suppress his appetite during the day. Overall, it's not a huge issue as he has a good breakfast, and he eats a good dinner with lots of variety etc (thank goodness he's not a fussy eater at all).

But he does tend to come home from school and his appetite kicks in around 4pm as the meds start to wear off. Too early for dinner but I appreciate he needs more than a snack if he hasn't eaten since 8am. Something more substantial, healthy etc would be good. I'm working on things I can mostly prepare ahead for him when I'm making my own lunch, and I've started keeping things like fresh ravioli for him to cook or reheated leftovers.

But I'd like him to start experimenting and trying things he prepares himself, perhapss in the airfryer. eg I realised this week that those crumbed chicken steaks or chunky fish fingers can be done by him in the airfryer in 10 minutes and then eaten like a burger or in a wrap or something. Any other ideas he could try? I keep hearing that teens love the air fryer so now I need to get him into it!

Hot dogs in wraps done in microwave
Pizza works in air fryer
croissant / bagel with ham & cheese in air fryer to melt cheese

I'd just encourage him to make a sandwich/ roll/ bagel etc. for now tbh. Maybe try to have plenty of salad options to add to it as well as whatever else he's adding ( chicken, cheese etc.) and start there. If he gets really into it there are tons of sandwich filling ideas online.

Mine appreciates if the fridge is stocked with sausage rolls, bakes, etc.

Does he like overnight oats? You could make those in a kilner jar in the morning, top with fruits etc, then they would be ready in the fridge by the time he finishes school

My 13yr old likes to make two big jacket potatoes with either cheese or tuna. He does do football training from 7 till 8 so loads up on carbs a couple hours before then has a main meal after training.

If you want him to use the air fryer a bit, how about Pitta pizza? Wholemeal pitta or a greek flat bred, bit of tomato sauce then whatever he wants as toppings, diced pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, ham, pineapple , chicken and a sprinkle of cheese. Takes about 4 - 5 mins in the air fryer if that. You can also use wraps . I would have small bowls of veggies already chopped for him in the fridge, a jar of pasta sauce, bag of grated cheese and let him tear on.

Take away tubs are great to have the bits all ready there for him

Granddaughter is 11 and she loves making her own pizza

My teens love a toastie made in the air fryer 😋
I’ve made a batch of soup tonight and there’s some in the fridge in a microwave soup mug for dd’s after school snack (my son wouldn’t touch soup with a barge pole, though!)

A small tin of baked beans on toast. Beans are full of protein and are filling. Maybe grated cheese on top

Fish fingers with a dip
samosas
hash browns and an egg
salads and fruit
pasty

Felafel with hummus in a wrap
Fish finger sandwich
Microwaved scrambled egg on toast

You can ‘boil’ eggs in the air fryer in about 7 minutes, and scoop them out on to toast, or dip good old fashioned soldiers in

Lots of ideas here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4980355-what-on-earth-do-teenagers-eat-after-school?page=4&reply=132075692

My 14yo tends to finish their packed lunch when they get in!

Thank you all. Between these suggestions, my own thinking and the link someone put here, I've created a list. (We like a list around here - we're not good at spontaneous thinking).

And some of this is things I can prepare partly or fully when I'm making lunch for myself and some he can sort himself. I also quite liked the idea from another thread of pre-filling wraps and freezing them. That poster's kids then microwaved them but I'm thinking it's likely to be even better in the airfryer so I might experiment with that a bit. He's a bit lazy, and also, I think by the time the appetite kicks in, he's so hungry he can't think sensibly, so left to his own devices he'd just eat peanut butter toast and protein bars.

For anyone who is interested, here is the list I've created for us:

Tuna mayo
Egg mayp
Chicken mayo
Cheese toastie
Crumbed chicken steak "burger"
Fish finger wrap/roll
Stuffed pita bread/wrap – roast veg/meat/cheese in air fryer
Fresh pasta with pesto
Pasta pesto
Pasta salad
Leftover pasta with sauce
Smoothie – with oats
Hummus and bread sticks/crackers, olives
Scrambled/fried eggs
Beans on toast
Cereal
Airfryer banana muffins
Carrot muffins

Make a big pot of soup and store it in tubs so he just needs to blitz in the microwave. Bread or a roll to dip in should tide him over until dinner

Mine is 10 and is perfectly capable of getting herself cheese/crackers/fruit, dried fruit and nuts, make pasta, noodles (I get those ready made ones that you steam in microwave), scrambled eggs and toast, ham sandwich (could probably do a toasty if we had a toasty maker), make a frozen pizza. All with extra veg/fruit to bulk out the meal.

@mindutopia mine is capable of most of that too - the difference is that if he has to think too much about it, or take time, he won't. Particularly in the post school starvation phase - he's pretty good on the weekends when he has time and energy to think about breakfast/lunch for example.

Also, while he's happy to eat veg and actually likes them, I'm afraid he's not proactively making veg and bulking out meals himself.

Possibly a parenting fail on my part, but I'm doing my best with a child with ADHD and some issues with food as a result of being significantly overweight when he was younger.

SpaceOP It sounds like you have a good range of snacks listed there. I like the idea of a mug of soup and a roll too.

We have the same issue here. Our DS is only on a low dose of ADHD meds so he will eat lunch if it’s a case of following his mates into dinner, but isn’t bothered about not eating all day if the dinner hall is busy or noisy. I make DS12 cheese and oatcakes, homemade cake or toast when he gets home. And always a banana. He’ll then have a meal at about 7.

One thing I have noticed with DS is that when he doesn’t eat, he also doesn’t drink properly. So after school is about rehydrating as well as refuelling.

And of course it’s not a parenting failure. You are giving your son the care he needs when he needs it. Who cares if some random in the internet’s three year old whips up lobster Thermidor for breakfast?! It’s lovely for him to know you understand what he needs and put effort into helping him. That’s parenting success, in my book.

Thanks! And yes yes to the drinking! That's definitely an issue I am also working on.

DS (15) has similar issues and often cooks eggs or makes a protein powder and fruit smoothie. The second option is very quick and safe for younger dc, he uses frozen fruit often.

It isn't a parenting failure just part of ADHD, just as the over snacking and weight gain is when they don't have meds.

Omelette
Jacket potatoes with cheese or baked beans
Beans on toast
Toast and pate
A toasted sandwich
Soup and a roll
Bowl of cereal
Hotdog in a roll

My ds used to love toast or pitta or bagels with home made mackerel or salmon (tinned) pate. You can make it in advance, or he can, and it's high in protein.

I just brought forward the evening meal and then later they had a small supper.

The sort of things people are suggesting is what we have for our evening meal anyway! Jacket potatoes, omelettes etc.

DD2 is also on ADHD meds. She doesn't fancy much at lunchtime at school either (and the options don't sound that great anyway) but has things like houmous and toast/celery/cucumber when she gets in. And crisps and chocolate, obviously. She's 14, 5'10 and very slim but hasn't lost weight while being on the meds.

Then we have our evening meal between 6pm - 7pm usually.

What over snacking and weight gain?

Run along to AIBU.