Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

14 year old daughter won't eat breakfast

79 replies

Cneasta · 08/01/2018 14:06

This is very frustrating. My 14 year old just won't eat breakfast on school days. She gets up early and then spends ages showering, makeup, hair etc, I've talked to her several times about the importance of breakfast and she (I think) sees it as a way of asserting her independence to say she hasn't time. its awful, she was always really good to have breakfast. Does anyone experience the same thing?

OP posts:

MrsJayy · 08/01/2018 14:09

I was never keen on breakfast as a teenager school used to run a cafe at break I would eat then 1 of my Dds is exactly the same when she was at school I had cereal bars ans fruit handy she took something with her.

bruffin · 08/01/2018 14:11

I could never eat breakfast that early either. I still dont have breakfast until i get to work.
Unless she is feeling ill from it let her be.

RavingRoo · 08/01/2018 14:12

At this age she won’t care unless it starts to directly affect her looks (weight gain etc). Just leave it. I’m sure that with a 14 yo there will be far bigger issues to deal with.

foodiefil · 08/01/2018 14:14

If she's so interested in her appearance have you tried angling it that way?

Terrible for metabolism etc, look up some vloggers/youtubers/instagrammers she likes and see what they have for breakfast? Overnight oats sounds so healthy and trendy but its porridge oats and yoghurt. We use frozen berries but just pop them in without defrosting them!

bigbadbarry · 08/01/2018 14:14

I never liked it either. I don’t have breakfast immediately now, either, I eat after doing the school run. Can she take something for break time instead?

MoonfaceAndSilky · 08/01/2018 14:16

My dd16 can't stomach breakfast on schooldays. It doesn't seem to affect her, healthy enough, good grades etc. Leave her be.

Royalcoronation · 08/01/2018 14:19

DD16 stopped eating breakfast when she was about 9
DS14 stopped eating breakfast when he was 12

They are perfectly fine.

Unless your DD is showing any signs of having an eating disorder I wouldn't be concerned at all.

TwitterQueen1 · 08/01/2018 14:19

This is not worth arguing about. Seriously, pick you battles wisely. Breakfast is not an issue.

SoulStew · 08/01/2018 14:20

Breakfast really, honestly isn’t that important. It’s just a convenient time for calorie consumption in the general view of society. If it’s not convenient for your dd, and it sounds like it’s not, then she can get her calories later. Stop mithering the poor thing.

Davros · 08/01/2018 14:20

My 14 year old DD often doesn't eat breakfast on a school day either. I think it's just too early for her and I sympathise as I never ate breakfast when I worked until a bit later and have mine now after I've dropped her off. The only thing that works sometimes is if I have something in she likes such as dog roll, pain au chocolate or some sort of sandwich. These things are not the healthiest but, as she sometimes doesn't eat lunch, I'd rather that than nothing. I also find that nice orange juice or a smoothie can go down well and is quick

FucksakeCuntingFuckingTwats · 08/01/2018 14:21

It's not a big deal at all. Breakfast is usually sugary crap for kids that age. Not eating breakfast, does NOT alter your metabolism!

Wolfiefan · 08/01/2018 14:21

Can she take a cereal bar or fruit or a brioche roll to eat a bit later? Get a snack at break time?
Breakfast isn't essential.

SnowFairyDust · 08/01/2018 14:21

I really don't like breakfast early in the morning and haven't since I was a teenager. I'd just leave it, I k your battles, this doesn't need to be one!

PatriciaHolm · 08/01/2018 14:21

Why is it awful?

My 13 yr old DD rarely eats breakfast, and neither do I. She sometimes grabs a snack at break at school, but just isn't hungry at 7.30am. Doesn't seem to do her much harm.

Twofishfingers · 08/01/2018 14:22

Smoothies are quite trendy these days. You can get a cheap one and see if she'd like to make her own? with frozen fruit/banana?

ciaa · 08/01/2018 14:24

I can't eat that early in the morning. If I do, I spend the first few hours of the day feeling sick. I have coffee at breakfast time and a snack around 11am.

Let her choose. She knows what she needs and when. If she doesn't want breakfast she doesn't want breakfast. You can't force someone to be hungry just because you think it's meal time.

LemonysSnicket · 08/01/2018 14:24

I didn’t eat breakfast ( still don’t) from the age of about 12. It’s too early and it makes me feel physically sick ( I’ve retched into a few bowls of cereal before). Pack her some nutrigrain or cereal bars or something and ask her to eat one at break.

Leave her be.

just5morepeas · 08/01/2018 14:25

Try getting her some things to eat on the run, fruit, cereal bars, smoothies, even a glass of milk would be better than nothing.

I went through a period of skipping breakfast when I was a teen and I'm fine now, but I did feel a little tired and faint some mornings. I'm sure I would have felt better with breakfast!

KalaLaka · 08/01/2018 14:27

Cereal bars and smoothies aren't ideal as they're so high in sugar. My DD has refused breakfast for years; I think it's better giving her nothing than giving her sugary stuff.

SavageBeauty73 · 08/01/2018 14:33

My 15 year old won't eat breakfast but she has something to eat at the 11am break and a proper lunch. I've given up nagging.

RosiePosiePuddingPie · 08/01/2018 14:34

She's old enough to make these choices for herself, surely? Unless you're concerned about an eating disorder, I'd back off. There are more important things to worry about during the teen years!

FilledSoda · 08/01/2018 14:34

Even if you could persuade her to eat it's not a good idea for her to learn to eat when she isn't hungry.

junglebookisthebest · 08/01/2018 14:35

do not fight this battle - there are more important things
I still can't eat breakfast early in the morning - rather than set me up for the day it makes me feel nauseous and sluggish.
At 14 she can learn for herself if she needs a breakfast or not...

Twofishfingers · 08/01/2018 14:36

Fruit is fine for breakfast. A fruit smoothie, with a little plain yogurt or just mixed with water is fine.

Water from fruit, as in home made smoothies, have fibre, and are a lot better than sugary cereals as the sugar is natural and not processed. If you have a smoothie made with a banana, a handful of frozen berries and a dollop of natural yogurt, you will have a very heathy breakfast despite the sugar content. I absolutely hate the concept that natural sugars from fruit is bad for you. If done in moderation (ie if you don't down a litre of orange juice a day) it's absolutely fine.

0ccamsRazor · 08/01/2018 14:36

My dd15 doesn't have breakfast during the week either, she has a fruit juice and a piece of fruit. I give her money for lunch at school and send her in with a snack/breakfast/lunch box with a veg wrap, some veg cut up, bean sprouts, and some fruit (about 4 portions of fruit and veg).

My ds12 makes himself a breakfast smoothie of, oats, almonds, coconut, raw cocoa, mixed seeds and fruit. He also has lunch money and a box of food like dd, but not so much in it. When they get home they have some homemade soup or root veg sticks to see them through to supper time.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread