14 year old not eating

[Ladyof]

Over the past 12 months my daughter has a mixture of school dinners and packed lunches.

On about 10 different occasions I've found her lunch, be it sandwich, sausage rolls, grapes etc in her bin. When I've asked her she has given stupid reasons like, it was squashed, it got wet, I had tummy ache. I clearly think she is just throwing it and wasting my money which is really quite annoying.

More worrying this week I've not given her any packed lunches just money to spend on dinners but when I have looked she spent nothing mon and tues and then just water wed and thurs.

She doesnt eat breakfast and is clearly having no lunch either. She does eat her tea but is becoming much fussier now and things.

I often find plenty of sweets, crisps and junk in her bin.

I need to be careful about how I handle this. Any ideas please?

It sounds like an ED, though only a mental health professional would be able to diagnose it. I don't have much advice myself, but my heart goes out to you. This YouTube video has advice for parents on how to talk about it, written by a person who's now recovered, for example don't focus on weight or appearance but say you're worried.

We're pretty direct in this household.
I would put it to her "It seems like you're eating a lot of junk food and little else" and go from there.

Things like EDs thrive in the darkness.

Do you think she is restricting her food at home too?

Will she eat with you or does she make excuses to avoid food at home too?

Have you noticed she is thinner?

Is she wearing baggy clothes more than she used to?

My DD has been diagnosed with anorexia. She lost about 10 kg over the course of a few months and was restricting down to 500 - 600 calories a day.

She is now seeing a doctor and dietician and is on an eating plan. She is slowly starting to regain weight but is still not eating as much as she should be.

There is a charity called BEAT that we have found very helpful.

If you notice she lost weight, don't comment on it.

My parents made the mistake of being shocked outwardly about my spine etc showing so prominently on my back, and I revelled in it.

I often find plenty of sweets, crisps and junk in her bin.

The wrappers or the food? I'd be concerned there could be potential purging.
Or she could just be being a fussy teenager only eating junk but yes this is a very delicate subject and Im not the best person to give advice on it just hope it all turns out to be nothing