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Teenagers

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

Original poster

DS 15 Greed/ Binge eating

37 replies

FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 12:52

DS has eaten a whole bucket of chocolate crispy treats to himself.

I bought them yesterday and he had some after dinner. He asked me if he could take the whole tub in to his room and I made it clear that they were not just for him and that what he had already had was more than enough - he had four and I would say a "normal" portion would be one or two.

I went to get one for myself this morning and the tub was gone - at some point last night DS has taken it in to his room and finished the lot.

He has done things like this before - always with "treat" food - a whole tub of Ben & Jerry's or several packs of crisps, f9r example.

I'm not strict with food in the house - there is always some treat food - nothing excessive but the usual pack of chocolate biscuits in the cupboard, ice lollies in the freezer which I don't stop him from having a normal share of e.g. an ice cream after dinner.

He also has his own money, some of which gets spent on "rubbish". So is by no means deprived.

He is an active, growing teen with a big appetite so I appreciate he will eat more than me but I'm worried about the way he treats this sort of food.

We eat healthy, normal dinners with plenty of protein, he has a generous portion and there is plenty of fruit, yoghurt, cereal etc. which he is encouraged to have if hungry outwith meals - it is only the rubbish he binges on.

I am guessing some people will tell me to stop buying things like this altogether which is fair, however I've read on here before that restricting too much turns it in to a "forbidden fruit" and means he's probably more likely to scoff it when he does have it.

Any experience or advice on how to handle? I've had plenty of chats about eating healthy, ashamed to say I did get a bit nippy with him about this and probably shamed him a bit which I realise in the long run might result in him hiding his habits which isn't helpful either!

For full disclosure I am overweight myself, but not in the habit of munching a full box of cakes to myself in one sitting!

OP posts:
PutMyFootIn · 04/02/2024 13:11

He's a typical teenager.

Just stop buying it. That's not the same as restricting it. Restricting it is having it there but not allowing him to have any.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/02/2024 13:28

It’s what teens do..

AcridAndStanLee · 04/02/2024 13:32

Encourage healthy eating but this is so normal I wouldn't give it another thought.

GN637 · 04/02/2024 13:33

The only thing I'd say is that things like that are to share and he has to be fair to the rest of the family. Otherwise his behaviour is completely normal. It's hardly binging HmmDon't put your food issues onto him.

Original poster
FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 13:33

Is it?

He is not overweight, goes to the gym plays football and has PE most days at school so definitely active enough.

Do I just leave him to it?

Maybe I'm paranoid that he ends up like me - I have struggled with my weight for years.

I don't remember eating like that as a teen!

OP posts:
ChChChCheckinItOut · 04/02/2024 13:36

Teens are pretty well known to eat junk and fizzy drinks etc. I would try and make it clear how selfish it is and that he needs to share or buy his own.

Original poster
FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 13:37

GN637 · 04/02/2024 13:33

The only thing I'd say is that things like that are to share and he has to be fair to the rest of the family. Otherwise his behaviour is completely normal. It's hardly binging HmmDon't put your food issues onto him.

No need for the snark.

I would say that eating a family size bucket of chocolate treats in one night is binging.

OP posts:
Hatty65 · 04/02/2024 13:39

This is typical teenage boy behaviour. They go through growth spurts and are constantly hungry. DS18 has been known to eat a (large) roast dinner at 6pm and then at 11pm at night be frying himself 4 rashers of bacon, 3 sausages, 3 fried eggs, beans and hashbrowns. They have hollow legs.

It's not greed. It's hunger, often. And frankly, no one really wants a yoghurt or an apple if they are starving.

Octavia64 · 04/02/2024 13:43

Teenage boys eat a lot mostly because they are growing.

Fruit and yoghurt don't fill them up.

I bought a lot of cheap carbs at that point. Mine could easily eat two adult dinners on one evening, and frequently did especially if he'd been out doing sports.

If you don't want him eating chocolate etc then don't buy it as he is presumably old enough to buy it with his own money if he wants it, but you really do need to feed him.

My DS was never overweight at any point.

Original poster
FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 13:49

Maybe I just need to worry a bit less then!

I appreciate if you're hungry an apple won't do the job, but I definitely wouldn't say he is underfed in terms of meals.

Obviously overthinking things and this is just what teens do.

Thanks for giving me some perspective. I'm a lone parent and don't really have anyone to sound this stuff out with so maybe it seems worse in my head than it is in reality!

OP posts:
Mirrormeback · 04/02/2024 13:53

He's growing and clearly hungry

They get hungry after a huge main meal within minutes

My DS eats less during the day at college so devours everything in sight at home

I had my weekly shop delivered yesterday and he's ploughed through loads already

And he's slim, walks to college and back every day so that at least an hours walk a day

Mirrormeback · 04/02/2024 13:57

I never discuss diet or what my DC should and shouldn't be eating

Especially as I have a DD so did want her having guilt issues of any sort

We have loads of healthy food along with minimal amount of crisps

I have bananas, oranges, grapefruit, grapes l, blueberries and apples for them to snack on but they aren't filling

So I offer DS toast with peanut butter or scrambled eggs on toast if he's feeling peckish when he shouldn't be

Original poster
FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 14:02

Ok, maybe not as problematic as I thought. I genuinely thought this would be unusual so I feel a bit less worried now.

I dont think I'd have been bothered if he was munching toasties and I don't bat an eye if he has 2 or 3 bowls of cereal - I do understand he is a growing boy with a big appetite. Maybe when it's junk food it just seems more excessive!

Thanks all.

Any suggestions on healthier, filling stuff that's as easy to grab as a chocolate bar welcome.

OP posts:
Hatty65 · 04/02/2024 20:33

Teach him to cook some basic meals, OP. It's a great skill to have, particularly if they are perhaps going to head off to uni at 18. Mine can cook lots of pasta dishes - he's quite likely to knock himself up macaroni cheese when he's starving, or a tomato based pasta dish. He can do tuna pasta bake. He's good at porridge - and adds blueberries/honey/nuts to it - can be done in the microwave. He's also happy to peel potatoes and put the deep fat fryer on to make himself huge plates of 'proper' chips. He's good at Spanish omelettes.

I appreciate that these aren't necessarily 'healthy' and are generally pretty carb heavy, but that's obviously what he feels like when hungry. He's 6ft 3" currently and lean. And he does clear up after himself.

thismummydrinksgin · 04/02/2024 20:38

Oh my teens do this too. I'd just send him up with his portion in a separate bowl if you want to keep some. I have been trying to throw some fruit or offer things that fill them up a couple of hours after meals to stop them gorging or getting too hungry. Those bucket things are easy to devour!! X

thismummydrinksgin · 04/02/2024 20:39

Hatty65 · 04/02/2024 20:33

Teach him to cook some basic meals, OP. It's a great skill to have, particularly if they are perhaps going to head off to uni at 18. Mine can cook lots of pasta dishes - he's quite likely to knock himself up macaroni cheese when he's starving, or a tomato based pasta dish. He can do tuna pasta bake. He's good at porridge - and adds blueberries/honey/nuts to it - can be done in the microwave. He's also happy to peel potatoes and put the deep fat fryer on to make himself huge plates of 'proper' chips. He's good at Spanish omelettes.

I appreciate that these aren't necessarily 'healthy' and are generally pretty carb heavy, but that's obviously what he feels like when hungry. He's 6ft 3" currently and lean. And he does clear up after himself.

Carb heavy is fine I'd say for a teenage boy. X

thismummydrinksgin · 04/02/2024 20:41

FakeSucculent · 04/02/2024 14:02

Ok, maybe not as problematic as I thought. I genuinely thought this would be unusual so I feel a bit less worried now.

I dont think I'd have been bothered if he was munching toasties and I don't bat an eye if he has 2 or 3 bowls of cereal - I do understand he is a growing boy with a big appetite. Maybe when it's junk food it just seems more excessive!

Thanks all.

Any suggestions on healthier, filling stuff that's as easy to grab as a chocolate bar welcome.

I do batches of flapjacks, not healthy but at least it's oats and not processed 😂 i don't think you will win the food battle at this age x

ObliviousCoalmine · 04/02/2024 20:41

Sounds pretty normal. I've got a 6ft 2 15 year old who would merrily eat an entire roast chicken by himself, and still ask if there was enough pudding left for another go afterwards.

Barleypilaf · 04/02/2024 20:42

If you don’t want him to eat a bucket of chocolate crispies, then don’t buy them!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/02/2024 22:35

Ours used to eat cereal in mixing bowls. A normal was was insufficient apparently.

DemBonesDemBones · 05/02/2024 08:11

Do you mean those chocolate cornflake bites? If so, I think you are the one with a worrying attitude to food if you think a 'normal' serving would be one or 2, honestly.

Veryinteresting24 · 05/02/2024 08:25

If he went off with the whole tub it would have been difficult for him to resist the whole lot. He wasn’t going to just take one or two! Next time remind him to take just his portion. It doesn’t sound like binge eating to me.

TotalDramarama24 · 05/02/2024 08:29

You've said "a bucket" of treats a couple of times. Do you actually mean a bucket, or just one of those tubs of cornflake cakes you get from M&S, which are about 200g for the whole tub? I could easily eat a whole tub and have three teens who would treat the tub as an amuse-bouche. It's great you feed him good meals and there are healthy treats on offer, but teens also like to eat their body weight in junk. I wouldn't worry unless he starts to put on a lot of weight. I've found that if I want something for myself I have to put it where they can't find it, like where I keep the cleaning products.

SendmetoWales · 05/02/2024 08:35

I agree that one of those buckets is not that big. I have an 18 year old and he can have 3 breakfasts plus a pre dinner, dinner and food before bed. He also goes to the gym. I'd probably just make sure there's lots of fillers for him to graze on.

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