Meal Ideas for Starving Son

[Joey]

My teenage son is always hungry,he says he's hungry while he's got a mouth full of food.

Any ideas on how to keep him fed? I told him it would be nice if he'd develop an eating disorder like bulimia.

[Old]

I Know how he feels, I never manage to get full until I was 30, I just stopped eating when the food ran out.

 

My sympathy to both of you. 

[dilip kumar]

It looks he may have worms. Try stool test if possible. I had this problem. And it was worms first and later it was acidity.

[Brother Arellano]

I found a somewhat solution to this problem by keeping around a lot of healthy snacks. A big bowl of fruit; Apples, oranges, bananas. Plus things like yogurt and granola. And getting rid of unhealthy snacks like chips and frozen foods. If he's eating healthy foods the massive caloric intake isn't nearly as bad. And when the cupboards start to go bare it's always a good time to visit grandma. Grandma's love feeding people.

[blue-jay]

Including healthy fats in his meals will help: nut butters, avocado, coconut oil, ...

[New World Explorer]

Move next to Pizza Hut ! ....... Just joking ha ha ha !

[Joey]

It looks he may have worms. Try stool test if possible. I had this problem. And it was worms first and later it was acidity.

Now,I had not considered this.Hmmm.

[NSSewer]

Hi Nancy, how are you Sweetheart? I always tell parents with teens get a second job because they will eat you out of house and home, especially now that school is out for the summer.

 I have been increasing my fiber intake and have been experiementing with black bean burgers, falelfel (?) hummus black bean brownies and lentil soups. I realized with my diet, I tend to eat healthy meals but am a poor processed food eating snacker, and I'm trying to change that. I find I'm depressed and lathargic and have bad dreams when I eat processed foods. So I'm experimenting with natural fun foods. I'm concentrating on seeing fruit as dessert and eating fruit salads and fruit kabobs.  Now my favorite junk food are the Greek yogurt covered cherries from Aldis.

[AH173]

It looks he may have worms. Try stool test if possible. I had this problem. And it was worms first and later it was acidity.

I agree with getting some medical attention on this. I wonder if WebMD.com has something on this subject. You all could be on the same page.

[PrairieGirl]

I kind of doubt it is a medical condition, Teen boys are growing at incredible rates, and eat a lot.... it's a known fact. When my brothers went through these states, lots of beans and lentils, high fiber, healthy foods, healthy fats... they are cheaper any way. And help fill em up!

[Jewelz]

My sons right after a huge dinner used to line up at the fridge like penguins thinking there was something different in there from the last time they looked! Hollow legs. I wouldn't worry it's normal if he's active

[New World Explorer]

I kind of doubt it is a medical condition, Teen boys are growing at incredible rates, and eat a lot.... it's a known fact. When my brothers went through these states, lots of beans and lentils, high fiber, healthy foods, healthy fats... they are cheaper any way. And help fill em up!

Teen boys are growing at incredible rates......    Imagine how Goliath must have felt when growing up   

[Brenda]

I agree with Dilip...it could be worms...or other parasites.  So he could be eating for more than himself.  

 

Also, food manufacturers use a lot of different chemicals/ingredients to make you crave their product...even when you're full.  So staying completely away from anything processed for 3 weeks may help.  This would allow enough time for these ingredients to leave his body.

 

And if he's eating more because he's a growing boy...make sure he's eating fresh/healthy foods.

 

Hope he's better soon.

[PrairieGirl]

lol Greg, I can't imagine. My oldest brother was bad enough! lol He's still healthy and alive in his 40's. and in high school he would come home and eat for a "snack" 9 HUGE what my parents would call Dagwood sandwiches. (old comic strip) They were sandwiches, with meat, onion, tomato, lettuce, pickles, etc etc piled high!!! 9 of them! Plus a gallon of water. Then he still ate dinner like a crazy person. He was a big guy/football player etc. He's still a large guy (not fat, but very muscular and tall), and doesn't eat near as much now days. lol I'll never forget, when he was a teen, all you can eat restaurants had just began. And we went to one, and they actually came out and said he couldn't have any more!!!! And he argued with them, that mom paid for him to eat all he could eat, as the sign said, and he hadn't ate all he could eat yet! lol haha I think the manager was rethinking his all you can eat promotion! lol

[ava]

My teenage son is always hungry,he says he's hungry while he's got a mouth full of food.

Any ideas on how to keep him fed? I told him it would be nice if he'd develop an eating disorder like bulimia.

 

I am in the same situation.  17 yr old son, 6 foot 3 inches, and skinny as can be.  But he can eat, and he eats constantly.

 

As to ideas to keep him fed, I have food in the house, and if he's hungry, he can make his own food.  I cook dinner for the family, and that is it.  They are all on their own for breakfast/lunch/snacks, lol.  

 

And yes, healthy snacks are best.  Chips and stuff are empty calories.  May fill him up for a few minutes, but he will just get hungry again.  My son loves bananas and apples.

Edited June 2, 2015 by ava

[Qapla]

When I was just out of High School I began working in a pizza place. We were allowed to eat free when we worked. I was a Regular Pioneer but I worked 5 nights a week. I would eat a 13" pizza every night I worked. This was in addition to a full lunch, breakfast and anything else I decided to eat during the day ..... and I was just a little 135 pound skinny guy.

[PrairieGirl]

LOL John, when my brother got his first jobs... his first job was a life guard he would take a cooler (family size!) and a large grocery bag to work as his "lunch" big enough to feed a family!!!! lol haha Next he went through several restaurant jobs that came with as much as he wanted to eat. We always joked those restaurants were getting the short end of the stick when they hired him! lol

[kejedo]

Sometimes young men are on a growth spurt. All my sons are well over 6 feet,and extremely active. Also, some metabolisms run high. I had a cleaning job (brought kids with) that was disgustingly filthy, and most of my family caught pinworms, so I would not dismiss this outright. If your son is just a big eater and all else is healthy, it is just part of growing up, imho. p.s.We had seven boys at home, and I believe that they each ate their weight in groceries, at some point. 

[LeslieDean]

Fix him or teach him these very easy pasta dishes.  Boil spaghetti then drain and shock with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Drain well and let set in strainer while you chop fresh veggies--such as cucumbers. gree onions, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, zunchinni squash.  Mix with the pasta.  Salt and pepper to tast then add a bottle ov either Italian dressing or French dressing.  This is very filling and good too with all the fresh vegtables.  Or just cook and drain the pasta and add a stick of butter and grated parmasean cheese.  Again filling, very tasty, and not so heavy on the pocketbook.  Or bust boil macaroni, drain and add a can of stewed tomatoes.  A couple of pats of butter really helps it out.  Three very easy dishes that will fill him up and offer variety and taste.

[ReadYourBible]

No one has focused on the best filler of all.  Anything packed with protein, eggs, lean meats, lentils, nuts, seeds and beans if he'll eat them.  Most people get enough protein, but protein is rich in calories, and keeps the fuller feeling longer.  

 

Steel cut oatmeal, sunny boy, for breakfast.  Load on the carbs, veggies if he'll eat them.  Complex carbs like cauliflower, broccoli, whole wheat bread, brown or wild rice.  Calcium and iron are also crucial building blocks, things like cottage cheese, and other leafy greens.  

 

He should be eating around 2200-3200 cals a day, and you can consume a LOT of food within that range.

 

http://www.nmnathletics.com/attachments1/517.htm?DB_OEM_ID=5800

Edited June 4, 2015 by cerebral ecstasy

[kejedo]

My middlest son eats about the same thing I eat every day: Cottage cheese for breakfast, (he eats tilapia, I skip lunch, or we each have a low carb/sugar free protein bar for lunch) and a salad for dinner. He is wasting away.I am holding my own, but not losing. I haven't eaten sugar or wheat for months. He is is about 7 inches taller and does weight lifting and cardio, treadmill. I do walking and flex/resistance bands. We both feel we are improving our health. I think he is too thin. When he was an adolescent, he ate like a bottomless pit. It's a boy thing, perhaps. We both are ocd on tooth brushing and flossing.  OT for teen age boy's appetites, but I could not think of another opportunity to use this emoticon.Sorry. I don't mean to trivialize your teen age son's nutrition needs, but all my boys went thru the hungry horror stage and they are all tall and thin. Hope you got some good ideas from this thread, or at least assurance that it is quite normal for teenage boys to have huge appetites. Keep us (and by us, I mean me) posted. YS,pauline 

Edited June 4, 2015 by kejedo

[PrairieGirl]

Great ideas Sharon, and actually I did say beans and lentils in my post above yours. lol Fiber, Protein, and healthy fats make for filling tummies! And growing boys really need the protein, that's when most boys start not only growing taller but get a large amount of muscle mass too.

[hatcheckgirl]

Protein is what is keeping me going at the moment, as per Heather and Sharon's post.  My dietician is creating a kind of good torture to slow down the effects of diabetes.  I have to admit it, as much as I don't like lentils and beans, they are real filler foods.  Plus I don't feel starving.  I know it is something that does work.

All the best with your boys!

[PrairieGirl]

Lucy the secret is flavoring them right! I rarely make them with water, broth taste better, a ham bone the best, and rosemarry in the lentils, yum!

[hatcheckgirl]

I know about seasoning - it's not really that.  I've got a Greek/Italian background, and believe me, they know how to make these good foods taste good.  It's just that I grew up with them - broad beans, lentil soups, chick peas.  All very healthy and mum was a great cook.  It's just me.  I'm not a fan. 

 

One of my best ways to eat pulses is by making them into patties, with middle eastern flavourings of cumin and coriander (cilantro for US).  Plenty of garlic helps too.  I found that the very best way to flavour lentil soup is to include a lot of olive oil (mum's Greek, she knows all about this).  It really creates an infinitely superior flavour to just stock with plenty of vegies.  The lentils will just abosorb the oiliness and leave the nutty taste.  I'm almost saying yum!

Heather, I wish I had a more positive attitude about these foods.  I know how good they are.  And we'll probably be eating a lot more of them in the new world.  The health benefits are amazing.  And I've already lost 2.5kgs in 2 weeks without heavy exercise, just this diet.  So, I know it is a good food source.  It's just me