how much should kids eat? cant seem to fill my lads?

Question

have 3 sons 2 r teens they'll eat a decent meal (they had chicken and jackets 2nite 3 chicken breast each!!) and pud and then want more more more my food bills r coming in at £140 a wk for 4 is that normal?

they have some kinda spounge and custard for pud. yeah they work out they both go to the gym and play football i can fill the choc bowl up on a thurs its gone by fri along with the crisps and 2 bags of fruit they eat bigger meals than me thou and are always up for 2nds

Answer 1

I went to a boarding school and we took part in physical activity at least three times a day, sometimes more. Typically we would have a two course breakfast, cereals or porridge followed by something fried. At 11.00am we would each eat a third of a loaf of bread, toasted with marmalade or something similar. We then had a cooked lunch, two courses, meat and two or three veg followed by a pudding, normally sponge or suet. We also had bread on the table. Mid afternoon we would go to the tuck shop and eat sweets, crisps etc. and at 6.00pm we would get a cooked tea. When and if you were made a prefect you also had a supper at 10.00pm which was normally bread, cheese, pickle followed by sweet biscuits.

I never saw any really fat pupils and most, like me, were perfectly normal. When I left school I was 12 stone and 6ft 1" and fit as a flea. 32 years later I still only weigh just over 13 stone but unfortunately some of the muscle seems to have slipped down the body a bit. I am no longer as fit although I would say I am still more fit than people 15 years younger than myself.

If your lads are doing enough exercise you don't have a problem. Fill them up with plenty of carbohydrates, potatoes, rice, pasta, sponge and suet puddings and just be grateful they do a lot of sport. To few do these days. Just a note, one of my elder brothers will go to his mother in laws for christmas lunch, the full works, and then go to our mothers and eat a second one about an hour and a half later. He is built like the proverbial racing snake.

Answer 2

People, especially children, need more calories if they play sports [than people who dont.]

And this can be up to 300-1,500 calories more, if needed.
For example, before vigorous exersize they can drink some energy drink, and have a small [healthy!] snack after school, etc.

Just keep away from junk food, because that actually makes people hungrier soon after they've eaten it.
Also coffee wouldn't be the best choice- energy drinks (propel, for example. red bull is a little hard for children.)

If they're hungry, feed them of course. But try not to stuff in 2 or 3 huge meals into them. Instead, spread them out into medium meals, and mild snacks. The same ammount, but better on the body, especially if you're doing vigorous exersize.

Hope that helps.
Much love.
Anaface<3

Answer 3

Over feeding your kids can be a dangerous thing. Do they over eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner? Do they exercise any? If all they do is sit, eat and watch the TV I'm afraid that you'll have fat grown children, If they burn off the food by playing hard you can have healthy kids.
It is "calories in versus calories out" that you should be concerned with.
Eating smaller meals 4 or 5 times a day is better than "filling your hump" at dinner.

Answer 4

I'm probably around the same age as your lads but form the experince my 6ft 4" brother had as a teenager I'd say there probably isn't much else you can do. maybe if they tried snacking on fruit throughout the day to help fill them up?? You obviously fill them with good healthy stuff anyway? just be proud your not raising the next generation of gastric bag needing 20 year olds!!!!

Answer 5

As long as they're not overweight and get plenty of exercise I wouldn't worry. I have a 14 yr old and he is just the same, try making a very large bowl of wholemeal pasta salad or brown rice salad with lots of veggies mayo and yoghurt, keep it in the fridge and let them snack on it - cheap and nutritious. Also make sure they are getting plenty of Calcium in their diet, teens need it more than any other age for their ever-enlarging bones.

Answer 6

i'm no longer prepared on empty energy. Soda and candy have honestly no nutritional fee, and soda is undesirable for the two enamel and bones. Chips are no longer as undesirable, despite in the event that they have not got plenty nutritional fee. My youngsters did no longer get any soda or candy whilst they have been small. They have been given organic candies.... juice, fruit, total grain snacks and nuts, ice cream, and yogurt. I baked tarts and cookies made with total grains and honey. people lived 1000's of years earlier soda and candy have been accessible, and that i'm advantageous they controlled to "stay somewhat" with out them.

Answer 7

I spend 150, and my boys are 4 and 6. but it's true that boys do tend to eat more and i guess if they are exercising and using up a lot of energy it should not be a problem as long as they are not overweight. but make sure that they are eating lost of healthy foods, such as fruits, veg, seeds, my children loves dried fruit and seeds that is very unusual for children their age, but hey I'm not complaining.good lick

Answer 8

I have two boys - and you could never fill them up! I used to serve a lot of microwave popcorn (each one got a bag), and we used to go through tons of cold cereal. I got to where I made my own snack mix for them - by using two or three boxes of cereal, a bag of pretzels, dried fruit and nuts and a bag of chocolate chips. Hang in there - they wil eventually grow up and move away - and then your grocery bill will drop way down. Mine did!

Answer 9

due to the gym and football they are burning up carbohydrates
one way to replace carbohydrates is vegetables
meat has it place as well but its mainly protein

serve water with their dinners, water helps to fills their stomach plus helps with their digestion

try shopping around for better offers if you have the time. its not always easy to find the time.

type in 'healthy eating budget' on the net. you will get loads of ideas of it

Answer 10

Adolescents & teens are definitely big eaters because they are growing. So, my feeling is that you should ensure that they are getting enough protein. This will help them greatly to remain full between meals. Aside from the expense of meat...find alternative sources of protein like beans...eggs, lentils & tofu.