Help feeding teenagers

splixi

Hate to admit it but I was this kind of child.....

Ever since I was very little there were fights (I did everything right as a kid but could never eat what was in front of me)

To this day I have never tried most sauces (including tomato and bbq), rice, pasta, noodles, salad.

My parents would tell me that I could sit at the table till I ate it (I would fall asleep there)- then they tried telling me I could go hungry then (which was a relief that I didn't have to deal with looking at the food in front of me) ..... but when i'd constantly choose no eating happily- i'd rather hunger pains over the fear of food....my parents gave in.

What they would do though is give me the plain foods that a meal was made up of and some fruit on a separator plate. I'd have the piece of meat on its own fine, a bit of mash potato, some peas .....rather than the stir fry they might have been having it all in. I'd often just have the meat and a piece of cheese from the fridge with a piece of fruit.

I VERY quickly learned to start doing dinner for myself with maybe a plain piece of meat mum had cooked.

Maybe just tell them there are plain ingredients there and ask what they'd like to do with them/ask them to do it themselves...if they want to fry what you grill then they are old enough and thats their choice.

I'm 22 and still to this day I eat this way because I just feel like I can't eat like everyone else. - although now I battle an eating disorder as well.

lisst87

Mine aren't teenagers yet, but for me, feeding people with varying demands is about componentising the meal. So meat, vegetables, carbs and sauce. Then each can construct their meal to their preference from the components made available.

I, for example, would go "meat, veg", leaving the sauce and having only a little carbs. My youngest would go veg/sauce/carbs, and my middle one would go meat/veg/carbs, leaving the sauce.

Thanks, that's a really good idea (don't know why I haven't thought of this!) as I usually plate everything up.

Take it or leave it comments are appreciated, though generally I think it is nice to be able to do lots of different food so the food ideas are really welcome!

sullus

I live with my boyfriend and his teenagers. My boyfriend wants to eat healthily and I am a week into 1,200 a day and Insanity.

My trouble comes when preparing meals for the kids. They don't like brown pasta or brown rice, prawns and fish in general are a no no for them. So I usually end up preparing two meals, eg a prawn and salmon brown pasta meal and then a chicken and white pasta one.

Does anyone have any suggestions for low calorie meals which are not loaded with carbs for fussy eaters??

The white rice has less calories, carbs and sugar per cup than the brown ....

Capt_Apollo

if they don't like brown rice or pasta, just call them racist.

lisst87

if they don't like brown rice or pasta, just call them racist.

:laugh:

asaw00

I have a picky husband, I call him the complainer. Don't tell them they are eating healthy just try to disguise it. Brown pasta put sauce on it. the rice, take your potion out and put a little butter and grated parm cheese on it, you'd be surprised how just that improves the flavor. I try to eat low carb but I make a starch every night for them, I just don't eat it. Mashed potatoes, add cauliflower to it they will never know! Grind up loads of veggies in a food processer and mix them in, they will never know! Tell them to try what ever you make, if they don't like don't eat it. I do this my whole family eats better and actually like the healthy stuff! good luck!

Phrick

I have a picky husband, I call him the complainer. Don't tell them they are eating healthy just try to disguise it. Brown pasta put sauce on it. the rice, take your potion out and put a little butter and grated parm cheese on it, you'd be surprised how just that improves the flavor. I try to eat low carb but I make a starch every night for them, I just don't eat it. Mashed potatoes, add cauliflower to it they will never know! Grind up loads of veggies in a food processer and mix them in, they will never know! Tell them to try what ever you make, if they don't like don't eat it. I do this my whole family eats better and actually like the healthy stuff! good luck!

This is actually something I started doing when my kids were really little and continue to this day and they have no idea (neither did hubby till he "caught" me one day - he keeps the secret though lol)

I steam cut up carrots and peeled, chopped broccoli stems till soft then puree with some of the cooking water and add approximately 1/2 to 2/3 cup per jar of spaghetti sauce used. It makes it go further, so it helps the budget, and it doesn't change the color or consistency or flavor so they have no clue it's there, and I like feeling like it's healthier (whether it is really THAT much healthier or not). I will make a bunch all at once and freeze what I don't use in an ice cube tray so I just have to pull out 4-6 cubes and chuck them into the hot sauce and let them melt. To calorie count that I created a recipe for veggie cubes and before I cook the carrots & broccoli (and sometimes I add other veg too), I weigh, then portion out the result before freezing so I know how many calories per cube I will be adding.

Mother_Superior

if they don't like brown rice or pasta, just call them racist.

Don't you mean......................riceist?

Greytfish

:laugh:

DamePiglet

I have a picky husband, I call him the complainer. Don't tell them they are eating healthy just try to disguise it. Brown pasta put sauce on it. the rice, take your potion out and put a little butter and grated parm cheese on it, you'd be surprised how just that improves the flavor. I try to eat low carb but I make a starch every night for them, I just don't eat it. Mashed potatoes, add cauliflower to it they will never know! Grind up loads of veggies in a food processer and mix them in, they will never know! Tell them to try what ever you make, if they don't like don't eat it. I do this my whole family eats better and actually like the healthy stuff! good luck!

Oh my...
Finicky teenagers are going to detect cauliflower in mashed potatoes.

My husband would, and he'd be unhappy at my misrepresentation. And that's what it would be.

MorgueBabe

Isn't 1,200 to little calories for Insanity?
Your boyfriend is a grown man. The teenagers aren't yours and they're teenagers. Both are 100% capable of prepping food for themselves.

Capt_Apollo

if they don't like brown rice or pasta, just call them racist.

Don't you mean......................riceist?

MorgueBabe

Why is this an issue? They are children. They eat what's put before them or they don't eat, or get jobs and buy their own food.

this
I ate what was put in front of me or I didn't eat.

lisst87

Isn't 1,200 to little calories for Insanity?
Your boyfriend is a grown man. The teenagers aren't yours and they're teenagers. Both are 100% capable of prepping food for themselves.

Re boyfriend point taken!

Im still figuring insanity out. I've eaten back some of my exercise calories though haven't found that I am starving and seem to have lots of energy. Im weighing in tomorrow so will see. If I become lethargic and cant get through the workout/see a reduction in stamina I will have to reconsider how much I am eating I think.

seltzermint555

Picky eating is a learned behavior. If you teach them to be picky eaters, they will struggle with making healthy and complete choices later.

Not liking brown rice and seafood is not necessarily picky eating IMO. Kids and teens don't necessarily have to eat the exact same food as their parents especially if their parents are on a special or restricted diet.

If they are 15 and 17, they can certainly learn to cook their own food. Get them involved in grocery shopping and meal preparation. You should not have to prepare every meal (or even every dinner meal) for teens of that age. It will help them out in future life to get at least a few skills in the kitchen!

However, I think it would be nice to have a big shared meal like some of the other ideas you have been given so far. Casserole, potato bake, grilled or roasted chicken and veggies, or sometimes maybe even a taco salad/nacho type of night with tons of different ingredients so that everyone can create their own preferred dish. I don't know many people (kids to seniors) who can't find a meal from a buffet of Mexican-style stuff like cheese, beans, tortillas, rice, lettuce, salsa, veggies, etc.

seltzermint555

I feel like some of these posters don't get it.

If I cook something my boyfriends son doesn't like and won't eat. It's very simple he might take a bite or 2 of only the meat. Then say "I don't feel good I'm not hungry" throw away what's left on his plate. Which could have been left overs for someone else. After my boyfriend and I go to bed, the kid just eats junk food. Not healthy to fill up on doritos day after day

Unless the "kid" is working and buying his own Doritos, then why are they even in the house if you don't want him to eat them?

I guess I just don't get it. Toddlers who take 2 bites and get cranky, I understand. But flippin' teenagers should be able to buck up and eat a meal and parents (or even dad's girlfriend who cooks for them) should be able to communicate with the teens and figure out meal options that will work. I don't see why this is so complicated and difficult.

lisst87

But flippin' teenagers should be able to buck up and eat a meal and parents (or even dad's girlfriend who cooks for them) should be able to communicate with the teens and figure out meal options that will work. I don't see why this is so complicated and difficult.

Its not difficult, the reason I posted is to help me find meal options that work thanks

MelodyandBarbells

I have a picky husband, I call him the complainer. Don't tell them they are eating healthy just try to disguise it. Brown pasta put sauce on it. the rice, take your potion out and put a little butter and grated parm cheese on it, you'd be surprised how just that improves the flavor. I try to eat low carb but I make a starch every night for them, I just don't eat it. Mashed potatoes, add cauliflower to it they will never know! Grind up loads of veggies in a food processer and mix them in, they will never know! Tell them to try what ever you make, if they don't like don't eat it. I do this my whole family eats better and actually like the healthy stuff! good luck!

This is actually something I started doing when my kids were really little and continue to this day and they have no idea (neither did hubby till he "caught" me one day - he keeps the secret though lol)

I steam cut up carrots and peeled, chopped broccoli stems till soft then puree with some of the cooking water and add approximately 1/2 to 2/3 cup per jar of spaghetti sauce used. It makes it go further, so it helps the budget, and it doesn't change the color or consistency or flavor so they have no clue it's there, and I like feeling like it's healthier (whether it is really THAT much healthier or not). I will make a bunch all at once and freeze what I don't use in an ice cube tray so I just have to pull out 4-6 cubes and chuck them into the hot sauce and let them melt. To calorie count that I created a recipe for veggie cubes and before I cook the carrots & broccoli (and sometimes I add other veg too), I weigh, then portion out the result before freezing so I know how many calories per cube I will be adding.

Genius!! And LOL about getting caught sneaking healthy food in with the sauce :laugh:

splitaces

If they don't like it they can make a pb and j.

i agree i would not go out of my way just to pleas them, if they dont want to eat what is served then they can just make their own meal or go pay for they own

mccindy72

I feel like some of these posters don't get it.

If I cook something my boyfriends son doesn't like and won't eat. It's very simple he might take a bite or 2 of only the meat. Then say "I don't feel good I'm not hungry" throw away what's left on his plate. Which could have been left overs for someone else. After my boyfriend and I go to bed, the kid just eats junk food. Not healthy to fill up on doritos day after day

Unless the "kid" is working and buying his own Doritos, then why are they even in the house if you don't want him to eat them?

I guess I just don't get it. Toddlers who take 2 bites and get cranky, I understand. But flippin' teenagers should be able to buck up and eat a meal and parents (or even dad's girlfriend who cooks for them) should be able to communicate with the teens and figure out meal options that will work. I don't see why this is so complicated and difficult.

THIS. Permissiveness early leads to this type of behavior. When my kids were teenagers they darned well ate what we put in front of them and that's all there was to it. We didn't give them "choices" or "options". We didn't keep food we didn't want them to eat in the house, and we sure as heck didn't let them just throw the food on their plates in the garbage. They sat at the table until they ate it.