OMG! I think I'm Starving My Kid!

Dramatic title, yes, but from what I'm reading on NIH, my son should be eating like 2600 cals. I have no earthly idea how many calories he eats and I've been close to logging it just so I could figure it out. Every time I turn around the boy is hungry :noway: . He is 12, currently he is playing basketball and baseball (basketball 2ce a week, baseball 4-5 days per week), in the fall he plays football, and when he's not at somebody's practice he is skateboarding or outside playing ball. He's 5'3" and 118lbs....anyway....this is what the NIH thing said:

****Estimated Calorie Requirements

This calorie requirement chart presents estimated amounts of calories needed to maintain energy balance (and a healthy body weight) for various gender and age groups at three different levels of physical activity. The estimates are rounded to the nearest 200 calories and were determined using an equation from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Estimated Calorie Requirements (in kilocalories) for Each Gender and Age Group at Three Levels of Physical Activity. Gender Age Sedentary Moderately Active Active

Male 9-13 1,800 1,800 - 2,200 2,000 - 2,600


Source: HHS/USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2005

These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the IOM Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. "Reference size," as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males.

Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

Moderately active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

The calorie ranges shown are to accommodate needs of different ages within the group. For children and adolescents, more calories are needed at older ages. For adults, fewer calories are needed at older ages. ****

So my question is...how do I ensure he is eating enough without overloading him? He eats breakfast every day. Some days it's cereal, eggs, pancakes, waffles, poptart, toaster strudel or on a busy morning a sausage biscuit from Burger King (don't judge me :grumble: ). I pack his lunch every single day--he never eats at school. I pack him a regular type of lunch--sammy, juice, a couple of snacks. Then at home he finds his own thing and then dinner. I have control over everything he eats basically. I am the chef and the grocery shopper. So how do I create good for him, calorie dense foods that will fuel him in his active lifestyle? What is happening right now ain't working cuz it's driving me batty with the "I'm hungry all of the time" :explode: