what would YOU do?

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245

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  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
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    He's a hungry, growing boy, not yet able to make informed choices. Of course he's going to enjoy junk, it's made to appeal to him. That said, I'm sure he'd be interested in whatever food's available at home.
  • sportzmom23
    sportzmom23 Posts: 103 Member
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    He's a hungry, growing boy, not yet able to make informed choices. Of course he's going to enjoy junk, it's made to appeal to him. That said, I'm sure he'd be interested in whatever food's available at home.

    At 14, he is able to make informed choices, my 9 year old knows healthy choices. As a kid I used to sneak convenience store food over the 'healthy' options...wasn't satisfied with what was at home. Luckily my kids aren't like me, and love healthy choices
  • sportzmom23
    sportzmom23 Posts: 103 Member
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    I do have Mom treats, which I share on occassion, if they were left free, my three would polish them off in no time! They are similair to your chocolate, which I can't wait to try, btw, or is very expensive, and to be savored ;-) doesn't mean I love them any less, and IMO, my kids learning some self control/moderation isn't a bad thing. To learn that just because they want it doesn't mean they get it, this works w food, toys, any thing they want, but do not need!
  • btsinmd
    btsinmd Posts: 921 Member
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    Having grown up with brothers that could literally eat everything in the house if they thought it was available to them. I agree with your idea. Make him some of his own when you make yours and when it's gone, it's gone. You are not being a jerk.

    I love prime rib and I only allow myself to have it on very special days. Last Christmas was one of them. It was a huge piece of meat. On Christmas Day my mother and I ate a reasonable amount of meat for our Christmas dinner (at about 2 pm) and took out another reasonable portion for lunch the next day. That left 3/4 of the meat for the two boys, 25 and 30 years old. If we hadn't warned them that what we removed was for our lunch and not to touch it, it too would have been gone before they retired for bed.

    Teens, and even young men, do not have to eat anything and everything they see.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Food prep is a household chore. As a member of the household, he should he should assist with all chores. If he doesn't want to help you make it, he should pick some other chore he can take off your plate.
  • WendyBlendy
    WendyBlendy Posts: 124 Member
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    I think you're being reasonable. My mom would od the same thing, and (she was at high risk for diabetes and therefore just ate like one) would even say, when we wanted her sugar-free stuff, that if we wanted her stuff, we'd have to eat like her for a day or two. After a while, we wanted it badly enough to work for it, and I dare say that your son might do the same.
  • ShallaLovee1
    ShallaLovee1 Posts: 356 Member
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    Oh god, I totally understand. I got to the point where I have "stash" in my room of things I can only see and touch. Usually it consists of my chicken breasts, rice cakes, crackers, gum, chips, occasionally candy LOL. If I leave it out it'll all be gone before I get a chance to even smell it so I understand. You have to keep your valuables near.
  • Felecia1923
    Felecia1923 Posts: 61 Member
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    i am trying to cut out processed food, refined sugars and flours.
    in doing that, i make myself a sugar free chocolate recipe i found because i do love my chocolate.
    my 14 year old son loves the recipe but isn't following any kind of diet or anything.
    the chocolate isn't cheap to make plus it does take a bit of time to prepare.

    he went to grab a piece of my chocolate tonight and i said if you're going to keep eating that, you will have to help me make it.
    i got the typical teenager response of - that's not fair!
    then as soon as he finished his chocolate, he reached for a pudding cup.
    now i am grumpy today, but i told him if he's going to eat regular junk he doesn't really need to be eating my chocolate.

    am i being a jerk?
    this stuff actually really helps me stay away from junk food treats.
    it's precious to me.
    i want to to share, but i do find my son to be a bit greedy - or something.
    he would easily polish off my 'treat' without thinking twice.




    I let my daughter have a serving size of my "treats" and depending on how much I HAVE I let her have it once a day or once every couple days... helps me from feeling too selfish. Don't know how it would work with a teen seeing as my daughter is 3.lol

    If it helps I do the same thing with her daddy too and it works.
  • mountaingirl2207
    mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
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    I have a teenage son, and I think what's important to mention here, is the appetite of the average teenage boy. If my son were really trying to make healthy choices, then of course I would share. 1 serving, in moderation, because that's the healthy choice. However,if your son is like mine, he could polish off the whole batch, a second batch, and still have room for the pudding. In that case, I think its okay to say that you make it for yourself because it is healthier, and he needs to understand that. I tell my son what he can and can't have, because if I didn't I would get up on Monday morning after a weekend and he would have eaten everything (and I mean everything) in the house.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
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    I would make double the chocolate recipe and stop buying pudding cups. My kids only eat what I bring in the house, so I only keep high quality food in the house. It's more expensive but when you consider missed work days cause you have sick kids with crappy immune systems, it's probably a wash. My guess is your teenager won't buy his own groceries. I would have a hard time eating healthy options while my son ate the less healthy option. I do understand your frustration though because my husband does this to me sometimes when I make home made beef jerky. Too much of anything isn't good for you and beef jerky is a long investment for a short payout of him eating it all in one episode of walking dead lol
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    There is a book that suggests only eat sweets you make... so for anyone that owns their own bakery...
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
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    My teenager knows to leave my pre-weighed and/or measured in baggies stuff alone.

    The next time you make your special chocolate remind him that if he helps then he will get some.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Could you share the recipe with us?

    1/2 cup coconut oil (slightly melted, but not hot)
    1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
    1/2 cup natural peanut butter
    1/4 cup raw honey
    1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

    mix everything together and put in lined muffin cups or spread flat out on cookie sheet that has been lined with wax paper.
    put in the freezer for 10-15 mins.
    that's it!

    keep it stored in the fridge or freezer because the coconut oil melts very easily.

    While the ingredients may cost a bit more ... the recipe is simple to prepare. It's not like it takes hours to make.

    Make extra so your son can have some. Double the batch when you make it. One batch for him, one for you.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Why are so many people acting like having him prepare food he is eating would be cruel and unusual punishment? This kid probably only has a few more years at home and learning to cook would be a practical skill, as well as saving his mother some hassle!
  • cdowney903
    cdowney903 Posts: 1
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    Thanks for the recipe. I think the food in a plastic bag is a good idea!
  • lilncbrat
    lilncbrat Posts: 56 Member
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    i am trying to cut out processed food, refined sugars and flours.
    in doing that, i make myself a sugar free chocolate recipe i found because i do love my chocolate.
    my 14 year old son loves the recipe but isn't following any kind of diet or anything.
    the chocolate isn't cheap to make plus it does take a bit of time to prepare.

    he went to grab a piece of my chocolate tonight and i said if you're going to keep eating that, you will have to help me make it.
    i got the typical teenager response of - that's not fair!
    then as soon as he finished his chocolate, he reached for a pudding cup.
    now i am grumpy today, but i told him if he's going to eat regular junk he doesn't really need to be eating my chocolate.

    am i being a jerk?
    this stuff actually really helps me stay away from junk food treats.
    it's precious to me.
    i want to to share, but i do find my son to be a bit greedy - or something.
    he would easily polish off my 'treat' without thinking twice.


    I don't think you are being a jerk at all. Your boy (your family) should be doing all that they can to help you reach the goals that you have set for yourself. If he had a set goal, would you do what you could to help him? Of course you would mom. THAT being said, explain it just the way you explained it to us. Why wouldn't he ........oh 14. yeah.
  • Colombianchick29
    Colombianchick29 Posts: 298 Member
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    thanks everyone.
    he knows all about it being a healthier option.
    but he doesn't really follow any certain eating plan, other than what i serve.
    but he will eat pretty much anything.

    i decided when i make it from now on, i will cut a portion for him and one for me.
    once his share is gone, it's gone.
    i think that's fair.

    and to the person that thinks her son is more important than chocolate - you've obviously never had high quality chocolate.

    LMAOOOOO!!! oh my!! this was a GREAT come back!!
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
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    Why don't you make a double batch of the healthy stuff and use the pudding cup money to cover it? I think the whole household should eat the healthy foods that your eating even if he isn't overweight. He will make better choices when he is older because of it.

    Your not going to like what I have to say but I bake and cook homemade from scratch meals all the time. It is going to take extra time to prepare food and sometimes more money. I get this vibe that your being lazy about it though. Your the mom, he is the kid. He is 14, and yes he should be doing chores and learning how to cook at this stage in his life BUT as a parent it is your job to do most of it. Let him be a kid and just make it for heavens sake.
  • susanwair
    susanwair Posts: 78 Member
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    I would totally hide it from him...with kids you have so few things you can call your own...
    It has a direct benefit to helping you stay on track -
    Keep it and don't feel guilty.
    :happy:
  • vegan4lyfe2012
    vegan4lyfe2012 Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I have 3 teens - boy age 17, and girls age 16 and 13. They know my vegan treats are mine...and they also know that I would love to share with them as long as they agree to not eat the junk, too. So, I would tell him I will share, but I'm the one that's going to cut the serving piece for him and he can't turn around and get some other junk treat on top of it.

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