Losing while cooking for teenage boys?

I only have one teen-aged boy, but I know what you are talking about. At my house, we have completely different breakfasts and lunches. Breakfast, I have greek yogurt or eggs, he has pop-tarts and a protein shake/bar. Lunch, I have salad or leftovers, he has Hot Pockets and a salad. Dinner, we usually have the same meal, but he has a much larger serving, with extra carbs or cheese or whatever.

I don't worry about allowing him "junk" as he is so active he needs the extra carbs and calories. However, I buy him "junk" that I don't like so I won't find myself sneaking into it.

Sure you can--I have for years. You do them, and you do you. Sometimes I have a little of what they're having. I cook two big meals a day for 4-6 people. It just takes a little planning and then becomes second nature.

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I only have one teen-aged boy, but I know what you are talking about. At my house, we have completely different breakfasts and lunches. Breakfast, I have greek yogurt or eggs, he has pop-tarts and a protein shake/bar. Lunch, I have salad or leftovers, he has Hot Pockets and a salad. Dinner, we usually have the same meal, but he has a much larger serving, with extra carbs or cheese or whatever.

I don't worry about allowing him "junk" as he is so active he needs the extra carbs and calories. However, I buy him "junk" that I don't like so I won't find myself sneaking into it.

A lot of this.

My son is now grown and lives on his own with his family, but I remember his teenage appetite. He is 6’4” and weighs 145 pounds (yes, very underweight but incredibly active).

I remember one time I was weighing my lettuce for a salad and he was making himself 6 peanut butter and butter sandwiches (gross-but he loves them) as a snack. Before his box of Mac & cheese snack. Before his box of cereal snack. Before he asked what was for dinner.

It really took every ounce of motherly love to not stab him with my salad fork (I am KIDDING-in case anyone doesn’t realize that).

Breakfast and lunch were always different for me vs whatever he was eating. Dinner was whatever it was - he had larger portions. He supplemented with lots of snacks - some people would consider some of his snacks to be full meals. But we’ve spent most of his life trying to get him to gain weight so he’s free to enjoy whatever he likes (which includes a lot of fruits and “healthy” things).

I have 4 boys (17,15,11,10) and a husband who eats like a teenager too and we go through A LOT of groceries! Especially since this quarantine all I do is cook, cook, cook! I try to keep precooked veggies or cut up raw veggies ready and available to add to my meal so I dont make a bad choice at the last minute. I usually premeasure them in individual bowls so I can just grab one quickly to supplement a smaller portion of whatever I've made for them. Unless of course I just want something totally different because its a better "value" for the calories I'm working with for that day. You've just got to figure out how to take care of yourself while your taking care of them...something us moms are guilty of not doing too often!