Lunch

[Anonymous]

What does your teen bring for lunch? My DD will only eat pasta salad that I make for her at home and a cheese stick, and then buys crap at school. Super picky. Refuses to eat a sandwich, fruit, or anything else. Overall, she’s a picky eater so her diet isn’t great but really struggling with lunch with her bc it’s turning into a snack free for all at school and she’s gained 15lbs in the past two months (we have medical check-ins for adhd medication so I know from those check-ins that she has). I need to cut out the school snacking but we can’t agree on any alternatives to replace it and pasta salad and a cheese stick isn’t enough. anyway-any lunch ideas? Does your teen buy snacks at school?

[Anonymous]

Can you cut off her money source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you cut off her money source?

OP-yes. But she will complain bitterly that she doesn’t have enough to eat and I’m trying hard not to have any junk in the house, so I don’t want to put a snack that I can control in her lunch. We’re sort of at an impasse here

[Anonymous]

You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

Teens still need advice on healthy eating. I remember putting table salt on my roasted chicken as a teen and my father told me how excessive salt can cause retained fluid. I never used table salt again and don’t put it on the table. He appealed to my vanity of not wanting to be bloated. That’s just one example. Gaining 15 lbs in two months if there wasn’t a growth spurt is something to watch.

[Anonymous]

Feed her breakfast with healthy fat and protein, not just a bagel/waffle, and water with breakfast and at school. Snacks don’t solve hunger so hungry people overload.

[Anonymous]

Dinner leftovers in a thermos
Potstickers n a thermos
Caprese salad, sourdough bread, fruit
Whole wheat pasta salad w vegetables and protein

[Anonymous]

What side effects are there from her ADHD medications ? Weight gain, hunger?

There's your answer. This is a different beast and not your conventional "snack ideas for teens". Maybe post in the SN Forum where there's a wealth of BTDT folks and lots of good advice.

[Anonymous]

Is she truly hungry or is she grazing and snacking as a social thing or coping mechanism (stressful day, feeling anxious, just being a teen)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You sound SUPER controlling. She's a teen? Not 8? Let her eat what she wants.

Teens still need advice on healthy eating. I remember putting table salt on my roasted chicken as a teen and my father told me how excessive salt can cause retained fluid. I never used table salt again and don’t put it on the table. He appealed to my vanity of not wanting to be bloated. That’s just one example. Gaining 15 lbs in two months if there wasn’t a growth spurt is something to watch.

i am fairly certain your father “weighed in” on a number of issues that had a far-reaching impact in your life. You don’t use salt for seasoning when you cook?

[Anonymous]

What's the crap she buys and is there a healthier alternative? She sounds like she needs a lot more protein.

[Anonymous]

This is hard. But 15 lbs in two months is A LOT. If you want to do a mathematical estimate, she is likely eating in excess of 1000 calories per day over what she actually needs- to put on 15 lbs in 2 months.

First, take her to the dr. Have her thyroid checked and anything else that could be causing rapid weight gain. Then explore if this is an adhd driven impulsive eating issue.

Next, take her to a nutritionist. Sometimes hearing what she should be eating (and why) from someone that isn’t Mom is a lot more effective.

But at the end of the day, you cannot live her life for her. Schools are filled with garbage food they constantly push on kids. Free junky sugar “breakfast” foods, free processed lunch, candy and “prizes” from teachers that are more junk food..it is endless. If she doesn’t want to/can’t say no to the junk, there isn’t anything you can do about it.

[Anonymous]

My DD take turkey deli meat, crackers and cheese, a fruit, a vegetable- everyday. Occasionally she will sub for dinner leftovers. She seems happy with this and I’m happy she isn’t eating school lunch.

[Anonymous]

How about limiting the lunch $$...enough to provide 1 snack but not more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about limiting the lunch $$...enough to provide 1 snack but not more.

Alternately you could ask her what she buys at school and provide it from home in limited quantity.