22/01/2024
Feeding Teens...
Following an enlightening conversation with a friend on Saturday whose daughter is experiencing anorexia, I realised how important it is to feed our teens!
When my children were small I paid a lot of attention to what they were eating. As many of you will know, I created The Free From Fairy as a consequence; sharing recipes and healthy tips for those on restricted diets.
I was incredibly passionate about ensuring that my growing children were given wholesome, healthy food.
Then, I admit, a few years ago, when they started complaining about what I was making, I kinda gave up. I decided that they were old enough to make their own choices and that my work was done on the education around food. I let them make their own lunches believing this to be an important step to becoming independent.
For my daughter, on the most part, this worked. She adds items to our shopping every week and generally takes responsibility for her lunches.
The conversation I had with my friend woke me up!
My son (14) often goes to school without lunch saying he doesn't get hungry. Or he takes a small bagel that he eats at break time - preferring to partake in activities at lunch than eat!
At the same time he is very active.
His needs around food are just as important now as they ever were. As a 14 year old I can understand that he doesn't want to think about food. He just wants to be fed! And as his parent I see that there are things I can do to ensure he gets the energy he requires.
Being a teen, he doesn't always want to listen to me (!) but having a variety of food options available to him will hopefully make sure he gets enough of the nutrients he needs.
So at the weekend I spent a few hours trawling through the Free From Fairy site and other websites, picking out recipes that would be suitable to boost his intake of energy and protein (while avoiding all the foods he won't eat!).
I made a high protein seed and nut mix to go on his morning porridge (made with full fat milk) - substituting the banana (because he hates them) with 2 tbsp honey...https://freefromfairy.com/carb-free-sugar-free-gluten-free-granola-recipe/
I made cheese biscuits using sorghum flour (I didn't have any of my flour blend mixed up) - which is high in protein and fibre...https://freefromfairy.com/cheesy-biscuits-gluten-egg-soya-nut-free/
And I made some high protein flapjacks. I would have made my recipe, but again it has banana in...https://freefromfairy.com/chunky-monkey-granola-bars-a-woeful-story/.
So instead I used this recipe that I added lots of seeds to...https://www.cinnamonandkale.co.uk/almond-butter-flapjacks/
It seems to me more than ever that boys are concerned about their appearance. They want to work out and play sports but I'm not convinced that their increased energy requirements are being addressed (not to mention the psychological issues around body image).
There is a trend to use protein powders and protein bars to assist with building this 'desirable body'.
I'm not convinced this is the way forward. Bodies are far more complex than that. They need a balanced diet, in my view, ideally from natural sources, to support them.
So I'm back on a mission. This time to ensure the needs of a growing, active 14 year old boy are met, who doesn't want to spend any time thinking about them!