Does anyone know of websites that talk about how many calories a teen should eat?

My dear daugther isn't eating enough. What I try to stress is that when you starve your body you screw up your metabolism and that is not what you want to do.

But it is really just at lunch. So for breakfast she will eat what we have here, a poptart, a croissant sandwich, etc. But for lunch she is taking a granola bar. Not like a special k bar, but a 90 calorie quaker choco chip bar.

So would you leave her alone, or would you push back? I went and bought some lunch stuff yesterday, thinking maybe she was tired of what we have. Today, she took a piece of string cheese and a small pack of oreos. UGH.

She is eating dinner and I can provide a big snack after school. But I just see if you don't treat your body right you screw it up.

She doesn't need to lose weight, she is skinny and I think she agrees with that. She wears a size 3 by my standards and a size 1 by hers..LOL.

By Dana on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 07:40 am:

I NEVER ate lunch at school. I hated the cafeteria and the smell of a lunch box and food that has been sitting for hours just grossed me out big time. If I could eat fresh food at lunch I ate. In high school we were allowed to leave campus, and I did! I ate where ever I could afford to eat, so fast food, but I did at least eat in my HS years. But Elem and Jr Hi....NEVER! To this day, I don't even like walking past a school cafeteria because they all have that same stink (and they expect you to eat there???) BTW, I was a very small size. I don't recall what it was back then, but I do know I reached my highest weight of 105 lbs in high school and kept that weight until my first child at the age of 36.

Okay, Besides my life story, here is a site that is helpful and set on a personal level. It is hosted by the USDA. So it should be accurate.

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/default.htm

Look down at the bottom about registering.

By Tarable on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 09:29 am:

Could it be that someone teases her about lunch so she doesn't want to eat or maybe that like my dd lunch is her time to socialize so she doesn't eat much?

I would try to talk to her about why then if she talks it out make sure that she has a good snack and eats other meals well. Maybe her noon meal needs to be after school and noon just be a snack.

I think that with kids (at least my kids) I have to be flexible when it comes to food since they are already skinny and they need to no lose any weight.

By Tayjar on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 10:07 am:

I know my DD doesn't eat much at lunch for 2 reasons. One, she eats a big breakfast at 7 and lunch is at 11. She's really not that hungry. Plus, in 7th grade, the girls really start to watch what others eat and they don't want to be known as the "pig". She eats salads alot and then after school makes herself a good sized snack. She is a very hearty and healthy eater when she isn't around the school crowd so we don't sweat it.

As long as your DD is getting the recommended number of calories and eating well at other meals, I wouldn't force the issue too much. I'd keep an eye on the situation but wouldn't become too concerned unless you start to see other warning signs.

By Vicki on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 10:12 am:

If she is eating good at all other times, and is healthy and at a good weight, I personally wouldn't worry about it. I would just make sure she has an extra good breakfast and dinner. The more you make food an issue, the more it becomes an issue.

By Breann on Thursday, December 4, 2008 - 10:20 am:

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't eat much in high school. My mom was always telling me I need to eat more.

I think that Tayjar mentioned a good thing too...a lot of high school is about fitting in. It's probably "cool" to eat a string cheese and some oreos for lunch.

As long as she's a healthy weight and seems to be eating fine at dinner, I wouldn't worry to much about it.

By Mrsheidi on Saturday, December 6, 2008 - 12:10 am:

I would see a dietitian with her. Just from what you wrote, she needs to eat more healthy in the mornings and during the day. The dinners and after school snacks are good, but she will actually get bad habits of getting most of her calories in in the afternoon/evening, which leads to weight gain.

More protein too...especially in the morning. (Is she buying any junk food at school?) If she hears a dietitian say something to her, she will listen. I wish I had done that at that age!!! My bad eating habits have haunted me for while and they are hard to break.