<p>I have two teenage boys and I am looking for suggestions for between-meal snacks. Really, what they need are between-meal meals. S1 has been eating like a horse for years and it’s relatively easy to provide food for him, because he eats everything. If he’s hungry he will go to the refrigerator and eat all the leftovers - whatever is there, leftover meat or fish, huge salads, vegetables, soups, enchiladas. It’s a little harder with S2 because he will not eat meat or eggs, and although he’ll eat vegetables and salad with dinner, he will not eat these things between meals. </p>
<p>I’m looking for fast and healthy substantial snacks. For example, S2 is always very hungry after school. There is a McDonald’s on our way home and he was asking for a fish sandwich every day. (This is not replacing dinner; he will eat this at 3 and be hungry again for dinner at 6.) I really hated buying him fast food every day, so I came up with a better alternative. I stock up on good-quality frozen fish sticks or breaded fillets (Mrs. Praeger’s or the kind they sell at Whole Foods). These can be cooked in the toaster oven in 20 mins and put on a roll with cheese. Both boys love these and there are no more trips to McDs. I need more ideas like this, things that the boys can make themselves without messing up the kitchen. I cook a lot, but I can’t quite keep up with the quantity of food they need.</p>
<p>Turkey based breakfast sandwiches - even for after school. Costco sells prepared ones with whole wheat bagel, turkey sausage, egg I think.</p>
<p>Cans of hearty soup. </p>
<p>Slice an apple in half, remove seeds/core and stuff with peanut butter or cheese. If you wrap immediately in foil and refrigerate you can make a couple ahead and store in refrig for a couple of days.</p>
<p>My S’s summer fall back snack. A bowl of Stonyfield whole milk yogurt with a spoon of jam mixed in for sweetness, topped with fresh berries and 1/4 cup of granola. Filling and pretty healthy.</p>
<p>When my boys were that age, I found that cooking a six-pound or so Boston butt (pork shoulder) in the crock pot, then “pulling” it, gave them pulled pork anytime they wanted to slop on the barbeque sauce and pop it in the microwave. Pure protein. Maybe put it on a roll with a little cheese if they’re feeling frisky.</p>
<p>I’m also a fan of sliced apples with peanut butter.</p>
<p>Costco also sells chicken patties that just need to go in the microwave. That on a rolls or flatbread. </p>
<p>S1 was on a few week kick of turkey bacon on flatbread for breakfast. I made up 5-10 every Sunday night and he could take out of the freezer every morning and pop in microwave.</p>
<p>Hot pockets are pricey, but kids like them.</p>
<p>My boys eat like yours! They like to make smoothies-greek yogurt/2 fruits/skim milk/ice cubes. Apples w/peanut butter, clementines and cheese & crackers are also favorites.</p>
<p>Lots of good suggestions, my picky eater boy will eat carrots and Ranch dressing dip or hummus, bagels with peanut butter or cream cheese, cereal and milk, Flour tortillas that he would turn into quick quesadillas with cheese and meat. I showed him how to make a roux so he can make stovetop cheese sauce for mac and cheese which he does like. I also keep a huge container of home-made Chex mix if he’s really lazy and gasp…Ramen noodles which are now I think a young person staple food.</p>
<p>I made a crockpot full of black eyed peas and veggies( greens & grape tomatoes) for new years- served with rice or bread it could make a weeks worth of high protein after school " snacks"
& there are a lot more soups that you can make with a crock pot & dried peas/ beans.</p>
<p>I have a 17-year old boy who also loves to eat and who also doesn’t eat meat. Some of the easy things I keep on hand for him:</p>
<p>hummus and pita chips
bananas, apples, grapes, grape or cherry tomatoes
frozen sunflower seed burgers (that he eats on a roll)
frozen Amy’s veggie pot pies
frozen Amy’s enchilada / bean / rice dishes
carrot slaw (used for a sandwich)
veggie quiche (but that has eggs; don’t know if your son doesn’t eat eggs based on principle or if he doesn’t like how they’re usually made - I usually make one on the weekend and he eats it throughout the week)
baguette and pesto
cracked wheat or onion rolls (he warms them up in the toaster oven and butters them)
English muffins (he eats with jelly)
quesadilla ingredients (the tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, canned refried beans)</p>
<p>My other kids also like to snack on yogurt, yogurt smoothies, and the meatless Quorn patties and nuggets.</p>
<p>Hope you like the sounds of a couple of those things. :)</p>
<p>Vegetarian kid: Yougurt parfait (w granola and fruit), grilled cheese sandwiches (or quesadillas), pretzels, carrots (no dip, but he’s a weird kid), pita bread pizza, apples, cereal and milk. My non-vegetarian kid: add Hebrew National kosher hotdogs, turkey pepperoni pizzas, turkey sandwiches. I just have a rule that they can’t eat a snack within 1 hour of meal time - otherwise they would be eating constantly. My S is the king of late night fast food runs (usually after I go to bed!). I just find the cups and bags in the trash the next morning.</p>
<p>I can’t emphasize that enough. Lot’s of snacks like bread are chock full of calories, even if they’re not sweetened. Beef jerky is pretty low in calories but it’s really filling/satisfying.</p>
<p>My kids are yogurt and granola fiends. PB&J on wheat. Quesadillas with cheese, corn, black beans, etc. Apples w/ p’nut butter. Veggies w/ ranch. Trail mix. Turkey sandwiches. Smoothies with juice, yogurt, and frozen bananas. Popcorn. Seasonal fruit. Mine are all pretty slim and active so we don’t haggle much over fat/sugar content if the basic premise isn’t junk food. We just try to look/teach an overall balance of what they are eating (protein/fat/carbs).</p>
<p>My D often skips lunch at school, and is starving when she gets home. I keep the fixings for turkey sandwiches (just deli turkey), lettuce, and cheese in the fridge. Or she likes pita bread with cheese in the microwave, then put tomatoes on it. I push whole wheat bread and wheat pita, but she isn’t really buying that part… but some kids might.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the great suggestions! This is very helpful.</p>
<p>fosterte, what is the brand of the sunflower seed burgers? </p>
<p>The pulled pork thing is great for S1 (who eats meat). I’ve made it before but not for quite a while. Time to do it again.</p>
<p>To answer a couple of questions about S2’s food rules: the reason he will eat fish and not meat is “fish don’t have feelings.” He decided on these rules when he was about 11 and I don’t think he’s re-examined this one. The last thing I want to do is point out any flaws in his reasoning. The fact that he will eat fish and seafood makes my life much, much easier. </p>
<p>He will not eat eggs because hens are killed after their egg-laying days are over. I have actually tried to find an egg farm that gives the chickens a happy old age, without success.</p>
<p>He will eat tuna, but only from Dunkin Donuts. He doesn’t like my tuna (S1 thinks my tuna is the best in the world). I limit tuna sandwiches from DD because I’m concerned about mercury. I buy low-mercury canned tuna. He does eat smoked salmon and almost any kind of seafood. I used to buy these great frozen breaded calemari at Whole Foods, but they are not carrying them any more.</p>
<p>Google vegan recipes and you will find an abundance of healthy snacks that are quick to make. For our vegan cousin that visited us over Thanksgiving, I made a cashew dip like Humus, but much thicker. She loved it. She also made a quinoa, sweet potato, other veggie type of pancake that was wonderful…if you make a batch, he can eat them over a few days…any recipe with lots of nuts would also be filling for him…this time of year any hearty soup with lentils, etc. would be great too…</p>
<p>Maybe HE can get in the kitchen to make some of these dishes! :)</p>