My two teenage boys seem to grow taller every week. After our regular height checks, I've had to admit that even the youngest now towers over me. Their appetites have grown right along with them—but not for Brussels sprouts, chicory, cauliflower, or red cabbage. No, their go-to choices are pizza Hawaii, fries, frikandel special, banana milkshakes, chips, cookies, and candy over anything nutritious.
Over the years, they've become true junk food and chips enthusiasts. It's common for teens to lean unhealthy, but theirs is next level. They favor ridged bell pepper chips or the purple bag of triangular ones. A family-sized bag disappears in no time into their bottomless pits. They're open to natural chips or any flavor, insisting it's not excessive since the bags are half air. They even cite our parenting rule: finish what you start. So, an entire bag must be emptied at once. (I intended that lesson differently.)
When my sons head out to 'hang with friends,' they grab a bottle of cola or cans of beer (alcohol-free or not), plus a bag of chips swiped from my freshly stocked pantry. It's like packing a grocery store haul, crammed under the bike strap. My husband and I shake our heads watching the crumbly cargo. But they insist we're overreacting and should let them be.
If they're home alone craving chips or junk food, texts roll in—not requests, but demands. 'If no reply in three seconds, I'm eating these chips,' with a photo of the bag circled in color. Once, I replied 'NO' within seconds, and I burst out laughing. My teen? Not amused. Or: 'Which chips— this one or that? See photo?' Permission to have any isn't even on the table.
Empty chip bags and junk food wrappers? Not for the trash or dishwasher, per my teens. They 'belong' tossed around their rooms. Tidying up isn't in their vocabulary—unless prompted. The eldest's room is a museum of scattered clothes and packaging. Hardly the vibe I envision.
These growing teens are insatiable junk food fans. Chips and fast food aren't great for their health, but they counter: bell pepper chips have veggies! A Big Mac has a pickle slice—healthy! Meals aside, I don't buy it. But there's hope: juice packs linger longer now. They say they're switching to water at school. I nearly fainted. A healthier turn? Maybe wishful thinking, but every step counts.
