Teen progress spurts sees weekly meals store rise by £42
New research suggests parents are struggling to keep up with the costs of their children’s growth spurts, with 81% saying it has pushed up their grocery bill.
Parents are having to spend more money on food as their children grow(Image: Getty Images)
Parents’ weekly grocery bills soar by an average of £42 when their teenagers experience a growth spurt. A survey of 1,000 parents and guardians with children aged 13-18 revealed 55% have witnessed them go through a growth period in the past year, with 81% of these saying their overall food bill has risen as a consequence.
More than a quarter (26%) find themselves making at least two additional shopping trips each week on top of their regular food run. They’re adding more milk, eggs and cheese to their list of essentials to help keep their teens satisfied.
After-school hours represent prime snacking time, with 46% reaching for extra food between 3pm and 6pm. Some 29% of parents claim their teens can empty cupboards in just three days.
Overall, 65% of parents confessed that keeping their teens fed while managing food costs is a struggle.
Among all the parents surveyed, the research discovered the average teen consumes three boxes of cereal, six packets of crisps and six portions of fruit during a typical week.
However, it’s not just snacks pushing up expenses, with dinner proving the biggest budget burden for nearly half (48%) of families. Some 28% of teens request second helpings several times a week.
Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer for Aldi, which commissioned the research said: “From bigger portions at mealtimes to extra snacks throughout the day, it can be tricky to budget for growing appetites.
“Many parents are feeling the pressure as they try to keep household spending under control.”
The study found 40% of parents with teenagers who have experienced a growth spurt are hunting for more supermarket bargains, switching to own-brand products to reduce the financial strain. Others are also padding out meals with budget staples such as pasta, rice and potatoes to make them go further.
Julie Ashfield added: “Families are increasingly looking for simple, affordable ways to stay stocked up. But it’s also important that we’re providing the right nutrients for their needs.
“We’re committed to providing access to affordable, high-quality produce, helping parents support teens through these periods of rapid growth without breaking the bank”.
Aldi has teamed up with expert nutritionist Lucy Upton to launch the Growth Spurt Shop, a dedicated online resource for parents and guardians to understand how to better fuel their growing teens for less.
Lucy explained that between secondary school and turning 16, a teenager’s daily energy requirements can increase by close to 40% for boys and 20-25% for girls.
Lucy’s top tips for parents and guardians fuelling teenage growth spurts:
1. Don’t be alarmed by the sharp rise in appetite
Avoid commenting on changing eating habits or appetite. Instead, focus on easy ways to support extra demand, like serving meals in the middle of the table so they can help themselves to seconds, or keeping extra bread or bagels for late-night snacks.
2. Add to what they already accept
Teenagers may be reluctant to completely overhaul their diet during a growth spurt but small extras like peanut butter, olive oil, cheese or milk powder can boost calories, protein and calcium.
3. Build a “self-serve” snack station
To keep up with high energy demands, try batch-prepping balanced items such as overnight oats, energy balls, smoothies, pre-filled sandwiches, a throw-together trail mix (with nuts, popcorn, dried fruit, and chocolate chips), or chopped vegetables with hummus in the fridge.
4. Growth needs more than energy
Teens need more iron and calcium to meet demands for growth and development. Boost intake with easy options like baked beans on toast or jacket potatoes, a tin of tuna mixed into pasta, scrambled eggs, melted cheese on pasta, a milky drink before bed or a yoghurt drink on the go.
5. Protein is important
Protein is key for growing muscles and bones and supports satiety (fullness) for hungry teenagers. A large glass of milk, a pot of yoghurt, two eggs, half a tin of baked beans or a handful of peanuts or mixed nuts easily provides growing teens with what they need.
