The Teen Hunger Games -- New Research Reveals the Astonishing Costs of Feeding a Teen

• Teenagers devour more than $50k worth of food between the ages of 13-19
• $142 per week is the typical cost of feeding one teenager
• A third of parents say their teen is a 'bottomless pit'
• Teen snacking goes up by 50% in summer

Feed Me!
There's a lot of time and effort that goes into feeding a teen. Moms and dads average 1 hour and 33 minutes per week planning, buying and preparing meals – and this goes up as much as 25 percent during the summer break, as parents go the extra mile to battle the seemingly insatiable appetites of their teenagers. It's no wonder then that 1 in 3 parents say their teen can only be described as a 'bottomless pit' when it comes to their appetite. In fact, 75 percent of parents admit they don't know how their teens devour as much food as they do.

More Trips to the Store
In keeping up with the requests for food, parents make three trips to the grocery store per week – buying a third more food in the summer months when kids are out of school and more regularly scrounging for snacks. And 83 percent of parents make a point of stocking up on food as summer approaches to keep their voracious teens happily fed.

"Feeding teenagers can sometimes be a mental and financial challenge, particularly in summertime when kids are around the house more," said Shannon Gilreath, Farm Rich Director of Marketing. "It's no wonder parents can feel frustrated, with tensions rising at times, so stocking up on their kids' favorite foods is just one way to help."  

Teen Hanger – For Real
Parents beware: "hangriness" is very real and shows up in the form of four, hunger-related mood swings, which hit the average teen every week.

• Among parents, 57 percent admit their child is 'quick to grumble' about what's available at home for them to eat.
• It takes just an average of 4.5 minutes for a teen to start getting annoyed about not finding something they want in the house.
• Five times per week a teen will ask: 'What's for dinner?' and three times a week they'll proclaim, 'There's NOTHING to eat in the house!'
• More than 65 percent of teens regularly skip breakfast in the summer, but two thirds are more likely to raid the kitchen at night.

Perhaps then it's no surprise that 58 percent of parents have admitted to having given in and ordered takeout or delivery when their teen refused to eat any meal or snack options that were already at home. And 75 percent of parents say they simply run out of inspiration sometimes when it comes to providing snacks and meals for the family.

According to the survey, pizza is the foodstuff kids are most likely to dive into while at home, followed by fruit and vegetables and cereal.

Top 10 Foods Teens Devour Most at Home

1. Pizza
2. Fruit/Vegetables
3. Cereal
4. Ice Cream
5. Potato Chips
6. Chicken Fingers/Strips/Nuggets
7. Mac & Cheese
8. Spaghetti
9. French Fries
10. Pancakes/Waffles

For Teen Hunger Solutions, visit FarmRich.com and watch The Hunger Games video here.

This survey was conducted in May 2017 by OnePoll for Farm Rich, with a sample of 2,000 parents of teens, ages 13-19. 

About Farm Rich
A division of Rich Products, Farm Rich is one of the nation's leading frozen snacks and appetizers brands. The company is based in St. Simons Island, Ga., and features a full portfolio of frozen snack, appetizer and bakery products sold at grocery and club stores nationwide. Farm Rich Snacks are Real-Life Good^TM, made with wholesome, great-tasting ingredients the whole family loves. For products, nutritional information, recipes and more, visit FarmRich.com.

SOURCE Farm Rich

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