To ban cooking for teenage boys

They're not doing that.

It doesn’t at all seem like 5 full meals though. They aren’t eating what OP wants them to eat for breakfast or lunch, they are sorting themselves out instead. So they have breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack at some point and maybe a dessert. Sounds normal.
OP is calling a brownie after dinner “a full meal” she’s the one with the disordered approach to food not her children.

Exactly. There are 3 of them. If all of them are cooking at least one extra meal a day, that's 3 additional meals. If they each cook 2 extra, that's 6 more meals in addition to the 3 family meals. Cooking 9 meals a day? I wouldn't be happy.

It's hurtful 😹it doesn't take much to hurt you does it??
Come on! Just buy extra oats if they are eating them
I don't think I have anything in my cupboards that is mine alone

According to this the hob should be costing about 8p per 10 mins, so cooking bacon or pasta shouldn't be costing a lot

https://www.cse.org.uk/advice/how-much-electricity-am-i-using/

Beans on toast are hot. I think it's the full scale 5 meals a day that are unnecessary.

Yes I prefer hot in winter. I was meaning the types of things they are probably watching on social media are usually hot food focused. It’s all very protein focused. My 20 yr old daughter doesn’t eat cold cereal or sandwiches and her flatmates at uni seem to prefer hot food too eg she’d have pasta pesto not a sandwich for lunch whereas a sandwich lunch was very much norm when I was her age.

Three teens cooking separately for lots of meals would definitely add up. Seems like there needs to be some rules about communal meals being cooked, instead of everyone cooking their own thing multiple times a day. That is indeed a waste of electricity. No need to stop them cooking, but one needs to cook the same breakfast for all three, say. (And take turns.) That's how family life works - it's much more efficient for everyone to eat the same meals. Family life isn't about everyone cooking their own separate meals for every meal.

There are some shit parents out there.

Abusive.

Let's face it, not allowing your children to eat when they're hungry is abusive. Taking away their pocket money so they can't buy food is abusive. Not sharing your food with your own children is abusive.

There are some shit parents out there.

To save on electric, empty your freezer and switch it off. It is not your oven that is using the electric.

YABU, DS is 17 and is useless in the kitchen. He’d rather starve than cook for himself. If it gets really late, he’ll reluctantly make a sandwich. I’d be delighted if he cooked at all!

No sorry @ShawnaMacallister is spot on. Controlling what your children eat to the point a teenager has to ask permission to eat a slice of bread is verging on abusive. If not fully abusive.

You had 3 sons, didn't it cross your mind that they will grow into men one day and will need to be fed appropriately? I have 2 sons that are still very young and I joke about how much it will cost to feed 3 men (including my husband) when they grow into young adults, they cost a fortune now so I'm anticipating it will triple as they grow. If you are going to have children you need to feed them beyond primary age. Personally I'd be really pleased they are cooking and will have the life skills needed to look after themselves and their families when they leave home.

Where's their dad anyway? Can't he up payments for the ones he still needs to pay for to cover their food bill if you are struggling to feed them?

You win with an air fryer if you are doing lots of single meals at different times, as you don't have to heat up the entire oven each time.

It sounds like this may be the case.

They honestly are in all other ways, it was such a weird thing to watch. They provide home cooked meals with plenty of extra servings and a cooked dessert every day but only at meal times. My daughter ate all 3 meals and was quietly hungry before she was able to whisper to me (my fault for not noticing earlier). Their kids are super sporty and happy and active but it's a totally different style of autonomy in their house (they still have a bedtime for the 15 year old too which was surprising).

OP, why have you ignored all the references to/questions about whether you have a smart meter?

Do you have one?

If not, how do you know how much the extra electricity is costing?

And considering you've upped your 19year old's contribution, are you sure it doesn't cover it?

Your attitude to them being disrespectful (for wanting to eat) is just plain weird (to me). Yes I agree they should be cleaning up but after that leave them to it! They aren't small children who you can control.

Well, if they're into cooking you shouldn't be cooking them a meal every night. Each one should be making dinner for ALL OF YOU at least once a week. Have you introduced them to the notion of making for example an industrial quantity of pasta sauce to freeze?

I feel your pain on the turning their nose up at simple things like sandwiches and cereal. DS1 (16) should be in charge of making his own packed lunch every day. Instead, he makes himself a massive stack of pancakes for breakfast every morning, leaves the kitchen splattered with batter, and usually goes hungry until he comes back from school. He will only take lunch if it's cooked- pasta, leftover quiche or burritos etc. When I question this he's like "Well, there's nothing to take for lunch, is there?" Nothing if you ignore bread, wraps, oatcakes, cheese, houmous, peanut butter, eggs, crisps and fruit that is....🙄

Does 17yo have part-time job?

Yoghurt and fruit, a sandwich, OP’s choice of a hot cooked dinner (no white pasta - what meals are you making) then wanting them to have no extra cooked snacks isn’t a realistic diet for a teen lad.
It sounds like they are making protein brownies as a filling snack. Cheaper than buying protein bars. Traditionally steamed sponge puddings were popular as a way to fill hungry men so it’s not a new concept.
If they prefer oats and pasta to your yoghurt and sandwiches then I really don’t see the issue. If your breakfast/lunch/snacks budget for them is say £50 a week then let them choose accordingly up to budget and extras they buy.

My 19 year old is a hot food fanatic. I’m struggling to see the issue here really. This is kids for you isn’t it? Of course if you’re on the bones of your arse then yes - batch cook and perhaps reheat in the microwave but you just sound like you’re moaning for the sake of it tbh.

theyre 3 teenage boys. Providing theyre not disturbing you by cooking, then meh - its your job to ensure they’re fed

It could be any of those things but why should it? Why does it matter if they make a fry up instead of toast and peanut butter? Why does any of it matter to OP? They buy their own food. They clean up after (in a roundabout way). They eat the meals she prepares. They even pay for the extra utilities costs. So why shouldn't they cook a meal if they want to? Is there some moral value to eating toast and banana that is lacking in a fried breakfast?

I'm starting to get the feeling the OP has (or has had) an ED.....

can you choose your battles OP? It’s great they eat okay and make it themselves there’s worse pastimes your sons could take up!

You mention you feel they don’t listen to you or disrespect your rules. That seems to be the problem for you understandably.

Maybe lay down rules that are genuinely ‘good’ rules? No cooking seems slightly draconic. Can you make rules like do your coursework every day before you go out. Stuff like that I’d enforce, not them doing something basically useful like cooking / eating