I left my 16 year old at home for 24 hours and he ate...

[mrsm43s]

A ready meal (mac & cheese)
A pot noodle
A family sized pizza
A full tub of 40 cocktail sausages
At least 2 big buckets full of buttered popcorn (maybe more, but only evidence of two pots where he melted the butter).
4 and half bags of crisps
Several bowls of cereal (I'd guess about 3 or 4 from the number of bowls left)
Multiple rounds of toast/sandwiches- about half a loaf worth, with a mix of fillings - choc spread, jam, cheese, soft cheese
A block of feta
A 2 person packet of fresh tortellini
and something chocolately that came in a plastic tub that I can't remember what would have been in there, but there was definitely cocoa powder residue in the bottom of the container.

He did not eat the cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, hummus, apples, grapes, bananas or yoghurts.

He's as skinny as a rake!

I'm not complaining as we were away on a Uni visit with eldest, and he was alone overnight for the first time and the house was still standing, the cats and dogs were fed and let out appropriately (the dog wasn't actually walked, but we went early evening to early evening, so we've walked her early Friday then late Saturday and she's only a Chi cross that doesn't need hours of walking), but no poo, so he def did garden runs with her. The house was pretty tidy apart from the stack of dirty crockery and empty food packaging.

How would your 16 year old son have fared?

@Savingpeoplehuntingthings

Why didn’t you stop him?

wont this mean you have to go shopping again soon?

Precisely, me too! I wouldn’t recommend living alone at that age if you have a choice but to say a 16 year old can’t be left overnight is simply laughable

He ate a lot for one weekend. It's really not obscene. If the OP had posted that she was on the breadline and he ate everything bought to feed the family for a fortnight that would be different.

I have noticed a lot of comments about girls and how lucky people are that their girls don't eat much. I did a load of sport as a child and teen and would eat in secret. I'd make a secret bowl of pasta and cheese after school as we'd have tea late after athletics training and I would be so hungry. I'd do my best to hide the evidence but my parents would of course know as the food went and would question me on why I was eating so much. If I was a teenager now I'd probably spend my pocket money on meal deals to fill me up. I wasn't fat, I just needed more calories than I was being fed (my parents also didn't know or if they did know didn't teach me about nutrition so I didn't know that protein would fill me up more etc).

Mindsets need to change that teenage boys eat loads and girls don't. It's just more socially acceptable for boys to do it.

It’s a growth spurt thing as they would say in ye olden days. What is impressive is no alcohol, or party evidence. Well done to your very mature son, but did he eat because he was hungry, or anxious for being on his own. I left my son alone at that age, he did eat everything but also nearly set the kitchen on fire by one of his science experiments. A lesson well learnt and never forgotten. He only told me years later!

All these people who are like ‘oh it’s completely normal’

Do you spend your life in the supermarket?! You must do. If you work full time then that’s like two evenings a week at least you’re having to food shop after work. Are you not pissed off that time which could be used for yourself to go to gym or meet with friends or whatever Is having to be spent in supermarket cos you teen is needlessly eating all the food?

*Why didn’t you stop him?

wont this mean you have to go shopping again soon?*

No I have plenty food in, I don't need to go shopping.

I didn't stop him because it's Sunday, he had a very active day yesterday and didn't eat much, tomorrow like I said he'll be at school and his activity so won't eat this amount.

It's ok for them to have one day of being a pig as long as the majority of the time they have a healthy balanced diet. He does a lot of sport, he's generally very healthy.

and do you have massive kitchens/larders/utility rooms to store all this food?

A 16 year old can still leave school and get a job. The 'Raising the Participation Age' legislation imposes a duty on local authorities to encourage participation in education or training until age 18, but in fact there are no penalties for the employee or employer if a 16 year old leaves school to take a job, even if it is n not an apprenticeship. References for age at which you can legally leave education

Brilliant boy. It’s masses isn’t it. Can’t quite believe how negative people are. You sound great.
I remember my son at that age, similar build and how he could drink gallons of juice too and tell the microwave to hurry up. Now he has three young children, good job, does most of the cooking. Make the most of it, he sounds great, and it flies.

I'm sorry but wow that's impressive 🤭 and congrats on being able to leave him. At least he ate the beans, like you said it is a portion but may I say again wow

@Ohhoho

”brilliant boy”

see i just don’t get this. What’s brilliant about it?

thats what geeky boys at sixteen are like. Food is just fuel and it was a good experience and he had a dog to keep him company, pretty self sufficient that’s what’s brilliant

Does it really matter? Get a hobby.

@LuckySantangelo35 same 💀💀 I’m glad my mum hates my guts so she doesn’t post shit like that on MN 😭😭

Yes, they are. Am I really the only one that realised the PP meant in terms of alone with all the food in the house?!?!?!

@Ohhoho

food is fuel of course. But this boy was sitting in his bedroom for hours gaming and chatting to online friends, not running a marathon.

@Jezt

Ive got plenty of hobbies

These mums who let their teens eat all this food in the space of a few hours can’t have hobbies though…cos they’re in the supermarket all the time!

@Jezt

Ive got plenty of hobbies

These mums who let their teens eat all this food in the space of a few hours can’t have hobbies though…cos they’re in the supermarket all the time!

I thought you were describing my DS. Skinny as a rake, eats like its going out of fashion 😂

Why?

2 years and they’re off to uni. How will they ever cope?

I have teen boys and I've been to the supermarket 3 times this week. I still have time for hobbies though, the shopping doesn't take a lot of time or thought. I just buy lots and lots of everything and then add extra milk, cheese, cereal and noodles.

And bananas. They've always eaten a mind boggling amount of bananas.

Household of four. Son moved out last year and our food bill halved. Son would drink a carton of orange juice a day, half a loaf of bread, 3-4 bananas, all meals, cheese etc. He is an athlete. Not cheap to keep!

Epic win in my book too. Well done OP and off spring 😁

What sort of parent are you that is raising children with such little independence they could not be left alone for 24 hours if it was needed at some point? I lived alone from 17! My 22, 18 and 16yr old never have been because there was no need but would have been more than capable of staying alone in their own home for 24 hours. I can only assume you read the age wrong or really need to look at what you are doing wrong

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