How much £ as contribution to holiday food?

[Banino]

Family holiday to France later this year, DS1 is 17 and I have said he can bring a couple of friends. We are "camping" (tents already set up and come with equipped kitchen)- I have booked two tents as we are already a largeish family so there was extra space anyway.

I'm not asking for a contribution to the accommodation/transport but his friends have asked if they can contribute to food budget- what is reasonable for a week? I won't be doing lots of cooking at the tent (it's my holiday too!) and I expect that we will eat fairly ad-hoc during the day (picnics to beach, snacky lunch of bread cheese etc, how very continental!) then maybe simple dinner most evenings either on site (pizzas at site takeaway etc) or easy pasta/rice dishes and so on that I can chuck together easily in a lovely, slightly fuzzy, wine fuelled haze. Maybe a proper restaurant a couple of times.

I have no idea how much it will cost! How much do you think I should ask them to contribute?

Are they paying for themselves or will it be parents funding it?

If I was a parent and asked to provide £200 towards food, I would be rethinking sending my child on this "free" holiday.
If the DC are paying it themselves, they will probably opt out and do their own food.
I'd either just ask for them to bring spending money or maybe something like £40 or £50.

If someone was taking my 16 year old son of holiday for a week, feeding and entertaining him, I’d think 200 euros was a bargain. especially if you were paying for meals out. A pizza and a couple of cokes, and a dessert will easily be 30 euros a head.

i know however, my 16 year old would rather hang about with his friends without us do I’d say 100 euros for breakfast /lunch/dinners that you’d cook, and that he should take spending money for getting takeaway/pizza macdonalds/etc

We just got back from France and a round of drinks for 4 - two soft drinks and two beers or wines was around €24. Obviously loads cheaper to stick up at the supermarket and have it at your accommodation. If you're going to be doing lots of cafe stops it all adds up. It depends how much eating out you're going to do.

200 Euros

Just a tray of chips and a drink at beach will be 5 Euros. You can always give them cash back? It's cheap for accommodation, travel & food.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I had already booked and paid for our own flights and accommodation (6 people) in two chalet/tents that each sleep 5. Ds1 was already bring 1 friend but I suggested that he could bring 2 more if he likes since there was room for more bodies. So it will be older teens in one and me, ds2 and his friend (both 14) and ds3 (8) in the other.

Think I will suggest £50 as a contribution on the understanding that I’ll provide all food if they fund their own alcohol or any other food if the big ones decide they want to do something together separately from the rest of us. We are going with another family too, DS3’s best friend and his parents.

Ds1 has a lovely, lovely group of friends and I am really excited about spending some time with them all (realise they will probs be off doing their own thing a lot if the time though). Probably the last time he might want to come with his mum and brothers so I will be making the most of it! Have fond memories of going on holiday with my friend and her family to France when a similar age so I hope they will enjoy it as much.

Tell them to bring enough to pay for themselves eating out/takeaways most nights as you don't plan on cooking often, and also enough contribute to the food shopping as you all go along as you cannot judge how much they will eat or if they have any fussy and expensive food preferences.

At 17 they are old enough to get a disposable bbq and do their own cooking (if campsite allows)

I would suggest bringing 100-200 euros and a bank card in case they need more. If it was my food bin ds(18) going with you would need it and more!