What do your DC eat when they're home alone?

[SchoolHours]

Only cold food or do you let them cook? What are your general rules for an 11 year old? What do you go through with them in terms of first aid, safety etc?

11 yo Dts aren't ho e alone enough to need to prepare food.

They do cook with minimal supervision eg pancakes/ waffles
For breakfast

Cereal, microwave burgers, pot noodles, toast.

Mine was not allowed to touch the gas rings unattended at that age, but could put a pizza etc in the electric oven or use the microwave. I had cooked with her since she was small so she could happily make a whole cake (and trash the kitchen) We had discussions about kitchen safety - knives, flames etc.

Mine used to go to the chippy on the corner like proper wains

Mine make their own lunch when alone. They stick to using the toaster and microwave although the older teen now uses the airfryer as well.
Younger one has things like soup, beans & sausages on toast.

I think you have to look at your child’s ability . At that age I was cooking family meals but my mum was home - at that age with my Ds not a chance.

My 12yr old would make beans on toast, super noodles, soup, put a pizza in the oven, that kind of thing.

at that age dc started to make toasties in the microwave and cup-a-soup type things.

they cooked as well at that age (stir fry, pancakes eyc) but under supervision.

presumably at age 11 dc is starting secondary school and wrap around childcare is not available any more.

Mine is capable but a lazy arse that prefers to not eat unless he is waited on 😂 so he just waits until I feed him.

I think it really depends. If the child cooks regularly, then leave them to be. But if not, leave something in the fridge that can be eaten straight out, or microwaved.

The only times mine have been at home long enough to need to cook have been covid, inset days and strike days when DH hasn't been wfh.

When it was just DS11 (covid), I left him a packed lunch.

Now, it's DS14 and DS12, and they do omlettes, toast, pot noodle, fried egg sandwiches.

Both pretty competent cooks, and I'm sure they could do more. I'm just a bit twitchy when it would take me at least half an hour to get home if something happened.

Scrambled eggs and toast she can do. No, she doesn't cook regularly. Not happy with the idea of her using the microwave as it's built in and above her head height. Also not happy about boiling water. NB might be being pfb here! So I need to think of ideas she can reheat in a pan and get her cooking simple stuff at the weekends more.

Toasties?

Toast, toasted sandwiches, cheese on toast.. cereal. And reheating stuff in the microwave, pizza in oven.

One of them did cook cook at that age but it’s a bit young to be alone in the house with gas hob on.

My 11 year old DS will do pot noodles, toast and sausages in the air fryer. Doesnt know how to use the hob or oven.

DS is the same age and he only cooks when someone else is home. He can do omelette, scrambled eggs, beans etc by himself. For more complicated stuff like lasagne I help him.

DD is 16 and she can cook but prefers cold food. Sometimes she will do a tuna pasta salad and obvs has to cook the pasta first.