how do you organise/manage food/meals/shopping with teenagers in the house?

[MentholLoad]

sorry this is pretty boring. and probably not complicated at all...but I'm overwhelmed and can't think through it clearly

my eldest daughter likes to cook the family meals. she better at it than me and it's one less job, so this is a lot good.

but, sometimes, she will use food/ingredients that I was expecting to be a family evening meal to make her lunch or breakfast for example. I can't buy double of everything but I am obviously buying for everyone to have all their meals/snacks/whatever

I just can't work out how to manage this/what to buy/how to approach grocery shopping

So work together and plan out the meals firstly. Everyone has there go to meals so there must be something that your daughter enjoys cooking and makes regularly. There an amazing book that she can plan the meals on a weekly or monthly routine and it will let you see what's coming ahead for ingredients and will let her enjoy the organising of it. There's sections for breakfasts lunches and dinners. It's from an online company pretty perfect products it's a small business that's I've followed for ages the book is amazing. If your daughter can organise it on paper even bulk cook and freeze then you should be able to work out what's left over ect. If she has told tok ask her to search it up. But good on her for cooking for the family it's not something you want to pick negatives at at least she's using all the ingredients available to here. Xxxx

Your daughter needs to know not to touch certain things that are not meant for her.

You also need to plan your shopping more carefully and people cooking need to be involved in planning/ shopping so they know what's what.

I had similar issues with an elderly parent who lives with us and what worked was:

• meal planning
• anything on the raw meat shelf (except bacon) is only for dinners
• any leftovers that might look like lunch but I need for an upcoming evening meal have TEA written on the tupperware/clingfilm/bag
• If I knew I needed, say, 4 eggs for an upcoming frittata I'd write 'leave 4 eggs for tea' in sharpie on the box
• keeping a good stock of the lunch-y pantry standbys they like

… so what??? She’s cooking anyway. Have ‘breakfast’ for dinner on occasion. Or ask her what she wants to cook… or call and ask what’s needed at the grocery store when you’re there… or make grocery shopping another kids duties.