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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that they can't possibly have teenagers?

136 replies

RuddyDuck · 28/02/2014 21:02

Since Christmas I seem to have read lots of blogs and newspaper articles about how to cook frugally. You know the sort of thing - buy a 3lb chicken and it will feed you family for a week, including a delicious casserole for 6 made out of the leftover leftovers. Plus how to turn a pot of yoghurt into dessert for 8.

My 15 year old is currently cooking the pizza meant for tomorrow's lunch because he " fancies a snack", having demolished a full dinner 2 hours earlier. There are NEVER any leftovers in this house. AIBU to assume that none of these frugal food authors live with teenagers?

OP posts:

Nocomet · 28/02/2014 21:32

In general I think DDs are a bit better than DSs, but our food bill has certainly gone up since they both went to senior school.

pizzachickenhotforyou · 28/02/2014 21:32

I can remember a snack used to be open a pack of cheddar, wipe marmite or pickle juice on.
And I used to glue my socks up to my knees as they fell down my skinny legs.

Lancelottie · 28/02/2014 21:35

DS is 6 ft and 8 stone, and eats loaves.

spudmasher · 28/02/2014 21:36

Ahh! You are building MEN! I have 2 DDs. They just demolish anything containing sugar once a month!

alistron1 · 28/02/2014 21:38

People wonder why I'm so slim. It's because I have three teenagers and never actually see, touch or taste 99% of the food I buy. Forget weightwatchers, just live with a teenager.

23balloons · 28/02/2014 21:49

YANBU noticed yesterday, when checking Parent pay that ds has been getting a meal at break at school ( huge sausage baguette / hot dog / sandwich etc ) as well as taking a packed lunch & 2 snacks each day and he has still been coming home starving.

BrokenToeOuch · 28/02/2014 21:59

Don't get me started on this. Sainsburys 'feed your family for a week for £50' makes me howl with laughter. You try sending my DDs in to school with one sandwich and an apple in their lunchboxes at ages 8 and 9. They would have me done for child abuse

NearTheWindymill · 28/02/2014 22:03

Tonight in supermarket: Bog roll, two packs cat food, wine, beer, reduced chicken (for two dinners - fillets £2.50 for two packs and chicky breasts organic with skin £1.69 each pack of two - OK will do dinners for 4 but still cooking for 4), pack bacon, fentiman's rose lemonade, Almond Alpro, ketchup, tartare sauce. £45

NearTheWindymill · 28/02/2014 22:03

And crisps!

fiverabbits · 28/02/2014 22:16

My D Sis used to go to school dinners, eat all the dinner, 2 servings of afters and then come home and ask my D Mum what there was to eat. She used to have breakfast, school dinners or a cooked dinner at home, cooked tea and then fruit for afters. She was thin and tall, now she is heavier but lives on a lettuce leaf, one slice of ham and two pieces of fruit a day !

SugarplumKate · 28/02/2014 22:42

I was looking at the new Jamie cook book - the one about being frugal. All sorts of recipes using leftover chicken from the Sunday roast, hysterical - as if there would be anything left over ! (4 hungry kids here).

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 01/03/2014 01:22

My son eats air I'm convinced. He's not an eater (and when he does he's faddy).

DD eats anything except tuna (she doesn't like the smell) and often makes herself a snack ( beans, half a red pepper, toast) "I was hungry"

Bogeyface · 01/03/2014 02:25

You could always say "No. That is tomorrows dinner"

I have one DS who is just out of teens and one who will going into them soon. I also have 4 DD's and they dont treat meal food as a snack because they know that our budget wont allow for it. They are allowed free reign on the fruit bowl, and that had worked out fine for the last 18 or so years.

Bogeyface · 01/03/2014 02:27

I should add that we are a family 8 with 4 adults (me, H and 2 adult (ish) children, 4 primary aged or younger kids) and one large Aldi chicken is more than enough for us for a main meal. Ok so no leftovers but I am amazed that a family of 4 can eat one whole chicken in one meal with no leftovers!

Chloerose75 · 01/03/2014 02:31

Do you all just let your teens help themselves to whatever food they like in the house?! How do you manage to meal plan or get through the week on food? I don't mean from a money point of view I just mean from a practical perspective if your food is constantly just being eaten out from under you! I was never allowed to help myself outside meals as a teen. If desperate, could go to fruit bowl but would never have dreamed of making an extra meal. I would have got utterly bollocked. Admittedly my mum did have some food issues however I don't think its good to encourage and allow constant snacking? What's wrong with just eating your normal 3 meals. Even hungry teens should be able to get by on normal meals and don't actually need to be stuffing their faces.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 01/03/2014 07:45

I often say I should have my wages paid directly to tesco and cut out the hassle of it going into my bank account and then straight into Mr Tescos account

Yes, within reason they are allowed to eat whenever.
My ds1 is 15 and 6ft 1. Thin as a rake and ridiculously athletic- gym 3 times a week, 5 mile runs twice a week, football training 4 nights a week plus matches.
I have honestly never known anyone to eat as much as he does. Ever.

I cook 1kg pasta on a Sunday, mix it with tuna or chicken or whatever and salad- that's a pre dinner snack that lasts 2-3 days, less if his friends are here.
Cereal- I shudder to think how much of that he eats. There is never any milk. Due to the cereal and the protein milkshakes he is forever blending.
Fruit lasts a day maybe. Super noodles are a cheap favourite, he eats 2 packets as a snack.
Leftovers do not exist. He either eats 2 portions or eats another portion after school.
His packed lunch would be enough food to last me a week.

Mumof3xx · 01/03/2014 07:51

My eldest two are boys aged 4&6

Thanks to mumsnet I dread them becoming teens and eating my house

Bedsheets4knickers · 01/03/2014 08:03

This thread is making me panic. Can I ask all you mothers of teens how many of you had picky eaters as toddlers??? My 3 and 1 year old are a nightmare to get food into. I should start saving my pennies :-)

jendot · 01/03/2014 08:06

Here too.....

Ds 1 eats and eats and eats and eats and is normal weight.

Ds 2 very fussy eater, but will eat a whole box of cereal in a sitting or a whole French stick. Is really skinny.

Dh eats and eats and eats and eats and is super skinny.

However I am the fat one who lives on lettuce leaves and air!!!

Cheese, milk, cereal, crisps, ham, bread....gone in minutes. I buy bread, milk and ham most days! Keep the fruit bowl full you say? Fat chance... Gone in minutes. If I buy anything I want to eat I actually have to hide it as I don't get a look in otherwise!!

Mine have a free rein on 'non meal foods' they can't eat fridge things unless snack stuff.

Seems to get more expensive by the week!

TantrumsAndBalloons · 01/03/2014 08:09

bedsheets when my ds1 was 2 he ate only cheese, bread, ham and cucumber. That was it.
Now....I cannot think of anything that he won't eat.
I hide nice food in the boot of my car or at work

Fusedog · 01/03/2014 08:09

Sorry op YABU

I have a teen 6 ft and size 20 feet he is 14 and I spend £70 a week on shopping including nappies ECt for my baby

I would never allow my teen to constantly graze we can't afford it simple

Left overs are for baby's lunch the next day but usually I make enough for each person have a very good handle on portion control

Silvercatowner · 01/03/2014 08:12

Teenagers have always been big eaters and in previous generations lifestyles were more active so presumably we needed even more calories. But we didn't raid the fridge - we just didn't. It was the main meal and nothing in between. I remember every meal was loaded with carbs - presumably to fill hungry stomachs. My mum used to serve yorkshire pudding very regularly. Chear and filling.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 01/03/2014 08:13

My DS is 10 and was very picky. He's tall for his age and his appetite is ramping up and pickiness starting to fade. He's getting to the age where he shuts himself away in his bedroom but I've worked out if I sit in the kitchen I see him frequently. DD is 15 and hardly used to eat anything and was very fussy, that's worn off. She eats loads now. Both are very thin.

Friend has 3 x 16 year old boys . We were talking about how much Job Seekers Allowance is (£70 something a week?) and how it doesn't cover the cost of a food shop these days. She said it is way off what she spends and I didn't dare ask how much as am sure it would have made my eyes water.

LucyLasticBand · 01/03/2014 08:13

i dish out the chicken, but offer lots of potatoes, to be fair, my ds eats a roast at work before he comes home and eats another.
and do have some meat but i do buy at least 1.7 kg chicken, nothing smaller than that.
and the follow up meal probalby does contain chickpeas to bulk it. but the cheese, that I have no contorl over, it seems.

LucyLasticBand · 01/03/2014 08:15

oh and i read on a link via mumsnet to a waitrose web site that we need 70 gm of meat per person,so that is my mantra, to my dh's consternation

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