to think that they can't possibly have teenagers?

[RuddyDuck]

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?

"If you're hungry you can have bread and butter" that's what my parents always used to say. No way was I allowed to open fridge and just eat the 'nice' food. My parents simply didn't have the money to keep topping up the goodies in the fridge. I tend to do the same with my teens. I will always make sure we have milk bread and bananas in the house but with anything else once it's gone it's gone and we all have to wait until shopping day.

I have a giant DH, me (not giant but piggy) and small DS who is going to take after his dad. I basically have one tesco van drawing up as another drives off. Never any leftovers. DH could eat a roast chicken to himself, no bother (6'4, runs every day). He would eat an entire pack of spaghetti for one dinner, without blinking an eye.

I have tried making our own allergen free bread , its fed the bin well ! My cakes and biscuits are now edible , it's taken a few tries of things to perfect . I miss using oats though , these were the basis of her breakfasts and treats often .
It seems unfair to me as its a medical life threatening condition but the family gets no support . We are not alone I am sure . Anyway , so far it's worth the debt and the energy as she is thriving .

FrigginRexManningDay of course it's a generalization. But would you say it's a wholly inaccurate one?

Walton - have you tried a bread maker? my SIL does all her own bread in a bread maker and it's gluten etc free and very tasty. She makes different types, rice flour is one of them. Too bad about the oats, it all sounds very difficult.

YANBU at all - I often look at those "feed your family for a fiver" ot whatever they are and I think they might feed me and 7 yr old DS but the older ones would need twice as much

Have you asked if you can get her bread on prescription? I know someone who has this and because prescriptions for her will be free it should save you a fortune.

Sorry if you've tried that already, but just a thought.

And yes to Aldi and Lidl for things like fruit and veg if she can tolerate them. their prices are great and their quality has really improved. Do you all eat that diet or can you mix Aldi shopping for the rest of you and just get the specialist stuff for her from where you normally go?

I am the allergic one in my house, I have every sympathy with the food bill regards HAVING no choice over where you buy certain foods/brands etc.

I am anaphylaxis to all dairy and also, since Christmas, tree fruits too (apples and pears mainly). Soya milk is sweetened with Apple juice, and apple juice is actually used as the basis for many juices or other things requiring sugar (so they can claim 'no added sugar'). It is bloody hard work buying food I am safe with, and if I go to a 'new' shop it can take me several hours reading all the labels to work out safety.....popping to another supermarket to get cheaper food is laughable!

I also have four teenagers and one nearly there......luckily the smallest (boy) is a picky eater and so does not clean my larder and fridge out, but the magically stretching boy (age 13, just grown out of school trousers #four since September!), could eat a whole chicken in one sitting, that once could feed the entire family.

I bake a lot (I have to, or I would be bankrupt with having to cater for allergies and the prices they charge for food that, technically, contain less in them than the 'normal' stuff), and one cake lasts maybe an hour after it is out of the oven.

I made drop scones the other day (scotch pancakes)....they ate them as soon as they came off the griddle....I was stood there for over half an hour cooking them, I got to eat 3. The rest filled all their very empty bellies!

I was once shocked at the stories my SIL told me of how much food her teens ate......at that point I had small folk who could share a happy meal between two of them and be full. I have been well and truly cured of my shock believe me...

Here a snack is anything in a smaller portion, so 1 egg as opposed to 2/3, 1 slice of cheese on toast, 1 slice of ham etc. Or a few biscuits/yoghurt/cereal bar/ fruit.

My two preteens would like to have free rein but if I allowed that I'd be spending the food budget on fruit juice and biscuits.

DH is another matter, ate loads growing up, very sporty, continued eating loads. He's now costing a bloody fortune to feed since realizing he has a problem with gluten and giving up wheat. We get through heaps of oats and nuts in particular.

I didn't eat much as a teen, trying desperatley to control my weight and nothing available between meals as parents couldn't afford it.

OP we get two and a bit meals out of 1 chicken but only by making one of them very veg heavy and dispersing the meat in a sauce/risotto.

Thanks guys ! No prescription but its a long story , the dietitian tried for us .
Have a bread maker yes , but the bread you make excluding our list is grim . To be honest I have found alternatives for bread - buckwheat crackers etc . I do like her to have it when her weight needs boosting .
Sorry to moan on this thread ! I started by agreeing with the op as my non allergy issued teenager eats non stop !
I have to hide food in this house .
I sat everyone down tonight and showed them the bills , we were all stunned ( and then they asked where supper was...)
Where's the goat seller when you need him . How many teenager snacks can you make outa one?

I have just made a double mixture of cookies for the kids packed lunch and they should last all week. I will make sure they do this week. I wasn't fed as a child so never wanted mine to go hungry so have been really obsessed with food and rarely say no to them having something to eat but it is time we all lived in the real world. I spent £91 yesterday and this week will have £300 in medical appointments so I will have to just not buy anything else otherwise I will run out of money well before DH gets paid again.