Teenagers and food waste, I am losing my mind.

[JensonsAcolyte]

I don’t know if I’m being really fucking petty about this but I lost my shit yesterday after they went through a box of cereal in six hours.

Kids are 17 and 18. We also have a 9 year old. I buy nice treat food like a mug every week and the older kids just go through it like it’s going out of fashion. I’ve told them not to, obviously, begged and pleaded and shouted and sworn and nothing sinks in.

I’m at the point of thinking about locking the larder.

So on Sunday I bought a box of (overpriced junk) Krave because youngest DS loves it. He usually has a few pieces mixed in with his weetabix or porridge.

By yesterday morning it was gone. DS had got up at gone midnight and had half a box over two bowls, DD then had two bowls for breakfast, before I got up.

This is an ongoing battle. Also taking huge portions of food and not eating it. Dinner last night, DD took a huge pile and then picked out half of it (the aubergine she didn’t like) and left it on the side of her plate.

There’s a large Tupperware full of home made egg fried rice that one of them made on Saturday night while I was out and didn’t eat. I’ll be binning that in a minute.

They both like to cook but cook stupid things like a batch of thirty cheese straws. Or a huge macaroni cheese for one person. I’m constantly running out of milk, cereal, flour, eggs, pasta.

They are supposed to ask for food, which I hate making them do but have to, but then as soon as I’m out or in a meeting or even just in the fucking shower they are like locusts.

Any ideas? Is this par for the course with young adults? They are both skinny fuckers as well which is actually infuriating considering all the shit they eat.

Bread, milk, fruit, eggs , rice,pasta , left overs and baked beans are up for grabs in our house as long as nothing gets eaten that might be required for a meal before I shop next. I keep masses of bread in the freezer. My other caveat is that they eat their meals at meal time and aren't snacking just before or being fussy and then wanting scrambled eggs half an hour after meals.
One of the DC gets tempted by eg new olives and infuriates me by not finishing the packet or telling me that they are open so that I can use them up in a timely manner. In general though I haven't had to be draconian in any way they just know to be considerate of my time and money.

One of my teenagers asked me if we were ok for money, because there was never anything in to eat 🤣
I pointed out that we get a grocery delivery twice a week, which covers three meals a day and snacks. They are growing lads. Half a lb of cheese is nothing to them.

Bread, milk, fruit, eggs , rice,pasta , left overs and baked beans are up for grabs

Never ever any leftovers in this house. Bloody teens eat it all.

The issue of delayed gratification is an issue that a lot of adults struggle with. We all talk a good game but when it comes down to it, we're not that great at it and I think it certainly gets easier as you get older. But how many people buy things on credit rather than save up? Most these days I would say.

There are also evolutionary advantages to being greedy - you don't starve in difficult times, rich people get the pick of eligible partners etc.

Maybe we shouldn't be that surprised at our teenagers eating patterns.

I would take a portion of their pocket money and keep it to replace the things they have taken, if they don't take anything return it. Its what I did with both of my eldest two.. One who claimed to not be hungry when I cooked the main meal then 20mins later would go and cook her own food. Like you're saying, I had plates and pans of the excess food because apparently she always made too much, then left it in a pan on the stove overnight as she would suddenly find homework to do all evening instead of cleaning her mess up. I mean who gets pasta sauce on the ceiling 🤦🏽‍♀️. Soon stopped when I started making her pay for it. Kitchen is closed when I go to bed. I did allow her to batch cook and freeze mac n cheese, spag bol etc. Wrote her name on it and she could eat it whenever. Also when I did the monthly shop,, they were allowed to pic one item they wanted.. Stupid cereal normally.. Once it was gone it was gone and if they ate their siblings items they had to replace it. I also made them responsible for buying milk and bread once a week... No more towers of toast when they bought it, you'd be surpsied how they suddenly became bread monitors so they didn't have to buy more 😂😂. Parenting bottomless pit teens is the worst. I now have an 11yr old who tries to eat all her pack up stuff... Luckily she very short so a high cupboard is sufficient to stop that one 😂😂😂. Good luck

I would also be suggesting they pay for it, if they have no money now you'll take an IOU from their apprenticeship or pocket money.
Basics they can have but if they finish it, off to the corner shop or Tesco Extra regardless of the hour.
Leftovers get frozen, microwaves are easy to operate.
And mess gets cleaned up, your kitchen cleaning rates are £10/hr.

I wonder how many extra calories teens and preteens really need. My 12 year old has returned home and had a chunk of chocolate and two yogurts. Less than he would usually have. That may be due to my next offering being an apple but he is def going through puberty now and seems to be in the middle of a growth spurt but never puts on weight. To me he is too skinny - he’s 5ft 3 and 7 stone but the child’s bmi says he’s ok. I’ve heard we have a distorted view of weight these days as the children we think are too skinny are actual a normal weight.

@SpringSunshineandTulips there are charts that show calorific need

I think nhs may even do one

Teenage boys need around 3000 cals a day, iirc

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/how-many-calories-do-teenagers-need/

Thank you. I will take a look