To ban cooking for teenage boys

[Boysfood]

I have 3 teen ds 15,17 and 19.

They cook all the time. Breakfast lunch , I make dinner they then cook in evenings and when getting home. My electric bill is too high.

I’ve asked them to have cereal or toast or instant porridge etc for breakfast. Sandwiches etc for lunch and snacks to be something that doesn’t need cooking. We always have these type of things available but they ignore me and start cooking. I can’t remove the oven etc and they often do this when I’m out or in bed. Only 19 year old works so I can charge him more rent to cover his share but others still in education and I don’t know what to do .

I really wouldn’t discourage them from cooking unless you really can’t afford the electricity. I very much doubt it’s making that much of a difference. We ran an A/C unit all night every night for 2 months straight over the summer and the most our electricity went up by was £20 a month.

Willingly going in the kitchen and cooking is a really good thing, you’ve obviously done something right for all 3 of them to be doing that. They could be sitting on their arses expecting you or anyone else to wait on them hand and foot. As long as they clear up properly, don’t disturb you and food costs/healthy balanced diet is considered I would leave them to get on with it.

So basically the main issue is that they’re hogging up the kitchen all the time, isn’t it? My DD did this for her never ending dietary phases and it drove me up the wall, both in the time consumed, money spent and just overall never feeling like my kitchen was ever clean.

Personally I don’t think one hot meal a day is enough but I’m not from the UK. I’d sit down with them and explain what’s up - them ignoring you is not okay.

I’d put them in charge of cooking for everyone since they like cooking so much (but it sounds like they’re just trying to bulk up or buy into online fads).

The disposable trays would piss me right off.

Why? They want tons of oats so it’s cost effective to get the cheaper for the volume they want

The lack of respect is an issue. When I was that age I was still expected to ask if I could eat outside of the 3 meals and 3 snacks I had a day. can you lock the kitchen door and set up a microwave, small fridge and snack bar elsewhere? Failing that switch the cooker off at the switchboard and lock the switchboard. There is always the "when it's gone it's gone approach"

Lol no it's not shocking. I don't know anyone who eats 3 warm meals a day. Don't be so dramatic.

I don’t think it’s strange at all. An awful lot of people commenting that she shouldn’t have had three children, and putting her down like she doesn’t feed her kids or want them to feed themselves. Or that OP doesn’t give them hot food. OP is soooo bad for buying organic oats for themselves! Come on! If people have no constructive advice, don’t comment. It’s disheartening to read so many negative comments from keyboard warriors who clearly get kicks from dragging other down whilst sat on their sofas.

OP has given her kids options, and they continue to defy her by cooking extra meals when food has already been provided.

Are your 3 boys actually goats trip trapping across your bridge ?

Is it really that expensive to cook with? Have you looked at the cost with a kw costing plug thing?

There are some easy solutions if electricity really is the issue. Make a double size evening meal e.g. lasagne/cottage pie/curry and freeze individual portions of leftovers so there are always meals available to microwave. Get the boys involved in cooking the family meal to ensure leftovers are to their taste. Cook a batch of brownies or a big fruit crumble yourself at the same time as the oven is on for baking/roasting dinner etc.

I'd encourage them as they will find it easier to live well alone when the time comes.

Expense wise it's high heat long time and electric that costs the most of course. So electric oven is the best to reduce. If your hob is gas it's cheaper than electric but again it would be things at top heat for a long time too, if there is anything like that, to avoid.

You might be better reducing tumble drier use, and peg out, to be honest or immersion heaters and hot water use.

Last night I was making chicken stir fry. Ds 17 said it wouldn’t be enough protein (I was cooking 6 chicken breasts) he insisted on also getting prawns from the freezer and adding those too. We had tons of noodles and veg too and homemade lemon cheesecake for dessert. An hour later it had to be a huge bowl of pasta with tons of cheese then at midnight baking.

No, if you can buy organic oats and avocados, money isn't tight at all. And if it is then stop buying organic oats and eat the cheap stuff which you deem fine for your children

No surely it’s common sense to buy cheaper when you need a big volume of something? They use oats for all these protein brownie things and a lot and I have a small amount daily for overnight oats?

Really? Because a variation on it comes up regularly. Maybe you just haven't noticed.

Wow I’ve heard it all now.
why are you not feeding them? They are your kids, hungry teens and you’re going to reduce their pocket money because they’re eating too much?

At the risk of asking you to be sensible for a minute OP, can you actually answer the questions of "How much extra does their cooking actually cost you?" and "Do you have a smart meter?"

Thank you.

Although I won't hold my breath...

This would do my head in too OP. They’re being ridiculous. And I am pretty sure most of the posters on here giving you a hard time wouldn’t like it either if it was actually happening in their homes. I have active 17 year old and 20 year old boys/men with good appetites and they don’t feel the need to start filling up an hour after the evening meal. They also don’t feel the need to eat hot food for every single meal. Sympathies.

Sorry but I smell bullshit. You obviously don't like the responses you've been given so are now exaggerating things to try to get people to validate you.

I can empathise with 3 teenagers who are constantly hungry and constantly eating. But I don't think banning them from cooking is a good idea. What do they eat instead? Buy an air fryer. I got a small one, not expensive and when they're hungry they can heat up what they want, at all times of the day. Growing and active teens need a lot of nutritious food so that's a better option that junk food.

I don’t regularly buy avocados it was an example of what I’ve offered them in the past for snacks . I don’t eat them myself. We do get peanut butter from Lidl a big tub it works out well it’s not that expensive

I mentioned this earlier as well?

Batch cook for them, or they obviously don’t want cold food.

You are coming across an unbelievably stingy and controlling with food. They are teenage boys, not toddlers. They should be allowed to choose what to eat and when as long as they do the work which they are. I can’t believe you make them buy their own pasta, sausages and bacon, and expect them to eat cheap oats while you have fancy organic ones! These are all really basic foods. You say it’s about cost but then offer avocado! It’s not sounding like this is something you genuinely can’t afford, it’s coming across like you would just prefer the bills to be lower (wouldn’t we all!) and want them to eat what you consider “right”.

At 1035 my post mentioned about how they will cook literally an hour after dinner .

No @FieryA you are the one with a weird attitude. Op is looking for help and advice. Not an example of the worst Mumsnet can be.