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 .

The issue won’t be them cooking in their own home - although personally I wouldn’t have a partner that ate vast amounts of sausages and bacon, because it would likely make them prematurely ill/dead, or who was an environmental savage with disposable cookware.

The issue will be having absolutely no respect for the women in their lives, no boundaries, no willingness to compromise.

You need to get ahead of them. Find recipes for protein packed vegetarian meals with lentils, beans, tofu etc.

She's annoyed at the fact that they cook so much rather than sometimes eating cold food and saving the energy bills.

You need slightly more calories to meet your daily requirements and, if the house is cold because your parent is also worried about energy costs, you don't get the comfort you would otherwise get from hot food.

Doesn't hurt you much but it is obvious why people would often prefer hot.

Still waiting for any reason not to resolve a lot of this fuss with batch cooking and a microwave

I never said she shouldn't set rules ot standards. I am a firm believer in boundaries.
My point was in response to people saying that she pays for the majority of things.

Why does it have to be junk just because it’s not cooked ?

Honestly, OP, I'm sorry you're getting so much flack. These are large quantities of food and if you are on a budget it can be really difficult. My son is very tall and when he was body building in his teen years he would eat us out of house and home with the equivalent of 5-6 meals a day. He also ate masses of protein and our food bill definitely reflected this. He had a thing about making Brownies, too, but apart from he mostly used to fill up on protein shakes, quickly cooked egg dishes and cold snacks. Plus there was only one of him! I don't blame you for getting them to self fund some of it if you genuinely can't afford it but I think you do need to accept some extra cooking during these years. As long as they are clearing up after themselves I think having an air fryer and an energy monitor is the best way forward. Does their dad pay you maintenance?

The point of me saying the OP pays for the majority of things is that therefore she gets to set some rules and standards and to expect the others to respect them.

It is really hard to compromise with people who can't articulate their priorities or problems, because often all you end up with is that they want you to do what they say, and that's the priority and problem.

If OP can articulate the problems and priorities, I think that they should all be able to reach age-appropriate compromises if they are reasonable people, yes.

Well aren't you perceptive! She's literally told us they cook protein based snacks 🙄

It’s glaringly obvious based on 2026 food prices they are spending more on their own food than OP is paying in cooking bills though! Complaining about an extra £30 a month, as the high specular guess earlier was mentioned, for 3 children when they are funding much of their own food is stupid. If they ate a month of cold meals provided by the OP on would cost her a lot more. Her annoyance is misguided.
They obviously do eat cold food too given they’re all out of the house during the day and so can’t actually be cooking 4/5 hot meals.

Are you aware that there are families in this country who don’t buy food that requires much cooking because they simply can’t afford the bills involved ? OP has clearly said that the extra cooking is taking her energy bill to unsustainable levels. If they’re having a cooked meal in the evenings there is absolutely no need for them to be cooking at any other time of day. Or would you rather OP waits until she can’t afford the bills so they won’t be cooking at all, or using the heating in winter for that matter.

Of course she does. She's the parent and the home owner/renter.

Because she suggested they have cereal and sandwiches instead

OP, were all your boys on FSM and PP? There are still ways to get extra support if so.

OP has said in other replies that they do clean up, the problem is she doesn’t like them actually cooking. If there’s a wider problem around clearing up, that’s going to be the case whether they’re using the oven or not.
Who cares if they’re buying their own disposable cookware and using that?
What has she asked that they’re ignoring? Just break that down. Teens/adults are hungry and want to cook their own hot food that they have at least partially bought themselves. Mum says no because she doesn’t want the oven on due to cost. Adult pays more in board to cover cost and teens accept a reduction in pocket money. Adult/teens cook when hungry in their own home. Mum’s main issue re the disrespect isn’t that they’re using up all her fave food (sounds like this has been only occasional) or the mess (they’re now using disposable cookware and clearing up), but that they’re cooking when she’s told them to eat cereal/sandwiches instead.
Thats just plain controlling and unreasonable on Mum’s part. Like I said, there are compromises to be reached here. But no, the sons aren’t being disrespectful. They’re disagreeing with their Mum and feeding themselves. Relationships and rules need to evolve as kids grow.

Pretty sure most people would prefer something hot in this weather. WHo wouldn’t????

They're growing teenagers who are naturally hungrier and need to eat more and you're trying to limit their food intake?

This airfyer is on offer at the moment
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/325523423?sc_cmp=ppcGHS+-+Grocery+-+NewMPX_PMAX_All_OT_Marketplace+Top+Performers_Marketplace+Budget_1012757**325523423*&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22422832551&gbraid=0AAAAADiyNauM6dUG_6obHavX8WpmZisbs&gclid=Cj0KCQiA49XMBhDRARIsAOOKJHaIJnDBO7CbydmiuXWzsZXi95REtWRwzgq-98CK0rhW92ULRN21fdAaAn17EALw_wcB

Energy consumption is
If used for 30 minutes, it consumes approximately 0.7 kWh

Also regarding processed meat thing, I have had teenage boy relatives suddenly think they just want to eat meat to bulk up and it is frustrating and expensive
2 sausages contain around 16g protein
1 200g can baked beans contains 9.7g of protein, and 1 slice toast around 3g protein
1 single egg is 6g protein
The last 2 are significantly lower in fat though!

What's your problem? Maybe it is time for your nap,

It’s not like that at all! No one needs constant hot food!

What are they buying the food with if they’re still in education. OP mentioned that they get pocket money, so how is she not supplying the extra food ? If OP is being stingey with food then I could understand the need for the extra, but it sounds to me as though there is a budget and OP is trying to supply the most healthy options within it, and her sons are blowing the budget with no thought as to the consequences. Doesn’t bode well for the future and they’re in for a nasty shock when it comes to managing their own household budgets.

Nothing wrong with that!
When my kids were teenagers they didn’t behave like that and they certainly weren’t starved!

Reading between the lines here I'd say you think I've got a problem and that you think a nap might help me.

I'm clever like that 😜

Get a microwave that grills, cooks like an oven and microwaves. Cheap as chips to run. Also an air fryer might be worth it?