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 .

It sounds like you're scared of your own kids.
Make them stop.

You should be glad they are cooking and eating well I understand your point about leccy bills but show them ways of cooking either less intensity - lower steady heat, use the pans lids .

But she charges them for the fuel bills

@Mayana1

they don’t prefer healthy. They are cooking sausages and brownies.

Look at a ninja combi 12 in 1.
Great air fryer but also you’re able to cook pasta/rice etc in it https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4014308

When does she get to eat then?

She shouldn’t. That then leaves a bit more food for the boys

It's absolutely bloomin' freezing where I am. Lunch has needed to be pasta or jacket potatoes just so I don't get really cold. Teenagers eat ridiculous amounts of food. It is probably saving you a fortune that they're cooking pasta rather than demanding expensive snacks.

I disagree with lots of the replies to this. I totally get your issue and I don't think you're unreasonable to expect to be listened to in your own home and for your children to have some time consideration of costs and how their current behaviour impacts this.

I'd tell them that protein snacks must be cooked weekly in advance in batches to last the full week. They ration them and when they're gone, they're gone.

Pasta - as the weather is getting warmer, they don't need hot pasta. Again, the rule is they cook a huge load of pasta (twice a week) and keep it in the fridge, when they want it, they make pasta salad.

Cooked breakfast can all be done in the air fryer and microwave.

I'd also have to have a serious chat with all of them regarding respect and behaviour. Buying foil trays and paper plates so you stop 'moaning' sounds extremely disrespectful. I'd make it clear that if they're not going to be considerate and instead use wasteful workarounds rather than learn to clean up after themselves, then once they reach adult age, they can leave and then there's no moaning and they can live as they choose. Or they can get a job and pay their way properly, which includes a cleaner every day to clean up after them.

I'd switch the electric off at the mains after dinner. Mine's in a lockable cupboard so quite an easy fix. And if that means no TV, no gaming etc, that'll also impact them hopefully.

And just as a final point, money being right does not mean people can't /shouldn't buy organic oats or avocados or generally good food. People make choices. Money can be very tight AND you can buy nice food. The two can coexist! It's rude and judgemental and based on outdated biased skewed views

Everyone, regardless of economic status (in the UK,eg) should be able to choose good quality food without being stigmatised and made to feel guilty ir told 'money can't be that tight". Why shouldn't less well off people be able to choose to eat avocado or organic products? It's their choice. Trying to shame or question the veracity when someone says money is tight is unkind and shows complete lack of empathy.

Given her attitude, that was going to be a given.

If she was eating too much, she would be overweight, which she isn't. She eats a lot of steak, salmon, prawns, berries, avocados, nuts and dried fruit.

She'd be just as happy with pie, pizza and chicken nuggets but I will spend more money on food which she likes which is actually nourishing her body.

Good quality food with high nutrient content is expensive.

Where did it say they were healthy meals . I know teenage boys. Fried eggs burgers chips . Even the more healthy options they might choose ..... If the electricity bill is killing her budget they need to stop

Could you all maybe sit together once a week and come up with a meal plan? And air fryer is deffo a good recommendation! And maybe an instapot!

Or also maybe if everyone enjoys cooking, you could all take a different day?

@TheBestThingthatAlmostHappened

your daughter might not be just eating because she can, but we can’t say the same about OP’s sons because we don’t know. You can also overeat and be greedy and not be really overweight also.

they should cook for her

That’s rather dramatic.

If you're overeating, you will gain weight.

Firstly, you should be proud that they know how to cook and secondly that they prefer healthy food instead of junk snacks.

FFS does anyone actually read the OP's posts? It's like fucking Chinese whispers on here these days, one person somehow conjures up a completely false scenario and then other people just blindly copy them.

The OP says that the DSs eat a lot of bacon, sausages, white pasta and protein powder. The only vaguely healthy things mentioned are the oats and bananas. If you think that knowing how to cook bacon, sausages, pasta and protein brownie things is something to celebrate in a child I think you have a very low bar.

@TheBestThingthatAlmostHappened

have you never heard of “skinny fat”??

Or mothers in UK I guess. We are raised different way. Plus like I said, children will not be small forever, so having 3 you can expect the expenses will go higher and higher at some point.

@Mayana1

there still needs to be boundaries and limits!! What if OP’s sons said that all they want to eat from now on for breakfast, lunch and dinner is fillet steak - should OP make sacrifices and live on beans on toast herself to accommodate this?? Is that what being a good mother means to you?

Spot on.

@BeAvidHiker

they don’t prefer healthy foods though… they’re cooking sausages and bacon and brownies. Is that really commendable?

I just have one question.