You clearly do not have athletic teens. At home, I make sure there is a lot of variety and I know what specific foods they like and will keep them full. But at a family cookout, which happens what 2 or 3 times a year? Where the choices are usually burgers, hot dogs, chips, fruit, soda, etc. And we are all afternoon and into the early evening. They will definitely eat three burgers. |
DP Do your teens go into your pantry at home? How about at grandma’s” How about at Uncle Bill’s? My kids teens don’t behave like this at the neighbor’s or at friend’s houses, but family is family. Maybe we are just tighter knit. |
That would work. My kids row crew. We essentially do this at events. I cook 4 pounds of ground beef, 4 pounds of chicken, etc. for dinner. Rarely have left overs. |
They will be overweight adults. |
This is actually a good idea |
I tend to forget how WASPy this site is until a food/hosting thread. A holiday cookout is not the time to police how much your guests are eating. You're not supposed to guess how much people are going to eat and then make exactly that much food and hide the rest. It's a Memorial Day cookout, you should expect neighbors to wander over and people to tag along. You're supposed to make a huge spread of food, make sure everyone has enough, and send people home with plates. You should be thrilled if people go back for seconds and thirds. If you run out of food you figure out how to fill the gap right now and make a mental note to make much, much more of whatever went fastest next time.
I stg my DH would commit seppuku if our guests had to resort to eating cereal to fill up after he shut the grill off. The fact that this has happened in your house and you've decided the guests are the problem is bizarre. |
Sounds good and throw some chips and potato salad into the trough. 😀👍 |
DP OMG! No! As a host you need to prepare for this. Plus, my teen daughter (15) is 5’7” and 95lbs. She is very athletic and can easily eat 3 hamburgers! Yesterday we had a BBQ and she ate 2 steaks and some chicken. I was the same at that age. The host needs to prepare for this and if she cannot afford it, then she needs to tell her brother “please bring a side and dessert” or whatever. |
This is what happens when you host. Do not host them if you are not comfortable with this. |
You don’t have to fill up at every meal. It is not like it is their last meal. Gheesh. |
Well, it sounds like the OP doesen't want her niece and nephew raiding her kitchen because as she describes, they eat every single item of food in her home. Which, honestly, I think OP is exaggerating. |
Are you sure your daughter is not bulimic? That sounds concerning seriously. |
Yes, athletic teens do have to fill up at every meal. And then they will be very hungry again before the next meal. But I know the almond moms on this site projecting their own horror at the concept of satiety onto teenaged boys at a holiday cookout don't even realize how broken their brains are. |
BYOBacon. |
I wouldn't discount bulimia. |