What to feed 4 college boys?

[Anonymous]

Don't cave to picky eaters. Beggars can't be choosers. What about burritos (beans and rice are a protein, cheese, guac, chicken or steak) or burrito bowls.

Roast chicken, root veg, salad
Big chicken curry and rice
Chicken and biscuits
Enchilada pie - chicken, squash, black beans

Some of my college friends' best memories are of coming to my family home on various occasions (I was in-state and they were out of state). My closest three came to my mom's funeral because they loved her so much in part because she was their mom away from home. Let them enjoy this and make memories. Leave them alone.

[Anonymous]

I don’t love guests either - I’m a vegetarian and a great cook but very bean and tofu heavy which isn’t for everyone. But I want to make sure people get the feel of a nice home cooked meal. So I take a shortcut on the meat and focus on making nice sides.

So I would also do an already roasted chicken and then make veggies and potatoes. Or buy burger patties and have your son cook them while you make a nice a nice spread toppings.

[Anonymous]

There seems to be two themes to this thread.
1) What to feed 4 college boys who eat somewhat decent and healthy food
2) Hatred for hosting anybody...

I am only addressing #1

Here are the various meals I would prepare. I try not to buy too much processed foods, but at the same time, I do semi-prep foods and freeze it.

Meal 1
- Chicken curry (curry base made ahead and frozen)
- Peas pilaf
- Yogurt cucumber raita
- Store bought rotis or paranthas
- Soaked mung bean salad (Kosambri) with shredded coconut, shredded cabbage and shredded carrots. Give a nice oil tempering (tadka) with curry leaves and some spices.

Meal 2
- Carrots and cucumber idlis with peanut-tomato sauce
- Quinoa pilaf with loads of veggies and nuts, with sweet and sour eggplant in tamarind sauce.

Meal 3
- Cooked ground meat
- Tortillas, guacamole, spanish rice, beans, jarred salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and lots of sauteed veggies - onions, zucchini, green peppers, mushrooms

Meal 4
- Lasagna with lots of cooked meat and veggie, and a homemade sauce
- Salad

Meal 5
- Pork Penang curry
- Rice
- Mixed mushroom salad
- Tom Yum soup

Meal 6
- Chili
- Corn Bread
- Veggi salad
- Baked stuffed mushrooms

Meal 7
- Pulled pork
- Corn salad
- Buns

[Anonymous]

I'll address hating hosting (which I often hate, and usually I'll get out of it). The kid is stuck, and you know that. And you raised a kid who was kind enough to step in, so good for you.

Now. You have a bonus kid for a week. I can't imagine treating anyone like An Honored Guest for a week. He's family now. And when one family member is stressed out, like you are with work, the other ones step up.

So tell your son you're sorry if you made him feel bad, but you've got a lot going on right now and he needs to step up. Have him and his friend come up with a meal plan and grocery list. Send them shopping. Make them your sous chefs.

When my kids were too old for summer camp, I used to have Chore Camp on days off from school -- mostly they were free to fart around, but they also needed to clean a bathroom or weed or something.

Handling part of meals is a lot better than scrubbing grout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There seems to be two themes to this thread.
1) What to feed 4 college boys who eat somewhat decent and healthy food
2) Hatred for hosting anybody...

I am only addressing #1

Here are the various meals I would prepare. I try not to buy too much processed foods, but at the same time, I do semi-prep foods and freeze it.

Meal 1
- Chicken curry (curry base made ahead and frozen)
- Peas pilaf
- Yogurt cucumber raita
- Store bought rotis or paranthas
- Soaked mung bean salad (Kosambri) with shredded coconut, shredded cabbage and shredded carrots. Give a nice oil tempering (tadka) with curry leaves and some spices.

Meal 2
- Carrots and cucumber idlis with peanut-tomato sauce
- Quinoa pilaf with loads of veggies and nuts, with sweet and sour eggplant in tamarind sauce.

Meal 3
- Cooked ground meat
- Tortillas, guacamole, spanish rice, beans, jarred salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and lots of sauteed veggies - onions, zucchini, green peppers, mushrooms

Meal 4
- Lasagna with lots of cooked meat and veggie, and a homemade sauce
- Salad

Meal 5
- Pork Penang curry
- Rice
- Mixed mushroom salad
- Tom Yum soup

Meal 6
- Chili
- Corn Bread
- Veggi salad
- Baked stuffed mushrooms

Meal 7
- Pulled pork
- Corn salad
- Buns

Your first 2 meals are absolutely diabolical and way too specific to certain tastes. No way I would serve that to 18/19 year old boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baked ziti, salad and garlic bread!

I thought of something like that but I know my ds at least (and I think the others as everyone works out) is not a big carb person in that way (more like sweet potatoes and such) so worried they won't like it. I sort of hate this!!!

What!?

He does not eat pasta, pizza...

You’re both pretty high maintenance then, you in terms of hosting, he in terms of food.
Get them a bunch of Costco deli stuff including the roast chicken.
Or if you want to throw real money at the problem you can give them a DoorDash budget or subway gift cards or something like that and they can figure it out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Roast chicken. Grilled chicken thighs. Steak with a baked potato bar. Taco bar. Slowcooker a pork but and make bbq pulled pork sandwiches. Basically make a protein centered dish.

I’d also stock up on eggs. My college student sons eat a ton of eggs for breakfast.

Yes I have eggs. I'm just upset because this is very last minute and one of them might stay for days. I hate having guests so much and especially because I now have to rush and do a bunch of things and still work all day. Would you all feel this way or be thrilled? I am a reluctant hostess, it's a nightmare for me.

Your son is in college. Have him go to the grocery store and get what he wants to eat. They can grill or you can cook for them but this shouldn't be a stress for you, he's an adult so he can be the host here.

He's not home now because he went to get the friends. He has not prepared the room, and he's not grocery shopped. Of course he said it's no big deal, whatever, they just need a place to crash...But ultimately that is not how I am comfortable hosting and I know i'd be judged if I did nothing at all.

You think a bunch of college boys are going to judge you on your hostessing? And if they did, you’d actually care?

I think you could do with some therapy or maybe an edible or ten.

I don't like hosting or people in my space. It is SO stressful for me and my family.does.not.get.it. They also pretend to be helpful while not being helpful so I end up feeling (I hate how overused that term is but it fits) gaslit which makes me more anxious.

So say no. period. Your son’s friend can’t stay. I’m sure he can find a hotel or airbnb if he doesn’t want to go back to school. I’m sure he has parents that can send him the money to pay for it. You said he is from out of the country. His parents are paying for him to go to an American college. I’m sure they can also pay for him to stay somewhere for a week. Also, if I knew someone was hosting my child for more than like one night I would be offering to pay for all the meals for the entire time my kid was there (not just my kid’s but for the whole family). I swear some people are just takers and have no shame at all about it.

This is a bizarrely aggressive conjecture. Thus far this kid hasn’t actually asked OP for a d@mn thing. Her SON asked if this kid could stay at her house. That’s it. That’s all we know.

Honestly some of you are just miserable people who will nevertheless act shocked when your adult kids don’t come around or call very often.

expecting to stay at one of your college friends’ house for more than a night or maybe two when you haven’t even met the parents is…something. And OP said her son gave info about why one of the kids needs to stay, and that specifically was what I was referring to. I’m sorry but this is a big ask.

Her son should have asked her first, but if we thought any friend of our kids had no place to go for a break, there would be no question that they could stay with us. As to hosting, college kids don’t require traditional hosting. Whenever any of our kids bring extras home, our kids were the primary host. When we know our kids are coming home we make sure we have plenty of food on hand but don’t make special breakfasts or lunches. They’re welcome to join us for dinner and I just make more of what we are having.

Some of you are super uptight and it’s no wonder your kids are stressed.

[Anonymous]

Also have them go to a grocery store and get frozen foods (maybe Costco as well) and have them cook that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seems to be two themes to this thread.
1) What to feed 4 college boys who eat somewhat decent and healthy food
2) Hatred for hosting anybody...

I am only addressing #1

Here are the various meals I would prepare. I try not to buy too much processed foods, but at the same time, I do semi-prep foods and freeze it.

Meal 1
- Chicken curry (curry base made ahead and frozen)
- Peas pilaf
- Yogurt cucumber raita
- Store bought rotis or paranthas
- Soaked mung bean salad (Kosambri) with shredded coconut, shredded cabbage and shredded carrots. Give a nice oil tempering (tadka) with curry leaves and some spices.

Meal 2
- Carrots and cucumber idlis with peanut-tomato sauce
- Quinoa pilaf with loads of veggies and nuts, with sweet and sour eggplant in tamarind sauce.

Meal 3
- Cooked ground meat
- Tortillas, guacamole, spanish rice, beans, jarred salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and lots of sauteed veggies - onions, zucchini, green peppers, mushrooms

Meal 4
- Lasagna with lots of cooked meat and veggie, and a homemade sauce
- Salad

Meal 5
- Pork Penang curry
- Rice
- Mixed mushroom salad
- Tom Yum soup

Meal 6
- Chili
- Corn Bread
- Veggi salad
- Baked stuffed mushrooms

Meal 7
- Pulled pork
- Corn salad
- Buns

Your first 2 meals are absolutely diabolical and way too specific to certain tastes. No way I would serve that to 18/19 year old boys.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Taco Night
Burger Night
Chicken Night
Pork Night

[Anonymous]

Chicken Parm Night
Steak Night
Breakfast for Dinner Night
Loaded Baked Potato Night

[Anonymous]

Breakfast Burritos Morning
Bagel sandwiches Morning
Egg Casserole Morning
Pancakes & Sausage Morning

[Anonymous]

Taco bell, popeyes, papa johns are popular.

[Anonymous]

Mine love going to Maggianos. I think the order from them or dine in 3x a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There seems to be two themes to this thread.
1) What to feed 4 college boys who eat somewhat decent and healthy food
2) Hatred for hosting anybody...

I am only addressing #1

Here are the various meals I would prepare. I try not to buy too much processed foods, but at the same time, I do semi-prep foods and freeze it.

Meal 1
- Chicken curry (curry base made ahead and frozen)
- Peas pilaf
- Yogurt cucumber raita
- Store bought rotis or paranthas
- Soaked mung bean salad (Kosambri) with shredded coconut, shredded cabbage and shredded carrots. Give a nice oil tempering (tadka) with curry leaves and some spices.

Meal 2
- Carrots and cucumber idlis with peanut-tomato sauce
- Quinoa pilaf with loads of veggies and nuts, with sweet and sour eggplant in tamarind sauce.

Meal 3
- Cooked ground meat
- Tortillas, guacamole, spanish rice, beans, jarred salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and lots of sauteed veggies - onions, zucchini, green peppers, mushrooms

Meal 4
- Lasagna with lots of cooked meat and veggie, and a homemade sauce
- Salad

Meal 5
- Pork Penang curry
- Rice
- Mixed mushroom salad
- Tom Yum soup

Meal 6
- Chili
- Corn Bread
- Veggi salad
- Baked stuffed mushrooms

Meal 7
- Pulled pork
- Corn salad
- Buns

Your first 2 meals are absolutely diabolical and way too specific to certain tastes. No way I would serve that to 18/19 year old boys.

+1. I wouldn't use the word diabolical (that's hilarious) and the PP's list is great and very helpful for many other occasions.
Maybe sub in something more generic like Turkey meatballs with vegetables, noodles/potato (like a swedish meatball night) and then for the second one perhaps the quinoa pilaf with chicken sausage/pepper/onion. So keeping that theme of a loaded pilaf with vegetables and some low fat meats.

There are some great ideas on here and I love the balance of keeping things mainstream and familiar, but also healthy and delicious and also copious!