Guests coming for 5 nights - do I need to feed them the whole time?

[Anonymous]

I don't want guests doing their own grocery shopping because the fridge gets too full, especially if there's a big holiday meal in play. I ask people ahead of time what they'd like me to have on hand for breakfast and lunch, and if they say "oh, whatever you have is fine" (which happens 95% of the time) I'll have eggs, cereal, fruit, bread, deli meats and cheeses, chips & dips, and cut vegetables, and it is all self-serve. I do a lot of sheet pan dinners because they're easy and minimal cleanup. Order pizza one night (hopefully somebody else will offer to pay, but even if not, pizza is cheap). Crockpot chili with a bunch of toppings. Build your own burrito bowls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Soup is a meal especially before or after a holiday. Get muffins and croissants from Costco for breakfast. Make a pot of minestrone and serve that with leftovers for lunches.
If kids are involved I would honestly get a bag of chicken nuggets and tater tots, along with apple slices and baby carrots.

Are you trying to never have people stay with you more than once? My kids have never even had tater tots, and aren't really into chicken nuggets (and would want whatever the adults are having). So no protein for breakfast? And then junk for dinner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup is a meal especially before or after a holiday. Get muffins and croissants from Costco for breakfast. Make a pot of minestrone and serve that with leftovers for lunches.
If kids are involved I would honestly get a bag of chicken nuggets and tater tots, along with apple slices and baby carrots.

Are you trying to never have people stay with you more than once? My kids have never even had tater tots, and aren't really into chicken nuggets (and would want whatever the adults are having). So no protein for breakfast? And then junk for dinner?

DP. Hotel.

[Anonymous]

Costco is the answer. Fresh pizza one night. Frozen lasagna. Tortellini with pasta sauce. Sandwich trays and refrigerated (not canned) soups on hand for lunch. Cereal and pastries for breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Food is expected, OP, when a host invites you over. It can be very simple, affordable meals.
If they're polite guests, they should invite you out for at least one meal, or offer to cook a meal, or buy groceries. In other words, acknowledge your burden and offer to lighten it in a token way.

Next time do not invite that many for so long if you do not wish to pay for such an expense!

To be fair, they weren't invited, but said they were coming for christmas.

"We'd love to see you but unfortunately we are unable to host that long"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Food is expected, OP, when a host invites you over. It can be very simple, affordable meals.
If they're polite guests, they should invite you out for at least one meal, or offer to cook a meal, or buy groceries. In other words, acknowledge your burden and offer to lighten it in a token way.

Next time do not invite that many for so long if you do not wish to pay for such an expense!

To be fair, they weren't invited, but said they were coming for christmas.

"We'd love to see you but unfortunately we are unable to host that long"

Or "Oh, it will be fun to have you! I assume we're going to take turns with meals, considering, right?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Send the group an email ahead of time. “Looking forward to seeing you. Letting you know, there will be bread for toast, cereal and milk, coffee available for breakfast, sandwich fixings and chips for lunch, and we will make dinner Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Tuesday. The other 2 nights are up to you and your preferences.” Keep breakfast and lunch minimal and just focus on something cheap and easy the 2 nights that aren’t Christmas (chili and cornbread, lasagna or pizza, baked potato bar etc). Tell them UP FRONT they’re on their own for 2 dinners (a good guest will offer to take you out) and that if they want anything beyond what you’re providing for breakfast and lunch that’s on them too.

The benefit of sending this email is that they will immediately know you from your tone that you are dreading their arrival and likely cancel.

Telling people they will responsible to feed themselves 2 out of 15 total meals doesn’t convey dread but ok.

It would be better to tell people in the first day or two of the trip that they will be on their own for X lunch and Y dinner. The email posted above is crazy and weird. It would make normal people feel uncomfortable about visiting.

It is literally the exact same message whether it’s delivered via email or in person. If people invite themselves to stay at my house and then feel uncomfortable when I say they have to figure out how to feed themselves 2 times during that stay, that’s their issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Focus only on dinners & let them know they can help themselves to anything in the kitchen for the other meals. It'll make everyone happy not to have 3 formal meals every single day. This way people can take what they like & then get together in the evening around the table.

I agree with this. I have family stay for many days too. I always cook dinner, make coffee in the morning, but let them make their own breakfast and lunch. I will offer if I'm making mine, but there is no way everyone would eat at the same time except dinner, especially since the teens sleep in, my sister and her husband don't eat breakfast, my BIL disappears during the day and eats Chick fil-a. So dinnertime is set and that's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Focus only on dinners & let them know they can help themselves to anything in the kitchen for the other meals. It'll make everyone happy not to have 3 formal meals every single day. This way people can take what they like & then get together in the evening around the table.

I agree with this. I have family stay for many days too. I always cook dinner, make coffee in the morning, but let them make their own breakfast and lunch. I will offer if I'm making mine, but there is no way everyone would eat at the same time except dinner, especially since the teens sleep in, my sister and her husband don't eat breakfast, my BIL disappears during the day and eats Chick fil-a. So dinnertime is set and that's it.

This is exactly how my family operates (including the disappearing BIL).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soup is a meal especially before or after a holiday. Get muffins and croissants from Costco for breakfast. Make a pot of minestrone and serve that with leftovers for lunches.
If kids are involved I would honestly get a bag of chicken nuggets and tater tots, along with apple slices and baby carrots.

Are you trying to never have people stay with you more than once? My kids have never even had tater tots, and aren't really into chicken nuggets (and would want whatever the adults are having). So no protein for breakfast? And then junk for dinner?

DP. Hotel.

+1
Also, tater tots are delicious. I bet your kids would love them.

OP: Good luck, I think you have had some good suggestions (tacos, chili, pasta, etc.) Your guests should be gracious and thankful for whatever you end up serving.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like a lot of work. You need to tell them to UBER to Starbucks, MickeyD, BoogerFling, and Taco Hell. They can use the bathrooms there too. Get some doughnuts, peanut butter and jelly, chips, Hot Pockets for when their credit cards run out and they can’t UBER or they get hungry in the middle of the night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a lot of work. You need to tell them to UBER to Starbucks, MickeyD, BoogerFling, and Taco Hell. They can use the bathrooms there too. Get some doughnuts, peanut butter and jelly, chips, Hot Pockets for when their credit cards run out and they can’t UBER or they get hungry in the middle of the night.

And be sure to shout "UBER" at them every time you mention it.