Anonymous wrote:Fresh apples, bananas, carrots, celery and kale chips

"Son, why don't your friends come over anymore?"

Frozen pizza.

Anonymous wrote:I think I heard about this in some old fashioned hostess handbook -- you should always have a Sara Lee Pound cake in your house for unexpected guests. The kids love this -- I keep this in my freezer along with frozen strawberries and vanilla ice cream.

YUCK!! Sara Lee Pound Cake? Get a little more modern and get a few frozen treats from Trader Joe's.

i have things from costco too-especially-burgers, hot dogs, meatballs-for subs and pasta, hummus, salsa, lots of chips, lots and lots...

Fresh apples, bananas, carrots, celery and kale chips

Anonymous wrote:I always make sure that I have a box of pancake mix and some bacon frozen in my freezer for the unexpected sleepover.

I also always have chips & salsa. I always have pasta and sauce and I keep Texas toast in the freezer so I can throw together a quick meal on demand. Another big hit is the mini frozen hot dogs. I also keep the basement fridge stocked with water and gatorade. And a few bags of candy.

For the summer we seem to get a lot of last minute hangouts so I buy a few things at Costco like cheese and crackers that I can put out.

I do this too! I'll add to your list a can of frozen OJ in the freezer.

My kids and their friends just raid the fridge or the pantry - chips and salsa, potato chips, popcorn, ice cream, maybe grapes or apples, etc. If it is an actual meal time and there was no advance planning, that's what Domino's is for.

Anonymous wrote:I usually just ask my kids, since some of their friends are vegetarian, gluten-free, have allergies etc. Anyway, your kid will know what their friends like.

I think OP was asking about what to have in her kitchen for drop-ins, not something planned.

I think I heard about this in some old fashioned hostess handbook -- you should always have a Sara Lee Pound cake in your house for unexpected guests. The kids love this -- I keep this in my freezer along with frozen strawberries and vanilla ice cream.

I always make sure that I have a box of pancake mix and some bacon frozen in my freezer for the unexpected sleepover.

I also always have chips & salsa. I always have pasta and sauce and I keep Texas toast in the freezer so I can throw together a quick meal on demand. Another big hit is the mini frozen hot dogs. I also keep the basement fridge stocked with water and gatorade. And a few bags of candy.

For the summer we seem to get a lot of last minute hangouts so I buy a few things at Costco like cheese and crackers that I can put out.

I usually just ask my kids, since some of their friends are vegetarian, gluten-free, have allergies etc. Anyway, your kid will know what their friends like.

I have stuff from Costco's freezer section - mini quiches, ravioli, rice bowls, burritos, taquitos, kebab skewers, cheese, pesto, cheese, spinach dips etc. Dress up with some sauces and dips.

Dessert is always fresh fruits and individual cones of icecream - also from Costco, and occasionally I will bake a boxed yellow cake. I then dress it with cool whip and fruits, instead of frosting.

I also keep lots of veggies that can be easily chopped for a salad depending on what else I am serving.

you could keep things like frozen gyoza, quiches, mini appetizer stuff from Trader Joe's on hand. Almonds (wasabi soy, yumm), cashews, honey roasted peanuts also stay good in the freezer a long time. I also keep those Laceys Chocolate Almond cookies in the freezer for unexpected guests, as well as chocolate chip cookie dough. This is assuming you don't just have chips and salsa in the house, which I always do.

frozen pizza
hot pockets
chips and salsa
microwave popcorn
Veggies and dip

Looking for food suggestions to have on hand for older teens that end up hanging out at our house from about 9:30pm-11:30 pm. It is always last minute -- like at 9pm, can I have friend come over tonight?

The kids are not always hungry and they don't regular hang out here, but when the do I'm not really sure what food to have available.