Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:18     Subject: Eating out?
Some of these posters don’t have older teens with busy schedules. We have food here always, if that’s what you mean by “dinner is provided.” But it’s not realistic to think we will all be sitting down eating together these days.

No, I am not cooking a fresh meal 5+ days per week because I’m also working or driving but there are leftover.

Yes, sometimes a drive thru or them getting food before practice or a work shift is more convenient and I will pay. It can be once per month or 3x per week depending on the kid and the season.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:18     Subject: Re:Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it’s odd that dinner is only provided three times a week. Leftovers 50% of each week and every man for himself once seems a bit much for a family.


Agree.


Really? I don’t find it odd. If there are enough leftovers from last nights meal for everyone, why would you cook an entirely new dinner? That seems wasteful. If there is only a small amount of leftovers, someone will eat for lunch and I’ll cook a new meal for dinner. But I try to minimize food waste.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:16     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:That’s a lot of takeout. I cook most nights of the week (and yes I work full time). We go out or get takeout only once every other week. It’s just so expensive. They go out with their friends sometimes and they’re allowed, but I’m not funding that, they worked over the summer and save their birthday/holiday money from grandma for that sort of thing.

FWIW dh and the teens do cook dinner if I can’t, they all know how to cook, but it just works better for my schedule and I’m better at it often my son helps me cook on the weekends.

I think living a life of majority takeout/restaurant food is setting these teens up for being terrible at budgeting before they have enough salary to cover this on their own.

Why not have them help one night a week. Teach them how to cook. It’s a good life skill.


What do you mean majority take out I said 2x per week out of 21 meals.

They do cook because there are 7 nights for dinner and we cook 3 of them.

I generally don’t cook on Wednesdays and Thursdays because there’s so many leftovers.

Friday I go to the gym after work and the kids are usually with their friends at a football game or something.

They’d have to pack lunch and dinner. They don’t always come home since our school is about 30 minutes away.

I’m talking about teenagers not little kids.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:13     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I only pay for takeout if the family is having takeout and/or I am not providing some other form of dinner, and leftovers count as dinner.


So technically, I do not provide food Thursday or Friday , and then Saturday I don’t provide any of the meals.

So what would you count that as 4?

I mean, I don’t count breakfast


Is there food provided by you available to them on Thursday, Friday and Saturday?

I'm not the PP you replied to, but in my mind if I have, for example the ingredients for an omelet, toast, and fruit in the fridge, and maybe another similar choice. I consider that "providing food".

If the fridge is empty, or there is nothing that adds up to a meal or that is within the kids' capablilities, I would consider that not providing a meal.


On those days I usually eat a pb&j or cottage cheese and fruit. I go to the gym on Wed/Fri/Sat. I don’t eat after and don’t cook.

There is usually leftover food for W/Th.

We have frozen pizza, soup, sandwich, quesadilla ingredients. They make their own food or eat leftovers often but once during the week after school they usually grab something with friends, on Saturday afternoon the same.




Seems like you prioritize your own schedule and eating preferences over those of your kids. Usually leftover food for W/TH implies that sometimes there isn’t. Who wants their kids to eat frozen convenience foods or sandwiches multiple nights a week?
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:12     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:On a leftover night , is there still an organized meal ? Or do you mean everyone just grabs whatever is in the fridge so maybe by Friday there are just 2 dried out pieces of chicken cooked last Sunday? Are there other options for them to cook something else solid?

Generally once they were working I only paid if the whole family was orderingbor if I could not provide a solid meal (rare)


It’s every man for himself usually.

The w/th could be leftovers but not after that.

My kids get home late after school/practice. I eat early since I have Gerd. We don’t eat together at 7-9 when they get home though we will sit down a few nights a week while they eat and I’ll have tea.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:11     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:on the weekends if she hangs out with friends.
On Friday night, we order out-
but 1-2 a week. She babysits now, so if she wants to spend her money on door dash is okay with us, we just go to the supermarket and buy a door dash gift card with the money she has. The other day she got pupusas is her money.


I discourage Door Dash. Waste of money.


This. I door dashed last night and the fees and excess charges before tip were over $100.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 09:09     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I only pay for takeout if the family is having takeout and/or I am not providing some other form of dinner, and leftovers count as dinner.


So technically, I do not provide food Thursday or Friday , and then Saturday I don’t provide any of the meals.

So what would you count that as 4?

I mean, I don’t count breakfast


Is there food provided by you available to them on Thursday, Friday and Saturday?

I'm not the PP you replied to, but in my mind if I have, for example the ingredients for an omelet, toast, and fruit in the fridge, and maybe another similar choice. I consider that "providing food".

If the fridge is empty, or there is nothing that adds up to a meal or that is within the kids' capablilities, I would consider that not providing a meal.


On those days I usually eat a pb&j or cottage cheese and fruit. I go to the gym on Wed/Fri/Sat. I don’t eat after and don’t cook.

There is usually leftover food for W/Th.

We have frozen pizza, soup, sandwich, quesadilla ingredients. They make their own food or eat leftovers often but once during the week after school they usually grab something with friends, on Saturday afternoon the same.


Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:54     Subject: Re:Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:I think it’s odd that dinner is only provided three times a week. Leftovers 50% of each week and every man for himself once seems a bit much for a family.


This is gross. No wonder your kid wants to go out.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:53     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:I only pay for takeout if the family is having takeout and/or I am not providing some other form of dinner, and leftovers count as dinner.


+1, which for us is very rare - once or twice a year I’ll get everyone takeout. Otherwise, if they eat out they pay for it
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:49     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:How often do you pay for your HS kids to eat out. I mean Chipotle or chick fila etc ~ 12 tops.

We cook dinner Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. We expect our kids/us to eat leftovers Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday it’s every man for himself. So they could cook a frozen pizza or make soup or a sandwich.

My expectations is 2 times.

My H thinks 1 is enough.

My sister (not that she has a vote) thinks 3-4x.



We do not pay anything for our kids to do take out/eat out unless the entire family is eating out. If they want to spend their money (babysitting, lifeguarding, summer job, birthday money from grandparents) on take out/going out with friends, they are more than welcome to.

FWIW, spouse and I both pack lunches every day - it's healthier and less expensive, and expect the kids to do the same
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:43     Subject: Eating out?
That’s a lot of takeout. I cook most nights of the week (and yes I work full time). We go out or get takeout only once every other week. It’s just so expensive. They go out with their friends sometimes and they’re allowed, but I’m not funding that, they worked over the summer and save their birthday/holiday money from grandma for that sort of thing.

FWIW dh and the teens do cook dinner if I can’t, they all know how to cook, but it just works better for my schedule and I’m better at it often my son helps me cook on the weekends.

I think living a life of majority takeout/restaurant food is setting these teens up for being terrible at budgeting before they have enough salary to cover this on their own.

Why not have them help one night a week. Teach them how to cook. It’s a good life skill.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:13     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:I've never not provided a dinner to my kids, who are now college-aged. Doesn't mean I'm cooking every night (sometimes it's DH cooking, or we get pizza, or we're eating leftovers). But there's always a dinner available, and whoever is home is eating together.


+1
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 07:11     Subject: Eating out?
On a leftover night , is there still an organized meal ? Or do you mean everyone just grabs whatever is in the fridge so maybe by Friday there are just 2 dried out pieces of chicken cooked last Sunday? Are there other options for them to cook something else solid?

Generally once they were working I only paid if the whole family was orderingbor if I could not provide a solid meal (rare)
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 06:55     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:I only pay for takeout if the family is having takeout and/or I am not providing some other form of dinner, and leftovers count as dinner.


This. And we rarely get takeout.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2026 06:40     Subject: Eating out?
Anonymous wrote:on the weekends if she hangs out with friends.
On Friday night, we order out-
but 1-2 a week. She babysits now, so if she wants to spend her money on door dash is okay with us, we just go to the supermarket and buy a door dash gift card with the money she has. The other day she got pupusas is her money.


I discourage Door Dash. Waste of money.