Anonymous wrote:If your pantry is filled with fruit, vegetables and baking supplies, then you won't have an issue.

Skip chips, soda, juice, and cookies. Now and forever.

Anonymous wrote:Family and friends are always welcome in my pantry.

Anonymous wrote:I invite multi-day houseguests to help themselves in the kitchen, but if I invited a family over for an afternoon cookout I’d think they were very rude if they started raiding the fridge and pantry.

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Anonymous wrote:OP here! I am enjoying this, even for those who are slamming me. Believe me, we have more than enough food: six racks of ribs, 6 pounds of 80/20 burger meat, packs of Nathan's hot dogs, fruit salad ( well we will have it) , potato salad, beer, wine, soda, juice, Fried chicken, watermelon, the works. I am telling you though, these kids are bottomless pits and what generally happens is that they start eating like cups of applesauce or yogurts, or fruits, chips, etc that we don't even put out and are meant for school lunches. We also have one kid who is an athlete in training and likes to have certain things around- rice cakes, quinoa in cups, peanut butter, chocolate milk etc, and all of that gets annihilated too. I just think it is kind of rude to watch your kids sack someone else's pantry family or not .

I agree it's rude. My teenage athletes go places all the time where food is served and they learn to eat what is provided (which is typically is a fine amount) and if they are still hungry later they get a snack at home. Do people who disagree that it's rude allow their teens to buy 3 meals at restaurants? I doubt it - they eat what they are served. It's not like these kids are being starved. As long as you have a reasonable amount of food, and it sounds like you do, then they shouldn't have any reason to raid your cupboards.

The difference is people are at a restaurant for 1-2 hrs. OP has not said how long this event lasts, could be most of the day.

That misses the point. OP has given a list of food they are providing and it is a ton of food; a perfectly acceptable amount. Hosts shouldn't have to have endless bowls of stuff just to appease people who want to eat and eat and eat. With that amount of food, even athlete teens should be good - the kids should be able to eat a normal amount and wait to get home for a snack. You simply don't go start raiding someone's cupboards who is hosting you for an afternoon, even relatives.

Let’s be honest too. The kids aren’t raiding the pantry because they are hungry or athletes. They are raiding the pantry because they like snack food. So rude!

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:OP here! I am enjoying this, even for those who are slamming me. Believe me, we have more than enough food: six racks of ribs, 6 pounds of 80/20 burger meat, packs of Nathan's hot dogs, fruit salad ( well we will have it) , potato salad, beer, wine, soda, juice, Fried chicken, watermelon, the works. I am telling you though, these kids are bottomless pits and what generally happens is that they start eating like cups of applesauce or yogurts, or fruits, chips, etc that we don't even put out and are meant for school lunches. We also have one kid who is an athlete in training and likes to have certain things around- rice cakes, quinoa in cups, peanut butter, chocolate milk etc, and all of that gets annihilated too. I just think it is kind of rude to watch your kids sack someone else's pantry family or not .

I agree it's rude. My teenage athletes go places all the time where food is served and they learn to eat what is provided (which is typically is a fine amount) and if they are still hungry later they get a snack at home. Do people who disagree that it's rude allow their teens to buy 3 meals at restaurants? I doubt it - they eat what they are served. It's not like these kids are being starved. As long as you have a reasonable amount of food, and it sounds like you do, then they shouldn't have any reason to raid your cupboards.

The difference is people are at a restaurant for 1-2 hrs. OP has not said how long this event lasts, could be most of the day.

That misses the point. OP has given a list of food they are providing and it is a ton of food; a perfectly acceptable amount. Hosts shouldn't have to have endless bowls of stuff just to appease people who want to eat and eat and eat. With that amount of food, even athlete teens should be good - the kids should be able to eat a normal amount and wait to get home for a snack. You simply don't go start raiding someone's cupboards who is hosting you for an afternoon, even relatives.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here! I am enjoying this, even for those who are slamming me. Believe me, we have more than enough food: six racks of ribs, 6 pounds of 80/20 burger meat, packs of Nathan's hot dogs, fruit salad ( well we will have it) , potato salad, beer, wine, soda, juice, Fried chicken, watermelon, the works. I am telling you though, these kids are bottomless pits and what generally happens is that they start eating like cups of applesauce or yogurts, or fruits, chips, etc that we don't even put out and are meant for school lunches. We also have one kid who is an athlete in training and likes to have certain things around- rice cakes, quinoa in cups, peanut butter, chocolate milk etc, and all of that gets annihilated too. I just think it is kind of rude to watch your kids sack someone else's pantry family or not .

I agree it's rude. My teenage athletes go places all the time where food is served and they learn to eat what is provided (which is typically is a fine amount) and if they are still hungry later they get a snack at home. Do people who disagree that it's rude allow their teens to buy 3 meals at restaurants? I doubt it - they eat what they are served. It's not like these kids are being starved. As long as you have a reasonable amount of food, and it sounds like you do, then they shouldn't have any reason to raid your cupboards.

The difference is people are at a restaurant for 1-2 hrs. OP has not said how long this event lasts, could be most of the day.

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Anonymous wrote:I would have a problem with any guests helping themselves to food that was not out/offered. I do think you have to realize the 16 year old boys eat a ton...so like 3 hamburgers is not unexpected. Be sure you are serving enough at the meal.

Eating 3 hamburgers is overeating.

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.

They will be overweight adults.

I ate like this. I weight 118lbs and am 5’3” at 48. You predicting how much food someone with a different metabolism than you needs is ignorant. OP needs to feed them or not host, simple.

It is not a lot. Especially at 48. I'm 5'3 and 130 and am small. 118 is very low.

118 lbs is a lot at 5’ 3”

Hmm. Maybe compared to some, but I think I look great! I still have a 6 pack and definition in my legs and arms, so . . . I’m good with that at my age.

Anonymous wrote:Don't host if you're not willing to suck up the expense of hosting. It's that simple. Or say it's a potluck and task them with bringing specific items. Those are your two choices.

Anonymous wrote:I invite multi-day houseguests to help themselves in the kitchen, but if I invited a family over for an afternoon cookout I’d think they were very rude if they started raiding the fridge and pantry.