Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep pitas on hand for these times, and let them make dinner for themselves with pita, hummus, cucumber, feta, lettuce, Kalamata, tomatoes, peppers.
It’s horribly rude for them to impose, but I figure they don’t want to go home for whatever reason so our house is their safe place.
I expect them to clean up afterwards.

OP here, I realize every family is different with varying circumstances but I don't find it an imposition at all. I'm happy that the kids feel comfortable congregating at our house and that we are able to provide food and snacks for them. DD just has one more year until college so I definitely want to enjoy every minute.

We just do what’s in the house, add more sides or order pizza.

Anonymous wrote:would love quick dethaw tips from pp.

Use the microwave. But not the weakass defrost setting where it does who knows what for 7 minutes. I attack anything frozen on High using the minute at at time, poke, stir, separate, until it's manageable. You can even do this with solid frozen chicken. Get it nuked enough to pull it apart and slice thinly, then saute as usual.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep pitas on hand for these times, and let them make dinner for themselves with pita, hummus, cucumber, feta, lettuce, Kalamata, tomatoes, peppers.
It’s horribly rude for them to impose, but I figure they don’t want to go home for whatever reason so our house is their safe place.
I expect them to clean up afterwards.

OP here, I realize every family is different with varying circumstances but I don't find it an imposition at all. I'm happy that the kids feel comfortable congregating at our house and that we are able to provide food and snacks for them. DD just has one more year until college so I definitely want to enjoy every minute.

***Yours might be one of the kindest DCUM posts ever. Very nice + I bet your child really appreciates you treating their friends so kindly.

Anonymous wrote:I keep pitas on hand for these times, and let them make dinner for themselves with pita, hummus, cucumber, feta, lettuce, Kalamata, tomatoes, peppers.
It’s horribly rude for them to impose, but I figure they don’t want to go home for whatever reason so our house is their safe place.
I expect them to clean up afterwards.

OP here, I realize every family is different with varying circumstances but I don't find it an imposition at all. I'm happy that the kids feel comfortable congregating at our house and that we are able to provide food and snacks for them. DD just has one more year until college so I definitely want to enjoy every minute.

I always have a big box of mini Boboli crusts in the house. The Boboli "party pack". Comes with sauce packets. I get out the shredded cheese, herbs, pepperoni and salami slices, veggies and let them build their own pizzas. Ten minutes in oven at 425 degrees. Easy peasy!

Anonymous wrote:would love quick dethaw tips from pp.

What are you looking to defrost?

OP not sure if it's an option where you live, but my kids pretty much expect that if they bring friends home (and friends are ALWAYS welcome) I'll ask them to swing by the store on the way to pick up another pound of meat or a few extra potatoes or whatever I need to bulk up the meal I have planned. But we live in the city and there are three grocery stores within a few blocks of the house.

Frozen pizza, spring rolls, bean cheese rice burritos, sushi, all can be microwave heat and serve, or defrosted then bake in oven, and maybe some popsicles/ice creams for dessert too, all from Costco.

Anonymous wrote:I keep pitas on hand for these times, and let them make dinner for themselves with pita, hummus, cucumber, feta, lettuce, Kalamata, tomatoes, peppers.
It’s horribly rude for them to impose, but I figure they don’t want to go home for whatever reason so our house is their safe place.
I expect them to clean up afterwards.

When our kids were teens, they often invited their friends to stay if they were here near dinnertime. But I have to say, pitas with hummus and veggies wouldn’t fill up our son or his friends. We would need chicken or some other protein.

Like the others, we often kept frozen meatballs on hand (homemade or store bought) and pasta and sauce for unexpected extra heads.

Keep frozen burgers, pizza and pasta ingredients around. Easy!

would love quick dethaw tips from pp.

I also have jars of Rao's, whole wheat pasta, bags of frozen meatballs, and frozen sour dough bread (garlic bread). I also add canned mushrooms and fresh spinach to the spaghetti.

Boxes of mac & cheese and frozen hot dogs are good to stash.

I make tons of homemade meatballs and sauce on a weekend and could pull that out if desire hits.

Anonymous wrote:Top ramen, no flavor packet included, packets of old dark red ketchup only. No salt.

They won't mooch food again off you.

Why would you do that?

You want to be the house that your kids friends want to hang out at.

Anonymous wrote:I keep pitas on hand for these times, and let them make dinner for themselves with pita, hummus, cucumber, feta, lettuce, Kalamata, tomatoes, peppers.
It’s horribly rude for them to impose, but I figure they don’t want to go home for whatever reason so our house is their safe place.
I expect them to clean up afterwards.

You sound horrible. I would always welcome any kid into my home