Feeding sporty teenage boys on a budget!

THink this is what the good old fashioned British Pud is for. Its certainly what kept my Mum sane....filling a growing family up on a very tight budget.

My eldest brother took up cross country running and hill running in his teens. He had always had a large appetite from babyhood. He got the same three meals as the rest of us (though bigger proportions) but also ate an entire loaf every day (usually peanut butter sandwiches).

It was quite noticeable when he went to uni that the six of us remaining (including my parents) only got through one loaf a day between us.

So, yeah, bread, pasta, rice to pad everything else out.

I would ask what things they like and how much they really eat, then stock up before they arrive.
My 28yr old son has always been very active, footie/swimming etc, but has never been a big eater. He rarely eats breakfast, snack lunch and small evening meal. He's still playing football 2 or 3 times a week. Pasta/rice dishes or stir frys are his favourites. Not keen on roasts or casseroles etc.

PASTA PASTA PASTA!!!

You can get very cheap veg now especially from Lidl and Aldi. A couple of weeks ago Asda had quite large bagss of carrots, parsnips,leeks, potatoes etc for 20p each.

Bulk cook in advance and store in the freezer. Casseroles and stews are ideal for this kind of cooking and they, of course, use all the cheaper cuts of meat. DS and family recently stayed a week and all the cooking was done in advance; bolognaise sauce, moussaka, chicken casserole, even fish pie.

Don't forget really big baked potatoes with butter, baked beans and grated cheese are both economical and filling.

Thanks to you all for lots of brilliant ideas! I don't want to be tied to the kitchen so might get them to do some cooking too, so BBQs great idea weather permitting (I know DH and SIL like doing these). Yes, we haven't seen them for nearly 4 years so will be wonderful to have them with us - although I suspect we might need a holiday afterwards!

All the above plus eggs - breakfast, omelettes, in salads etc.

loads of chicken dishes and pasta,my 14 year old grandson was here yesterday ,he had a tuna pasta salad made with two tins of tuna and a whole can of sweetcorn jelly ice cream and fruit for pudding and then a stack of pancakes and jam...mind you he had just walked a 23 mile Kiltwalk for charity

and of course, steak on the BBQ but steak for eight people could be a bit pricey!

BBQ - good sausages, Aberdeen Angus beefburgers with bread rolls to make it all go further
Bacon done on the BBQ for breakfast too!

Aussies seem to serve salad with everything (even got served it with a roast dinner!)

They may enjoy cooking their own outside and you can do the breads, salads, potatoes, rice, veg etc.

As DH says as I slog away in the kitchen when we have a BBQ - it will give you a break from cooking

First give them a filling breakfast - plenty of cereal and milk etc.
Next a tip given to me by a mother of teenagers when ours were growing up: If they're sporty they won't get fat at their age. So always have some good quality bread and jam, or cheese, out on the kitchen table. To help themselves if they're hungry.
Another tip is to serve soup first at mealtimes - this is quite filling and they won't need so much of the rest of the meal.

P.S Forgot to say I hope you have a marvellous time.

I can only comment on what my two boys ate as teenagers. Gallons and gallons of milk mostly poured onto cornflakes, plus lots of bread. We joked that they ate three breakfasts in between three meals and snacks. As children they never really enjoyed cereal but just before and during that push to grow it became a staple. They ate it from pudding bowls! I have a faded memory of my brother doing the same. I don't remember my daughter, myself or my sisters doing it. There must be a reason but it's lost on me.

Ask your DD what she feeds them on at home. Teenage boys aren't always adventurous about food, so at least start off with something familiar. Being Australian, they might like to organise a barbecue if you have the necessary equipment. Take them shopping for provisions. Enjoy their company.

Plenty of mince dishes such as shepherds pie or lasagne, meat pie, sausages, sausage casserole, chicken casserole, pasta bake, curry. Add plenty of veg to the casseroles and pasta dishes to make them go further, even lentils can go into bolognese sauce. Most boys like large portions of potatoes. Your garden can provide the veg and fruit. Multipacks of crisps are much cheaper than smaller packs for snacks. Try shopping in the cheaper supermarkets like Lidl or Aldi if they are near you.