Dear People With Grown Sons: PLEASE HELP

Many years ago I was the mother of three preschool boys, a fact which sometimes necessitated that I take all three of them to the grocery store. As surely as I sit here typing this, I could guarantee you that each of my boy-laden grocery trips would draw out comments from observers. The comments were usually pretty predictable:

1. "You certainly have your hands full."

2. "So, are you trying for a girl?"

3. [On the occasional good day.] "Your boys are so well-behaved."

4. [On the more typical day.] "Ma'am, did you know that your son is whacking your baby with a package of hot dog buns?"

5. "Wow, I can't imagine your grocery bill when they're all teenagers."

That last one always just made me smile and shrug. Sure, I know growing boys eat a lot, but how bad could it be, really? I mean, they're probably hungry after school, so you fix them a hot dog, right? No big challenge for a frugal-minded shopper. 

Well.

Let's just add this one to the (growing) list of challenges I didn't see coming. Because these sons of mine are bottomless pits of extraordinarily high metabolisms. Kind of like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, except not green. And no cocoon. And I can't put them on a bookshelf when they're done. So, not at all like The Very Hungry Caterpillar actually, except, my stars, they're HUNGRY.

Case in point: my eldest son (who is verrry tall and verrry skinny) can polish off a gallon--a gallon--of whole milk in a day and a half. At this rate, I'm wondering if we should just get a cow. My youngest son (who, at the tender age of eight and a half, is already built like an imposing linebacker) ate an entire jar of pickles the other day. An entire jar. In a day.

We haven't cut out sugar altogether (because really, why would such a life be worth the living?), but I do try to offer them primarily high-protein snacks (eggs, nuts, cheese, peanut butter, etc.) that will sit in their bellies awhile. And yes, they're eating complete and (mostly) healthful meals. No, they're not filling up on sodas or juices. And no, nobody is anywhere in the vicinity of being overweight.

They're just stinkin' hungry.

I'm left standing here holding the proverbial grocery bag, wondering how we're going to afford both college and all the pickles. As the one who has been genetically (and happily, and expensively) appointed to feed them, I'm trying to do it sensibly (and this book is helping). But high-protein foods tend to be more expensive foods, don't they?

This leads me to my point, which is to ask anyone who is reading this, especially anyone who has raised multiple sons without going through grocery-induced bankruptcy, how did you do it? What are the best kind of snacks for growing adolescent boys? (Preferably snacks that are easy and cheap and leap into the dishwasher when done. I'm all about the realistic expectations.) Please share with me any suggestions you may have, and if you know of a dairy and pickle farm for sale.

Comments

[Merlene]

My son (he's almost 15) started a growth spurt that's been going on for 3 years and counting when he was 11. He is growing so quickly that I swear I can almost see the difference each day when he wakes up.

When he's not eating, he's sleeping. Remember those growth spurts they go through as infants? It's worse with teens - eat.sleep.grow.eat.sleep.grow.

He'll go through a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or an entire box of Cheerios in a 24 hour period and that's apart from regular meals. He's tall, slim but constantly hungry so I can completely understand where you're coming from.

He loves things like hummus so having a constant supply of hummus and chopped up fresh veggies (cucumber, carrot, green pepper, carrot, celery) on hand to dip into the hummus and even some hard boiled eggs helps keep him happy without killing my grocery budget.

If you buy dried chickpeas and make your own hummus it's significantly less expensive than store bought hummus and it's really easy to make and packs a protein and fibre punch that helps keep the munchies at bay for at least an hour or two ;)

And good luck with the dairy/pickle farm, LOL!

[SoCalLynn]

My best friend has three boys, now 13, 10 and 7. She says the same thing, they are always hungry and they eat A LOT! (They are all excellent athletes, so I'm sure this account for a lot of that.)This year, and last, she and her husband went in with another couple and they bought a side of beef. It's much cheaper this way, per pound, but you have a big initial outlay of money.

For breakfast, my husband and I have recently discovered Coach's Oats, from Costco. It is the best oatmeal I have ever tasted, very nutty and chewy and delicious. I will never eat another kind of oatmeal, it's that good. Anyway, I've noticed that when I have that for breakfast I feel full for a long time. Maybe you can try that?

Best wishes!

Lynn

[Tara]

I'm bookmarking this conversation to refer to in four or five years. My three sons are 9, 6, and 4. :)

[Leanne from Canada]

4 kids including 3 teenage boys later, I'm figuring it out. For us, a second fridge is a necessity so I can buy in bulk and stock up (less trips to the store means I spend less unneccesarily). I am able to buy 8 gallons of milk at a time (lasts us one week). For the boys.....pasta, pasta, pasta. Big bags of pasta(on sale)...and large bottles of Prego from Costco. Advantage....they can make it themselves (even for their late night midnight snacking needs), it fills them up and it doesn't break the bank. They top it with grated cheese. I buy as much on sale as I can....so my week to week buying is based on the flyers for the week, not just want I want to buy. In our town a McGavins bread store has discount bread (and other stuff like bagels, tortillas etc.) that is close to date and very cheap....it gets tossed in the freezer for maximum freshness. I buy meat on sale and in bulk size and then portion it out before I freeze it. Have fun....these years are fun. Full of energy and vitality!! I wish I had half of their energy (and metabolism!!).

[Diana]

Honestly I think a bowl of cereal or PB&J sandwiches are fairly economical (if you buy cereal on sale or store brand)and healthy snacks that have some protein and substance to them so that it might stick with them for a while.

[Kayren]

You didn't say, "Are they all yours?"

On feisty days I would reply, "No, I just went around the neighborhood picking up kids because it's so much more fun to take a bunch of little kids to the grocery store and Wal-Mart." I'd smile when I said it.

I wish I could do $75 a week. I even coupon, but I only use them for things I would normally buy anyway. I also menu-plan.

We've started the human garbage disposal phase at our house. I haven't really found anything special that sticks with them...they ARE just hungry.

I'm going to B&N to check out that book while I'm out tonight. We're eating out since it's Hubby's birthday!

[Anne Marie @ Married to the Empire]

Oh, I feel for you! I don't have kids, but I work with the youth at my church. Teens can really pack it in! We have one boy who brings--no joke--a backpack full of food with him everywhere he goes. He posted on Facebook the other day about what he ate on a team trip in one day. It was unbelievable. I feel for his mama because their grocery bills must be HUGE.

[d]

I have no advice for you. I just went grocery shopping today and I am already wondering how long the food will hold out with my 3 boys. I try to keep a lot of granola bars and fruit around but its never enough.I am seriously considering turning my entire backyard into a garden just to feed my boys. I honestly wonder if when my boys are grown they'll have memories of always being hungry.
I'll be watching the comments for some good ideas.

[Susan]

I also have 3 sons. The grocery bill is huge - you'd better buy that cow yesterday. Try giving BOTH protein & carb together...it will satisfy longer and is healthier. Mine like milk & dry cereal, oatmeal w/milk & fruit, and graham crackers and applesauce. My favorite, especially when hunger pangs hit right before bedtime, is a banana & glass of milk.

Beans are a cheap protein; everyone tends to forget about beans. Also look for Quinoa (a high protein grain, kinda sorta like barley or rice but much smaller). Soups, stews and casseroles will be your best friends in the years to come.

Good luck....and just think about how rich you'll feel once they've finished growing and the grocery bill shrinks.

[Karen]

Teach them how to microwave a baked potato or a bowl of rice (some like it with soy sauce, and some like it with butter, salt, and pepper). PB & J is good. I also like to brown a bunch of ground beef (at least 2 lbs at a time), throw in 2 or 3 cans of drained black beans and 2 or 3 packets of taco seasoning, and keep tortillas on hand. They can also use the meat mixture to make nachos, which take longer to put together so they have less time to eat other things.

And let me just tell you that teenage girls are not that much easier to feed. Their appetites can be astounding too.

[Karen B]

With 4 boys , youngest being 17...they eat all the time, it never ends, and they are not overweight, actually, I look at a couple of them and think they should eat more. It's a hoot. My dad was the oldest of 4 and he says after they have kids their eating will slow down...lol. We buy 2 gallons of milk every DAY! and no sodas, but orange juice, grape juice, and cherry juice...nothing will fill them up and they get very creative.

[CousinJ]

I have the opposite problem:) My 6-year old eats pretty well but my almost 3-year old drinks the gallon of milk minus any solid food to speak of. So I have no useful hints except buy the industrial size everything at Sams:).

[Harmony]

Definitely coming back to this post to read the comments! My boys are 11, 8 and 6 and the 11 yr. old already eats more than his parents. A few more years and I'll be where you are!

[Diane]

I have seen several comments that suggest the more complex carb snacks, like baked potatoes (usually with cheese - when my oldest son left for college, we dropped our cheese consumption by over 2 lbs a week) or popcorn. Boxed mac and cheese was also a popular snack, and yes, we went through mountains of oatmeal cookies. None of the boys ever had a weight problem until after college.

[Erin]

I'm terrified to read everyone's experiences. I have 5 boys! (I will be checking back, though... forewarned is forearmed, I suppose)... Thanks for posting the question!

[AngelaVL]

I have two sons, 8 and 7, as well as two girls, 5 and 3. I am scared for my grocery future. My 8-year-old comes home from school searching for food. His coat is barely off and he's in the pantry looking for a snack. I grew up in a house full of girls so this is very new to me. I will be bookmarking this for future reference!

[llama Momma]

My boys are 7, 7, and 3. There are days when I wonder what I got myself into. Last week I made meatloaf and had no leftovers. It scared me. I used to make meatloaf and we ate sandwiches for a week!

People are posting great suggestions...I'll keep checking back!

[Rebekka]

Boxed cereals are not that cheap, and teens can blow through them in no time. It's much better to eat plain oats - you can eat them cold and raw, like cereal, with milk poured over. Raisins (or, gasp, sugar) can be added for people who think it's too bland. The staying power on this is many multiples of regular boxed cereals, and it's waaaaay cheaper. This may sound bizarre to Americans but many Scandinavians eat this every day for breakfast. (Try it before you knock it.)

Another thing you could do is make your own muesli in giant batches, and give it to them over Greek yoghurt and maybe a little honey. The extra fat in the Greek yoghurt will keep them full longer and with metabolic machines like those kids, they'll burn it off fast enough.

[AprilMay]

My boys are teens now and I am constantly at the grocery store! Crazy. I can't even fit a week's worth of food into one cart anymore. I make a lot of chex mix...I always have the ingredients on hand and it is a pretty healthy snack and they love it! Popcorn is a good one also.

[priscilla]

Since a box of cereal constitutes one breakfast for one child, we have switched to grits or oatmeal. It sticks with you longer, the sugars can be controlled and per serving costs much less.

[Sandra]

I have 3 sons, ages 20, 18, and 15. My oldest and my youngest eat a lot. My 18 year-old is the picky one and WILL NOT try any "weird stuff" for anything. He would rather eat junk. I have been known to hide food, just so that they could have something mid-week! If it's something they like, they will eat it all in one day. Back in July, I was amused when they gave me a few stipulations on what to buy at the grocery store. You can read about it here http://agroovykindoflife.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-boys-grocery-list.html. Just remember, this too shall pass!

[Dorci]

My boys are 20 and 1 1/2 weeks from 18. I can never have enough food in the house. I started couponing when they were little and I still do it. We also keep a lot of Hot Pockets in the freezer. Costco is good for stocking up on frozen snacks they can heat up themselves. I also learned a long time ago that you can freeze gallons of milk. I buy at least 2 at a time, freeze one, and then when the one in the fridge is getting a little less then half full, I take the frozen one out, set it on the counter and thaw it. Works perfectly. I also keep lots of oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, cheese sticks, cans of chili, fruit and protein powder to mix with apple juice, bananas and frozen fruit to make smoothies. Vanilla yogurt's a good mix-in, too. I know one day when they're gone I really will miss coming home from spending $200.00 at the grocery store and hearing we have nothing to eat.

[*~Michelle~*]

I feel your pain, mama!

I have three teenage boys and there usually is about 3-4 more at my house every night because apparently, we are the "cool" house. So having 4-5 6'2+ basketball players to feed is enough to cry the Bankruptcy Court!

But you know what.....as much as I moan and groan about them wiping me out of two dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, a half pound of deli cheese and a gallon of OJ......I wouldn't want it any other way.

sorry I wasn't much help......but I have a good feeling that your house is the "cool" house too!

[Hannah]

Beans. Beans are cheap and filling and healthy. Hard to beat that. Cheaper if you buy dry beans and cook them yourself, but canned beans work too. My husband will just eat a can of chili beans if he's needing a snack.

[Holly]

I have a 19 YOG, 16.5 YOB, 13 YOG, 11.5 YOB, and 10 YOB. Let me first say that it is a lie that girls do not eat as much as boys because they eat a lot also. My oldest son hit a growth spurt when he was 11 and grew very tall and was so skinny you could see his ribs. He ate FOUR sandwiches for lunch EVERY DAY for over a year. Every day. During that time I bought a can Carnation Instant Breakfast for him to drink at breakfast to add extra nutritional calories. I also bought a can of protein shake powder for him. I then try to add fillers of baked potatoes,beans, pasta, rice, breads with meals. He played football his Sophomore year and I had Hungry Man meals and chicken pot pies and Hot Pockets that he ate when he came in after practice. That was a snack. He also loved the instant mashed potatoes as a snack sometimes or macaroni and cheese or rice/noodle roni. He would sometimes snack on cereal or grab slices of bread to eat between meals. I make up and freeze twice baked potatoes, burritos, and stuff for the kids to grab. My grocery bill for 7 is $600 a month. I don't think that is too bad.

[Kellyn]

I have one boy, and the stories from him alone! During the summer I spent each sunday pre-cooking a TON of food. Pancakes, pasta, french toast, spaghetti and more. It was worth it though, he never complained about not having anything in the house.

For snacks we do a ton of trail mix (made from home, much cheaper if you buy the stuff and mix it) and veggies. I am lucky that he isn't a big sweets kid, but still!

[Gabreial]

I'm excited to hear this. I have two boys 8 and 4.5 and overnight their appetite doubled. A bagel or bowl of cereal used to do it for breakfast. Now they are one bagel and a bowl of cereal and on most days they could finish a whole box of cereal. I'm also like you, skinny healthy growing boys. We do as much organic and natural as possible, I cut out sugary juices a year ago and I'm too wondering how I'm going to do it.

[Jane Anne]

I love this post because I am going to be reading all of the comments and taking notes. My 3 boys are 8,6, and 4 right now. One day, not all that far from now, I will be in your shoes.

[Britiney]

I too am bookmarking this post for down the road. My boys are 9, 7 and 4. I know it's coming. I may start searching for another job now, you know, proactively. :O)

[Tricia]

I have not read the other comments so forgive me if I restate something. I am the mother of 4. My boys are 15 & 18 and my girls are 12 & 10. The boys eat anything that does not eat them first and the 12 yog can hold her own.

Protein, yes, is the best thing, but let's be real here. Who can afford it? Give them some good protein for the saying power then let them fill up on the starches. They're cheap and filing.

For instance, Cheese tortillas (white flower & cheese, always a winner :)

Baked potatoes are a big hit around here and they can make one anytime they want. Yes, starchy potato, but they fill it with cheese and sour cream (protein).

Also, rice. They can cook up a bowl of rice for a snack and throw some butter or soy sauce on it.

Milk shakes are good too, but expensive.

I'm sorry to tell you it does not get better. We've felt a little relieve as my teenager works at a cafeteria and gets to eat there and often brings food home so, whew! He's not eating at home as much.

Honestly I don't remember what it's like to have food in my house. I go the grocery store, spend $300 on food and in two days it all seems to be gone!

[Aunt Murry]

My brother - has 4 boys - he lived with me for a year so I got to feed them once and a while. I always had mac and cheese around and cereal. I would also try to make a couple of meat loafs and lasgna if I knew they were going to be there for the weekend. There was never any food left.

[AmberStar]

Our one and only son could out eat any four men at any given time. He learned that Ramen Noodles were good and he could have all he wanted of them before dinner. Our two girls weren't quite as voracious, but still they were growing young women. Milk was a concern, as in keeping enough of it around and ice cream also. All the eating resulted in very tall children and they would have a growth spurt frequently. They are all very attractive children and are in their 40s. We only have one grandson, and I'm wondering if my son had more protien maybe we would have had more. But, I think not. His wife is a tiny bit older than he is and they really did try to have another, but God thought they had enough. My girls won't have children now. They would have made great mothers, but the right guys didn't come at the right time.

Hang in there, sweetie. It only lasts a few years....the eating mania that is. I feel your pain and used to worry about it a lot, but it came out ok.

[AmberStar]

Oh yes...beans are good filler uppers,too. My oldest daughter stuns her friends by knowing how to cut a chicken into enough pieces for a good many people. That was just how I grew up and how a chicken should be cut up. Actually, it is a good skill to know and it marvels her friends. I used to be much more slender back then, too.

[Christine]

I have two little girls, so I'm not your target reader for this post HOWEVER, my DH was once a growing boy. And according to him, they're going to get hungrier (sorry!). Unless of ocurse, you keep them out of high school sports! Ha! My brother was a football player and my mom had the same problem, but fortunately there was just one of him.

DH's family was definitely in the lower-middle class income range - money was extremely tight for them. And there he was, during Cross country season eating sometime 10,000 calories a day and thin as a rail. I can't even fathom! But I know one thing my MiL did back then was, as you suggested, buy a cow. Not for milk though, and technically I think it was just half a cow ;) She bought it from the butcher, all butchered up. If you're not beef people then that doesn't help. But she says it saved her significant $$ feeding the family by buying in that kind of bulk. Not sure how practical it is, but I know that's what she did. MAybe in OK that's even easier and cheaper than here in SoCal. You may need to invest in an extra freezer, which may or may not help the situation.

My mom also used to carb load my brother. Admittedly, protein sticks with them longer, but really, they're instant energy converters! (Why can't I be too!) Whole grain carbs are cheaper, can be purchased in much bulkier cheap quantities and are just turned into instant energy anyways right?

And if all else fails that twin pack of peanut butter at CostCo is a pretty smokin' deal!

Good luck!

[Emily]

I have a different (but in some ways similar) problem: my kids don't like to sit still long enough to eat enough, but then they're always asking for snacks. So I try to feed them very filling meals in small doses, if that makes sense.

The best thing I've found so far is oatmeal, cooked in whole milk (not water), with raisins. It gives them great fiber, carbs, protein, fat, and fruit. They stay full much longer and they like it! We usually sprinkle just a smidge of brown sugar over it, but with raisins you don't really need it.

[Jeannette]

Send them to boarding school. :) (I'm only kidding. My parents did have to send my brothers to boarding school in high school due to limited education choices living overseas.) But, at boarding school, there was whatever the main "dish" was, but also lots of rice and lentils for hungry teenagers to fill up on. Good luck!

[Jennifer]

I only have one son (and three daughters and they can put it away too, I'm just saying) but considering he is 6'2" 295# and in his words "ripped" I know about the crazy amount of food he can consume. Luckily he is in his first year of college (on a track scholarship for throwing) so I am hoping to buy a new vehicle with the grocery money I will be saving. Unfortunately I don't have great tips other than he LOVES himself some peanut butter. I often get the question "What do you feed that kid?" The answer is always peanut butter. Out of habit the week after he left for college I bought a 2 pack of peanut butter just to get home and find we still had 2 jars in the cupboard. "oh that's right Zack isn't home". I am thinking he could be snacking on worse things things.
Good luck!

[Pokeyann]

All you can eat buffet! Make your own frozen burritos..easy to microwave and if you make your own beans even cheaper. I use brown rice, pinto beans, cheese and salsa, sometimes with shredded beef or pork if I found a roast on sale for a really good deal. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze. PB&J on wheat bread is a great one to tie them over for an hour or two. Eggs of course. And if possible look into buying a side of beef or even a whole cow. Talk to the butcher's and they can let you know when the best time of year is to buy. Another great advantage to this is you can have it packaged/butchered exactly how you want it. For me I like lots of ground hamburger and roasts. FYI this will take up most if not all of your freezer (assuming you have a separate freezer). Also milk freezes just fine, I buy 8 to 10 gallons at Sam's Club and freeze half, takes about a day for them to unthaw on the counter, shake it and good as gold ready to go. Grow a garden if you are so inclined. After all you have a work force already built in ;). A simple garden will offer fresh veggies for pennies during your growing season. Squash/Zucchini and sausage was a favorite of ours. Canning fruits and tomatoes is another option to help reduce cost. Or check if any stores near you do case lot sales, you can stock up on staples/canned goods for decent prices this way. Here's a simple recipe that we loved: Italian Sausage, Onion, Cream of Mushroom Soup; brown sausage and cook with onions, add soup, heat through. Serve over spaghetti. Use milk to thin the sauce and stretch it further. Which reminds me, add milk to scrambled eggs (before cooking) it helps it stretch further too. These are the things I remember off the top of my head from my growing years with 5 brothers, the shortest is 6'4". I still can't cook for under 8 people, to used to making enough for an army :). If you want actual recipes I'd be happy to email them to you.

[TrishNotChris]

My 9 year old eats like a horse and you can STILL see every rib so I am always on the lookout for snack ideas. I always stock up on yogurt, string cheese, crackers, bagels and flavored cream cheese. I also try to keep meat sticks (or jerky if it's on sale)in the fridge which I pair with cheese/crackers. I try to buy filling cereals (we eat a alot of raisin bran)and whole wheat bread. I buy protein bars (Powerbar, etc) when they're on sale. My son really likes fiber bars as well.

We do lots and lots of trail mix (I find if you add just enough mini-chocolate chips, they'll eat anything.) I make pumpkin/zucchini/strawberry bread and homemade granola bars. And popcorn...lots and lots and lots of air popped popcorn. Peanut butter is always your friend. I have also seen quite a few kids lately who've had Nutella in their lunches (I work at a grade school.) Carrots and onion dip...if you can stand their breath afterwards. Apples and smidge of apple dip (homemade or store bought.)

Good luck! Hope this helps! God's Blessings!
Trish

[momstheword]

My boys are 16 and 20 and although they are not super tall they are slender.

My 20 year old drinks milk like it's going out of style. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go in on a cow together????

My 16 year old snacks on carrots. Yup, carrots. He loooooves them and his eyesight is excellent, lol!

For dinner I try to stretch the main dish. We have almost made sure that each person eats what is considered normal by nutritionists. In other words, we don't want them to stretch their stomachs by overeating. It must be working because they never leave the table hungry. You can also stretch the meat by having extra servings of fruit or vegetables.

They snack on cheese, carrots, apples, grapes (they looove grapes and I can barely keep 'em around), bananas, raw broccoli and cauliflower.

We do have things like chips and crackers on occasion but they don't really snack on them much so they go to waste (don't know why, I thought kids loved chips).

Oh, and popcorn. They love popcorn. So hubby makes it on the stove (from scratch) and then butters it and puts it in freezer bags and puts them in the cupboard. They like that too.

I don't limit any other foods other than meat, and I don't even really "limit" that. It's there if they want it, but after eating the fruit and/or vegies that they like, they don't usually want a second piece. We encourage them to at least finish the fruit and vegies before having more meat. By then they're full usually, so the meat can last another meal.

However, things like lasagna or beef stroganoff and certain other meals never last. I often hope to make two meals out of it but they all like it so much they have seconds (and sometimes thirds if my 16 year old is really hungry)

Oh, and college will be a piece of cake. My 20 year old is soooo busy that he rarely seems to eat. Or at least, he doesn't eat as much. I am always trying to get him to eat breakfast but he just rushes out the door.

[Johanna]

Amen, ditto, and the like. My sons are only 6, 4, and 1, but already my 6 year old is eating more and more every day, so I am getting glimpses of what is to come. We have food allergies, so our snacks are not cheap at all! I have also considered the cow, but sadly we are not zoned for farm animals here in the city...I guess I'll read through the other comments instead!

[Daiquiri]

I have a couple of thoughts:
1. Don't get a cow. I don't think she could keep up!
2. We already go through 5 gallons of milk per week, and my oldest is only 7. I'm afraid.
3. An entire jar of pickles?!?
4. As I said, my oldest is only 7, so I'm not the older and wiser parent you're asking advice of. BUT...my first thought was FIBER. Bulk up those proteins with tons of fruits, veggies, and whole grains...'cuz you know...I hear teenage boys love that kind of stuff ;-) Worth a try, maybe.
5. An ENTIRE jar of pickles???!!!???

:-)

[[email protected]]

Yeah. Mom of four boys here with the same skinny build, hollow leg and hunger level as yours. Sometimes I say, "I give UP!" when it comes to keeping them all full. P.S. Saying that doesn't help.

One of their favorite snacks (SO EASY to make and mostly sorta healthy) is Peanut Butter Honey Fudge: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/high-five-recipes-peanut-butter-honey-fudge

It doesn't really and truly taste like fudge but more like a peanut butter tootsie roll. I just called it fudge because well...saying the word "fudge" makes me oh so happy.

[Sharon (UnfinishedMom)]

My brother has two teenage sons - 16 & 18 - bottomless pits. His wife gave me these tips: protein for breakfast (often egg or sausage). She keeps well stocked on Kool-aid and uses Splenda with it instead of sugar. It's cheaper than milk even if it is somewhat empty calories.

[Mary B]

Serve water instead of milk at meals so they eat more of the actual food. After a nighttinme snack insist the next trip to the kitchen be real food. One friend taught me to stock the freezer with frozen pizza's but also extra mozzerella to make it more satisfying. Keep a dozen hardboiled eggs in the fridge at all times. Make oatmeal for breakfast -- much cheaper than cold cereal. I also make quick breads for fast filling breakfast: oatmeal bread/zuccini/applesauce bread/etc

[Nana]

I second the cold oats with milk for cereal idea. My husband and oldest boy eat this for breakfast every single day. They add a little granola, vanilla yogurt and milk. LASTS.

I also second the dry beans idea. Cook up a huge crock-pot full and then do this: puree them with chili powder, garlic, salt, cumin and maybe a splash of salsa. Voila! Bean dip that's amazing. They'll gobble it with corn chips, carrot sticks, tortillas, etc. Sometimes they melt cheese on it, too.

Last thought: whole grains satisfy much longer than refined white flours. I buy whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc.

[sondra]

Boys are big eaters! I only had two boys but they ate for two boys apiece! We bought in bulk, cooked extra portions for meals, made a lot of snack bars and cookies as healthy as we could, shopped sales, and used coupons. Also, I made lots of casseroles. My sons loved to forage on leftovers.

Just wait until they bring their friends over to eat! I think sometimes they just tried to out eat one another!

[Carolyn Fodel]

My 13 year old and almost 9 year old boy are already eating me out of house and home. I bought the fourth loaf of bread this week on my way home today. If I buy 12 bananas they are gone in a day. I buy cans of ravioli, mac & cheese, frozen waffles... I'm shopping for a bigger second freezer (my 2nd freezer is a small chest one right now).

Summarize the best ideas later Shannon - great post!

[fern]

Pasta. My son would come home from high school and eat a pound of pasta for a snack (thank goodness he made it and cleaned up himself). Sometimes I buy it in bulk at Sam's club, or I stock up when it is on sale.

[owlhaven]

On days that we have pancakes for breakfast, we make extra, just to use for snacks later. (Spread with peanut butter!)

Mary, mom to 10

[Jenn]

I already know I'm in trouble...my 2 yr. old son already puts away more food than I do at most meals! He can eat 3-4 pieces of pizza. And he's TWO!!! We also have college foster kids (we "adopt" them so they have a home away from home during school). They're all athletes and one of them IS a linebacker! I have to use 5-6lbs. of meat when I make meatballs (a favorite). I think the record is 21 meatballs!!! I'm scared what the future holds for our grocery budget! I told my husband he's going to have to get a 3rd job by the time Jacob is in jr. high!!!
I need to ask my mom how she did it...I have 2 older brothers and I remember them being bottom-less pits (and skiiiiny). And we had VERY little money growing up.
Good luck!

[Marian]

I remember reading on a frugal mom's site that she used to refuse to buy foods such as pretzels and popcorn, thinking them unnecessary, less nutritious calories and expense, in favor of "real" food and higher protein foods. She said that teen boys changed that mindset completely. She now considers pure FILLERS to have a rightful place in the diet and budget and, as long as you pay attention to price per ounce and choose wisely, economical. As a former teen anorexic myself, I do remember relying heavily on plain popcorn in the beginning because of the way it just fills you up and holds you over.
~ Mom to 4, including boys ages just-about-13, 10 and 6.

[Suzanne Temple]

My six boys eat so much already, even though the oldest isn't more than eleven. It is amazing. I plan to use a trick I learned from a friend with older sons when their metabolisms really take off. She would buy a 50 pound bag of white rice every month. They could have that between meals, as much as they wanted. They could add cheese or seasonings, but that was all they could have between their very large and well balanced meals. It seemed to work for her...

[Brenda]

Mac n' Cheese
Tortillas n' Cheese
Eggs n' Cheese (even cream cheese)
Bagels
Top Ramen with an egg swirled in at the end (like egg drop soup)
Peanut butter 'n celery, apples, bread, etc

[Chelsie]

Oh my goodness I have missed your posts. I have zero advice considering that I'm the mother of a daughter who is merely a year old, but I had to tell you that this post made me laugh right out loud!!!

[Superchikk]

My goodness, I need this advice too. My son is only 2 but he already eats 2 packages of instant oatmeal for breakfast and will down an entire (large) can of mandarin oranges if I let him. And as soon as he's out of his chair from breakfast, he's asking for a snack. Lord help me when he gets to the age of your boys!

[Superchikk]

I had a thought for you about college. By the time your oldest leaves for college, you can just take the money you were using to buy his groceries and put it toward his tuition. It should just about balance out!

[km]

I've been making my own burritos for the freezer. I crock-pot *refried* beans, then I mix them with cheese before filling the tortillas and wrapping them in foil. They freeze great...and I cook them in my toaster oven with the foil on...the tortilla is just a little crisp when the inside is perfectly hot. If I defrost them on the counter they cook for 5min. If frozen, it takes about 20min...but then it warms the whole house with the oven too. Perfect for a cold day. I know you can buy frozen burritos, but they have so much yucky stuff in them.

I also make a loaf worth of PB&J then stick the sandwiches in ziplocks into the freezer. Like buying the uncrustables, but then my boys would need to eat 2. And this way I can use whole wheat bread and fruit spread.

Those are both snacks the kids can fix themselves. Oh...and popcorn. That's cheep.

[Suzanne Temple]

Oh, and smoothies with protein powder. My boys love those. Put powder, ice, yogurt, peanut butter, banana, whatever is in the pantry in the blender and mix it up. We make those quite often. The Abs Diet for Men is a good book for reference on protein rich foods, food choices for men, and portion sizes as well as exercise. I suppose this would apply to teens, too.

[Muddy]

My son is 17 and I can almost pin point the day he started eating me out of house and home. My daughter, 19 was not quite as bad, but her eating habits picked up there for a while too. They went from eating kid sized portions to eating as much as their father and I did-which meant we were now feeding four grown people. We had to basically add to our grocery budget to adjust to their food need.

In all things, food and college, God provides-Amen

[Stretch Mark Mama]

*covering my eyes*

We just went through a growth spurt here, MY WORD, goodbye food -- hello grocery bill.

I like to make raisin bran muffins and keep them in the freezer. There's enough fiber in them to hold the kids over and even though they're sweet, they don't seem to send my kids on a sugar high. Here's a recipe similar to the one I use: http://foodrevolution.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/six-week-raisin-bran-muffins/

[alexsandra]

I had a girl...but she was into sports big time, so that meant big appetite. And I was a single mom (widowed) so the money had to stretch. So it was lots of beans! Our fav is white kidney beans, cooked with tomato puree. Add a little olive oil, garlic and red or green peppers. She would eat it every day. Sometimes I would add ground chicken. My other secret weapon was whole wheat kernels (sometimes called wheat berries). They are the wheat kernel before it is processed. I would cook them up and add them to any dish (pasta, soups, chili, etc) or even on their own with cinnamon sprinkled on it. She said this filled her up for hours. And it's cheap too....She said the chewiness reminded her of meat!

[kris]

I have 8 boys and yes, we did go bankrupt. ;)

Just kidding.
The older ones tend to snack on cheese and crackers, peanut butter and jelly, granola, chips and salsa. The granola and salsa are homemade and pretty easy and economical to make. They like bagels, too, but those seem to go extra fast around here. :)

[Marinka]

Have they started smoking yet? Because that's a great appetite suppressant.

[Kari]

You just have to plan better. Like me. I will not ever have more than 2 teenagers (boy OR girl- they can eat too, but not for as long it seems) living in the house at the same time. I thought of that when I was planning my family. NOT! It just worked out that way.

We keep a HUGE bag of pretzels for our oldest boy teen right now that he can snack on between meals. He makes grilled cheese, pancakes or occasionally scones. He just knows that those in-between meals are his responsibility to clean up.

My soon to be teen next in line tends to eat a lot at meal time but not so much snacking...I can't imagine what he'll be like!

Also, once they get jobs, they chip in for those in-between meals...

Kari

[Kari]

Me again...I also forgot...We give bulk food for Christmas gifts. Last year my hubby got an industrial size can of nacho cheese.

I know of one family who's son gets Omaha steaks delivered every year for his birthday from his grandma.

Kari

[Sara]

My oldest is going on 12 so no help from me! I have three boys. I am going to check into that book though! Thanks for sharing.

We do grow a garden (all organic) so that helps. And I make my pickles! You can try that in your spare time :) And as far as the protein snacks go, I am in the same boat. The oldest is highly allergic to peanut butter.

[Adventures In Babywearing]

Girl, you know I am waiting with bated breath (or is it baited? I'm sure it's bated, yes?) for the answer. We might need to get a big ol farmy garden like Mary @Owlhaven!

Steph

[Denise]

I've found that snacks aren't generally the best option, heartier eating tends to ease the snacking. Don't buy snacks, buy ingredients that force them to make mini meals (does that make sense?)

Also, a houseful of girls causes the same grocery problem in pre-teenhood and late-teenhood. It's only mid-teenhood that you don't have to deal with this (and then you wish you did.)

[[email protected] long way from the Theta house]

Hey! I make breakfast tacos all the time, keep them in the refrigerator individually wrapped, and the boys zap them and eat them for snacks. We had a whole stinkin' basketball team here the other day and they loved them.
1 lb breakfast sausage
18 eggs
2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
taco seasoning
Fresh tortillas

Brown the sausage, drain. Scramble the eggs, add a little taco seasoning, mix with the sausage, add cheese and roll in tortillas. Wrap individually in foil and refrigerate. Makes 18.

[se7en]

This is the most terrifying post I have read in weeks... We just had our eighth kidlet and fifth boy... The thought of eight teens is a bit overwhelming!!! Luckily they are born small and we grow with them!!!

[Cheryl]

We have a big rice maker - all we have to do is pour in some rice and water and turn it on. The kids eat it plain, with some soy sauce or with milk and cinnamon sugar over it. I often do brown rice and never hear complaints. We have a popcorn maker for our basement that is a slightly smaller version of a professional one - it will make bowls and bowls of snacks in minutes - you can buy a HUGE bag of kernals at Sam's Club for $15 and we use canola oil. We bought it last fall and have yet to run out. I figure that we will pay for our machine in about a year if I calculate the difference between that and microwave popcorn. We also buy bulk meat & pre-grated cheese at Sam's Club. I bake a pack of chicken breasts and put them & hamburger meat on large ziplocs in the fridge/freezer for easy consumption with salads, wraps, nachos, tortillias etc.

[Melissa]

Hard boiled eggs are great. Also, make refried beans in the crockpot (beans are cheap) and add some taco seasoning to them. You can also mix in some ground beef if you want and some chopped onion. Buy the huge bulk bottle of salsa and let them make burritos. We also like hummus. Homemade it is pretty economical and there are tons of different flavors to try.

Chili is also a meal that is pretty inexpensive per meal. Supplement it with french bread on the discount rack (I can usually get a huge loaf for 50 cents)b/c crackers can get expensive.

Potatoes are also cheap. If you can make some sloppy joe (you can add beans to the beef to cut the fat and cost) freeze it in smaller portions and then they can top their potatoes with it and a little cheese. They also make fry cutters that you just slide over a potato and you have instant fries, just bake or deep fry and eat. I like to toss them in a little oil and put some Lawry's seasoning on them and bake them. These can be eatten with sloppy joe or chili over top.

When my husband and I were in college I used to make meatballs (buy the bulk sized bags on sale)with bbq sauce or marinara on them in the crockpot. Then I would split a loaf of french bread and make meatball subs. The frozen meatballs were cheaper on sale than bulk ground beef.

[canadacole]

I just want to commiserate. I have no helpful suggestions. I have 3 younger brothers and I'm still not sure how my mother survived. The amount of food those boys could put away....just....you had to see it to believe it. Give them a PB&J? Please! My oldest brother would come home from school, make an entire LOAF of PBJ's, wash it down with half a gallon of milk, and then complain that he was still hungry until supper. Then he would eat two helpings of everything and ask my poor mother what else she had. My mom ended up rationing food and I'm pretty sure my brothers will tell you that they were hungry for a good 10 years. Good luck, and God bless.

[jolyn]

That comment about smoking was a joke, right?

Cashews are a great filler, but a bit pricey... Maybe find them in bulk?

My 14yo bakes brownies a few times a week. The cheap boxed or baggie kind. He's a skinny-minny and eats well otherwise so I don't worry about the sugar intake.

No other ideas that aren't already up above!

[Colette]

Ahhh... I have two boys, now 19 and 22. And they played sports. There's no secret answer, as they eat whatever they want to based on what phase they are in. Some things my guys liked -- yogurt (buy the big container), nuts (also big containers), fruit (especially bananas in my house), and meat (yes, I said meat) -- I would get the super size packages of hot dogs -- easy for them to heat up in microwave. One day my youngest actually made (and ate) and entire package of bacon as an afterschool snack. Don't worry -- they grow up and move away eventually.

[Molly B.]

I used to work full time, and bought lots of grab and go kinds of snacks, because the 6 o'clock hour was insane. Now that I cook and stay at home, I can watch exactly what they grab, and it's not those snacks!

Oatmeal for breakfast every day.
Lots of lean protein (sliced turkey and whole wheat at lunch)
Popcorn for after school
Bananas and water before bed (x 3 or 4 glasses)
Usually dinner can be three scrambled eggs and two grilled cheese sandwiches.

So it's a mixture of carbs and protein, like one comment above, and brands don't matter. I'm all store-branded up, and it saves a ton. I try to avoid prepared foods, because the salt, sugar and additives keep them hungry, but the slow cooker roast that I did nothing to for 8 hours totally fills them up!

Happy Cooking!

[Terri]

I remember that my brother used to eat whole sleeve of crackers and a whole can of tuna with mayo after school...that seemed to tide him over until dinner! ;)

[Adriel]

I freeze containers of beans and rice (complete protein). We pop those out, warm them in the microwave and top them with cheese and salsa. Great between meal snack for growin' boys---'cause if they are TRULY hungry, they'll eat it. I also bake Ezekiel Bread and keep it on the counter. It's another source of complete protein and "sits heavy." Gotta fill up those empty legs! : )

[Erica]

I suggest bread, lots of bread. Growing up, my brother was an amazing vortex of consumption. He would eat an entire baguette on the car ride home from the grocery store. His nick name was "Bread Boy," and, sheesh, did he have a hollow leg. I think anything with high carbs...bread, potatoes, rolls, biscuits, pasta. I think we have all been conditioned to think the "empty" calories of these carb sources with the excessive media attention on diet, weight, etc. However, growing boys need calories. And empty ones are cheaper. It sounds as if your boys are properly nourished, so some empty calories should do just that, fill the void, not supply them with vital nutrients. You can have them eat peanut butter sandwiches, with really filling, thick, wheaty bread. Have baguette chunks as a side dish, or make extra pasta or potatoes with your meal, that you, your daughter and husband can avoid, while the boys can fill up. Best of luck.

[Erica]

I have to add to my post above. After reading everyones posts, it looks like carbs are the answer. But I forgot about Ramen, rice and beans. So, ti summarize everyones suggestions: bread, ramen(goes on sale for $0.07), pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, all carbs, which are energy for growing boys.

[Suzy]

Nuts, nuts, nuts! No cashews, but (cheaper) peanuts.

[Viki Anderson]

Okay, I second the suggestions above. What I would suggest, is instead of making the 9x13 pan of casserole,lasagne, etc, go ahead and make a roaster pan (yes, the one you cook your T-giving turkey in) full.Make two of them. Freeze one, and when you are going to be gone take one out to thaw and they can nuke it. And I make really thick ones, so the pan is full. I have 3 boys and a girl. My youngest, at 14 is already 6 ft tall, and forever hungry. Another suggestion is getting the protein bars- Special K's are pretty good- and combine with fatfree milk. They don't need whole milk at that age, and keeping the milk skim kept my boys to 5 gallons a week. Cereal is expensive for us, they will each eat a whole box in one day...so multiply by three and that is NOT cost effective. Definitly lots of bean soup- if you slow cook ham in it, it goes farther- and serve over rice. Lots of stew/soups as well. And I hit every thrift market in town.

[Viki]

PS: another thing we do is buy beef and pork - half a side of beef, and a whole pig-keeps us in meat for about 8 months. We are lucky enough to live in a rural area, so I have chickens for eggs.

[Chelsea]

My mother-in-law raised two very skinny very starving boys, and her solution was to make them get jobs at Taco Bell. Seriously. She said their food bill got cut in half once the boys started working at a fast food chain where they got at least one meal a day for free.

But I'd probably just buy peanut butter and bread in bulk.

[OKMom]

Yeah, I cooked for my three younger brothers at their bottomless pit stage, and all I can say is, instead of cooking for 3, you probably need to triple whatever recipe it is and cook for 9. Then you might have leftovers for later.

Take care now.

OKMom

[Lori]

I know the current advice is to give kids lowfat milk, but if they are in a growth spurt and craving the calories, why not switch back to whole milk? It generally costs the same and might hold off the next snacking urge longer.

[Tina]

My husband tells me of his teenage years when he would come home from school and eat a sleeve of Fig Newtons in one sitting. I remember eating 1 1/2 Whoppers when I was a teenage GIRL. I have two 8 year old boys, an 8 year old girl and a 6 year old girl and I dread what's coming!

[Erica]

My husband tells stories about how much he and his brother ate when they were teens. Things like mayo sandwiches... Yuck. His mom put beans in everything to stretch the meals a little further. :)

[Cris]

Yes, I remember buying 3 gallons of milk at a time. Things we bought lots of: Hot Pockets, frozen pizzas, bagels, PB&J, Oatmeal cookies, sugar cookies, ice cream (he would make a cookies & cream shake in the middle of the night!), mac n cheese. I would make a box of Hamburger Helper and just store it in the fridge for him to parcel out and reheat as a snack when he got home. It would last a couple of days. Pound cake was also a good snack with a glass of milk. Boxes and boxes of cereal. I would but them on sale and in bulk. We always had 2-4 varieties on hand and it would be eaten dry or with milk. I know again, the milk.
Good luck!

[Teri from Indiana]

Do you think this ends at the teen years?!?!? ROTFL...with you of course. Who am I kidding? I'm laughing at you. My sons are 33 yrs, 31 yrs, 24 yrs, 5 yrs. & 15 months. It never ever ends!! I bought bulk everything. Stock piled Michaelina's frozen entrees. My one son would actually smooth out the skillet of chicken fried rice, draw a line in the middle with the serving spoon & put half of that skillet on his plate. I made homemade salsa and they fried up their own corn chips with tortillas I bought in bulk. To this day it's one of the first comments when Son #2 walks in. "Got any salsa made Mom?". They all love sugary snacks. I discovered a recipe for fried biscuits that made a large amount. While they were at school I would make them, freeze them. I had them on hand for suppers or until they discovered they could warm them up in the microwave and roll them in sugar & cinnamon for fresh pastries. I would love to tell you girls are so much better but they aren't. I have 4 of those critters and they eat me out of house & home too. But here's are some of the best tips I can give you: Plan on cooking for them, enjoy it and buy a freezer with a lock!

[Mary]

I have one 19 year old son who is a human garbage can...not overweight but never stops eating. I also grew up with six brothers who played sports year round. My mother made bread everyday, we had lots of pasta and fresh veggies. My mother also canned fruit and veggies as well. We had stews with beans and lots of homemade soup growing up. Good luck...

[Norma Lee Good]

Oh great. I was impressed with what my 18 month old can put down. I can't begin to imagine what it will be like when there are MORE kids and bigger bellies to fill. BTW my mom and dad have 4 girls and they hated when people would assume they were trying to get a boy. I am new to blogland and love your site. Come by and see me! www.normaleegood.com

[Christine]

We have four kiddos, three girls 12, 10, 7 and a 3-year old boy. Our son WAS drinking a gallon of milk every other day and then decided that he really liked his sisters' soy milk (which is even more expensive). Growing girls will sometimes out eat the boys. With a family of six (and unpredictable economy), we've learned to really make a meal stretch. We buy hamburger in bulk tubes from Sam's Club and I just separate it into freezer bags. I can make a pound of hamburger feed six people and usually have leftovers. In a large soup pot - Brown the meat with some seasoning, I use ground cumin, worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Then add chopped zucchini or squash or any combination, for my family I use two yellow squash and one medium zucchini. Add one (generic brand) can of chopped tomatoes and measure enough water to cover everything up and add the appropriate number of boullion cubes. Let the mixture boil and then simmer until veggies are tender, then add as much barley as you'd like for a filler (plus it's a whole grain) and continue to simmer until the barley is done. You'll have a very filling stew. I make mini cornbread muffins from scratch to serve with this. I learned that cooking "from scratch" is almost always cheeper than store bought. Our usual grocery bill for six is about $250 per month, we only eat out once or twice each month.
I remember when we were growing up my mom would freeze gallons of milk, but you had to drink one glass out of it before you froze it because the jug would crack and then leak when it thawed. She would also stretch the milk out by keeping one cleaned empty gallon and filling it halfway with the new gallon and then filling the rest of both gallon jugs with powdered milk and water, sort of tasted like 1%. We later got a milking goat and chickens and ducks. You can almost get a gallon of milk from a goat every morning and several eggs. Duck eggs are denser than chicken eggs, make fluffier pancakes and are more filling. Not sure if you can start a smallish barnyard where you are, but good luck.

[Darla]

Thank you for the link the to the book! I just purchased it. :) I can't wait to try some of her breakfast ideas - that's where I fall short.

Do you do sack lunches for your kids or do you buy school lunches?

[Roxie Meiske]

Boy can I relate to that one. Once I made a roast (after supper I made a roast for the NEXT day and put it into the fridge) The next day at work I was so happy thinking my supper was all most taken care of..All I had to do was make some potatoes and a veggie...well my then 16 year old son came home from school. Opened the fridge and saw my roast. He thought was a left over and ate the whole thing as a SNACK. A 4 pound roast as a snack.
This boy usually ate 3-5 sandwiches for a snack after school. Then he ate a normal meal with the family and a snack before bed.
He was skinny as a pole. (not any more I am sad to say)
He is a nurse in a big hospital.

[leslie]

I have a 7 1/2 year old son that eats very very little. I am almost looking forward to the day when he EATS.

When I went to college and my sister was in high school, we had an exchange student from Finland come live at our house. Jukka was a 16 year old hockey player. To say the least...my mother was unprepared.

Good Luck!

[gretchen from lifenut]

I want a share in your dairy farm.

My husband tells hair-raising stories about coming home from school when he was a teenager and eating entire frozen pizzas by himself. That will kill me with 5 boys. We already go through 6 gallons a week, which will be bumped to 7 when Archie starts whole milk in 2.5 months.

It seems like we worry about boys eating too much and girls eating not enough. Parenthood is a nail-biter for sure.

[Lari]

Love the ideas in this post...I have 4 boys and a hungry hubby...My oldest is almost 13 and is my biggest eater. I've started trying to add more snacks w/ protein in them to help satisfy them a little longer. I will say though that they are not allowed to just "help themselves" to food...I would be out of stuff in no time and frankly my budget's already stretched. I'm slightly scared of their teens...my hubby says he was never full when he was that age...

[[email protected]]

My three sons (5,3,and 2) already split a box of macaroni and cheese and eat a hotdog each for lunch, and then they'll be starving an hour later. They already drink 3 gallons of milk a week!

They have recently discovered tater tots, but that's not a budget-aware purchase unless it's from Sams, and it's not so healthy either.

It's fun to me, though, to think about them growing and eating like crazy in my kitchen. It's a sweet sweet thought.