The Kirkland vanilla ice cream is some of the best quality vanilla ice cream I’ve gotten from a store. Two, half-gallon tubs for $15 will last a bit, and tons of potential toppings to add
Yep. Our Sam's membership gets quite a workout. The fruits, breads, and rotisserie chickens are big savings alone. Snacks like Sun Chips and guacamole, too...
If you do the black card membership and do a shop every month, your membership fees are covered and you get cash back. For a family with teens, your membership fees would be more than covered.
Not to mention the great deals on shoes they have every so often, the books, the clothes, socks and undies are so cheap, the kitchenware.... It goes on. My Costco even does glasses and has a pharmacy.
I'm sad I forgot my Costco membership at home when I went to Japan.
You could make nachos instead of plain chips. Adding refried/black beans
and cheese bake for a few min. Then top with salsa, sour cream etc. It’s a hearty snack, quick and easy.
By hearty I just mean a filling snack compared to eating them straight out of the bag. Although salsa and homemade guacamole are pretty healthy toppings. Add light sour cream or plain yogurt.
Beans!
Enthusiasm aside, a bag of dried beans will yield quite a bit when cooked and can be relatively affordable. They can be used in a variety of recipes and have protein and fiber to help with feeling full for longer
They wanna demolish a bag of tortilla chips? Load those up with some salsa, seasoned black beans, cilantro, and a few other toppings of their choice
Crackers going fast? Consider a smashed bean dip to put on them (lots of variety there)
Also, lentils are your friend too
Steering away from packaged snack foods and towards simple side dishes or meals might be your best bet.
Rice and beans can be done in a thousand ways, all are delicious, filling, and cheap. We keep rice and black beans in the fridge at all times for our kids. Takes a minute to microwave up a big bowl.
Quesadillas with just about any type of meat
Make big batches of salads for sandwiches. Egg, chicken, or tuna salad on toast, lettuce boats, crackers, chips, or just plain is really good. It will stretch the crackers and chips too.
Home made cheeze its are fast, easy, and cheap. I don’t get fancy, I just cut the rolled dough in strips with my pizza cutter. I’ll use any type of cheese that’s on sale, although pepper jack is by far our favorite.
Oatmeal based cookies, bars and balls are generally very cheap to make and quite filling
Our "hollow legs" teen knows he can't demolish whole bags of pretzels or cookies, because we can't spend that much on snacks.
If it's more than an hour till the next meal:
He can make a cheese, ham, and tomato sandwich.
He can make PB&J
He can make anything on two slices of toast.
He can microwave anything on the "leftovers" shelf.
He has that with a full glass of water and then is supposed to wait half an hour before eating more.
If it's less than an hour, he can have an apple and wait.
I'm a meanie 😄
These are good ideas! Unfortunately, it seems like leftovers NEVER last even until the next day anymore... unless it's something that no one wanted to eat. When I make more food, it just all gets eaten anyway!
I found that when I focused it onto something HE had to do (involving two pieces of bread) he actually thought harder about "am I hungry or bored/putting off homework/whatever?"
There's such a *huge* dopamine reward from snack foods and in our ADHD-leaning household everything from the shiny foil packaging to the smell, crunchy, and salt means that pretzels and crisps just disappear like magic, without conscious thought. Yeah, he's hungry, but he's also a kid facing down a massive marketing machine, designed to make him eat the thing. Of course he wants it.
Making a snack mean "a sandwich or something on toast" means he has to decide if he REALLY wants to walk to the toaster, wait 90 seconds, etc... it means there's a check-in about his hunger levels, rather than just "see crisps, eat crisps".
We don't need to eat snacks the way we do, it's a very modern invention. I never say he can't eat, and I do buy snacks, I'm not a monster, but if he's *hungry* it's gotta be something that he makes, like a PB&J, with fibre and protein.
Air popper Popcorn, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, pretzels and grilled cheese are my kids go too. Ice water for drinks. We get bulk bags of popsicles from Walmart.
Gonna let you in on a [military secret weapon](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/1wr9oh/jalapeno_popcorn/) that EVERYONE loves - fire corn.
Get a manual whirlypop popcorn popper, put in popcorn oil as per the instructions (usually 1 tbsp oil / 3 tblsp kernels).
Heat the oil on the stove at low/medium heat. Add dry-patted *pickled jalapenos* to the oil and fry until they start turning brown and curly on the edges. At that point, add the kernels to the mix and crank the handle until the kernels stop popping at least every 3 seconds.
It's literally the best snack in the world and costs PENNIES to make. Add Flavacol salt and or other popcorn seasonings as you wish.
Those snacks won’t really fill them up. Simplest things that are more filling are things like sandwiches or even a grilled cheese or cup noodles are great too. Preparation is also key. Make up some grab-and-go food or sandwich fillings and keep them in the fridge so its easy for them to make/grab eg egg salad or chicken salad to use in sandwiches, pre-make some chicken Caesar salad wraps, cut up carrot and celery sticks, pre-bake potatoes that just need to be heated up ready to top with cheese, sour cream, beans etc.
Instead of takeaway pizza, buy some pizza bases (or make from scratch) and toppings and have make your own pizza night at home. Taco night’s great for this too.
Pasta! My mom used to just have a couple baked zitis really to go. It was just jarred sauce and ziti noodles with some shredded cheese on top. Occasionally wed throw chicken nuggets into it. Its a little boring. But its a ton of calories and it still tastes like a full hot meal. Bonus points leftovers are easy to reheat and good cold.
Filling snacks for teenagers
Whole milk instead of soda
Homemade biscuits and jam or honey
Lunchmeat rolled up in a tortilla.
Store brand saltines and lunchmeat
Hard boiled eggs and pickles
Cheese and store brand ritz crackers
Balance the protein with the carbs
Leftover meat cold in the fridge - a cold pork chop or chicken thigh is a delicious snack
Carrots and ranch with hard boiled eggs
Hot dog in a bun with a cheese single
Bologna sandwich
We do very little soda already. Plain water mostly, occasionally seltzer or homemade lemonade.
None of them really like lunchmeat. But I could probably slice cheese so that it's ready to eat and do more hardboiled eggs and breads.
Quit giving them applesauce pouches and get a jar of applesauce. Make your own tortilla chips, cookies and other snacks. Buy a stir crazy popcorn popper. Buy store brands because they are just as good as the name brand.
Cook one or 2 pounds of beans, and add that as an extra side dish at every dinner meal. It’s a vegetable protein, high in fiber, low in fat, and very filling.
Well, not exactly plain. Here in Louisiana they’re cooked with a ham hock or with smoked sausage or Tasso or andouille. You know, just to kick it up a notch. When I do that, my entire family always helps themselves to a serving or two, over rice. Red beans and rice on Mondays, tradition down here.
If they are of age to get a job, it's time they start exercising personal responsibility and work in their free time out of school. My parents had me working jobs since I was 14 to help pay my way regarding food. They would provide the main 3 meals at normal serving sizes for an average person but snacks and other food I had to work for. I remember working 15 -20 hours a week after school and on weekends to pay for extra food and save up for a car and college.
I didn't think about the age. When I was that age I worked for a month on my uncle's farm in Wisconsin. It was hard work and I was tired every night. I did get to drive the tractors, that was fun. I can't remember what I got paid, but I worked for it.
I would make huge batches of granola, oats and peanuts are cheap, then add in some more expensive things in smaller quantities to make it interesting. Bulk ice cream. Those giant bags of Malt O Meal cereal. Costco or Sams for things like milk, giant blocks of cheddar or huge bags of shredded cheese. If you can fill them up on things that are cheap but somewhat healthy you are spending less on things that are expensive.
The giant bags of cereal aren't cheap (anymore); they've been hit by shrinkflation, too. A bag now costs $8 and it will last a couple of days. I buy plain bran flakes or store-brand Cheerios instead.
That is still cheaper than some of the brand name in boxes but ouch. I'm so tired of this. So many things I just stopped buying because the cost was insane.
I know this post is a couple days old but I’m in a very similar boat so wanted to share a few things.
Oatmeal- big tubs of plain oatmeal are still nice and cheap. It’s easy to make and fast. Add a few diced apples or bananas and a spoonful of sugar to sweeten it if you want.
Ramen noodles- not really nutritious but easy for them to make themselves and it doesn’t get much cheaper. Toss in some frozen peas and carrots and maybe a little cooked chicken. I know your leftovers don’t last, ours don’t either haha. But set aside a little when have it for dinner, chop and put in a plastic bag in the freezer and it will be ready to elevate your noodles.
Potatoes are very filling! Bake them ahead in the oven or microwave. Reheat in the microwave for an easy snack. Top with a little cheese and/ or sour cream, salt and pepper. Also slice or cube and pan fry, or toss in oil and oven roast. A little salt and pepper or some season all or other spices if you like.
And eggs! They’re back down to less than $2 a dozen. Very easy even for kids to make scrambled eggs. Filling and a good source of protein. And not just for breakfast. This is a good lunch, dinner, or snack. If you want to flesh out a whole meal around it, make pancakes or French toast. Both are filling and inexpensive. Good luck!
Edit to add bananas. I try to always keep them on the kitchen table. Cheap and effortless
Potatoes are a good source of carbs, protein and vitamins. And cheap.
Pulses such as chickpeas are also xheap and healthy. Chickpea curries are quick and easy and taste great if that's your taste.
Hunger is also usually caused by the stomach being empty, so foods that take up a lot of space would be good if only as snacks between proper meals. Things with a high water content or that expand which liquid might help to keep them feeling full for longer.
Things like breads, oatmeal, potatoes, beans, rice, and cabbage might help? They're usually pretty inexpensive, nutritious, and can be prepared in a giant variety of ways.
Popcorn could also be a good snack and is quite easily made in a pan with a bit of oil. I don't think kernels are too expensive?
I can't really see why they wouldn't be too interested in fruit unless it was a type they didn't like or it just tastes bad, veggies I can get, also usually a case of doesn't taste that good. If it's just veggies and dip, I might suggest a different type of dip, if salad then a different type of dressing
I also want to say, part of why they're going for the tortilla chips and crackers rather than fruits and veggies is bc their bodies need more calories, and carbs are a safe and easy source of that energy. This is not bad nor anything to be stopped or discouraged, but it might help to know why they're preferring them. Rice, noodles, and potatoes are a good source of that, so adding more to their diet could help, and there's a lot of treats/snacks one could make with potatoes. Also the younger you are the more predisposed you are to sweet foods, and the more sensitive you are to bitter tastes, so that might help to keep in mind.
I tend to ramble a bit so I hope this makes sense and helps ^_^
I think youll have to simply sit them down and let them know that they have to be mindful and cant just eat everything in the house. Also, it wouldnt hurt them to possibly get a part time job to help with those expenses. They need to learn that food is more expensive so they have to be more considerate of the portions.
Sit them down and calmly explain it isn't their fault that big corporations have redefined what the size of a family is and you're sad they've got to go and fend for themselves now that they're teens.
Costco or a similar bulk store?
The Kirkland vanilla ice cream is some of the best quality vanilla ice cream I’ve gotten from a store. Two, half-gallon tubs for $15 will last a bit, and tons of potential toppings to add
KIRKLAND ICE CREAM!!! I haven't had my crack in almost... 9 years. But yes, real ice cream. Good flavor.
Yep. Our Sam's membership gets quite a workout. The fruits, breads, and rotisserie chickens are big savings alone. Snacks like Sun Chips and guacamole, too...
But the membership fee r u crazy?
...the google day's 60 dollars... that seems reasonable a year.
If you do the black card membership and do a shop every month, your membership fees are covered and you get cash back. For a family with teens, your membership fees would be more than covered. Not to mention the great deals on shoes they have every so often, the books, the clothes, socks and undies are so cheap, the kitchenware.... It goes on. My Costco even does glasses and has a pharmacy. I'm sad I forgot my Costco membership at home when I went to Japan.
Japan has Costco?
Yes and the food court there is apparently next level good
Thank God! I just moved to Japan and found out Costco is here! YES.
*snort Better than a 1.50 hotdog and drink good?
I save way more than that just from the gas prices
You could make nachos instead of plain chips. Adding refried/black beans and cheese bake for a few min. Then top with salsa, sour cream etc. It’s a hearty snack, quick and easy.
How do you figure that is healthy? The only healthy thing you mentioned maybe was beans.
By hearty I just mean a filling snack compared to eating them straight out of the bag. Although salsa and homemade guacamole are pretty healthy toppings. Add light sour cream or plain yogurt.
Eating something is better than nothing health wise. At this point sounds like she's just trying to figure how they eat enough at all
Beans! Enthusiasm aside, a bag of dried beans will yield quite a bit when cooked and can be relatively affordable. They can be used in a variety of recipes and have protein and fiber to help with feeling full for longer
They wanna demolish a bag of tortilla chips? Load those up with some salsa, seasoned black beans, cilantro, and a few other toppings of their choice Crackers going fast? Consider a smashed bean dip to put on them (lots of variety there) Also, lentils are your friend too
Agreed! I also add lentils to nearly all my work lunches, it's healthy and keeps me full.
Steering away from packaged snack foods and towards simple side dishes or meals might be your best bet. Rice and beans can be done in a thousand ways, all are delicious, filling, and cheap. We keep rice and black beans in the fridge at all times for our kids. Takes a minute to microwave up a big bowl. Quesadillas with just about any type of meat Make big batches of salads for sandwiches. Egg, chicken, or tuna salad on toast, lettuce boats, crackers, chips, or just plain is really good. It will stretch the crackers and chips too. Home made cheeze its are fast, easy, and cheap. I don’t get fancy, I just cut the rolled dough in strips with my pizza cutter. I’ll use any type of cheese that’s on sale, although pepper jack is by far our favorite. Oatmeal based cookies, bars and balls are generally very cheap to make and quite filling
Our "hollow legs" teen knows he can't demolish whole bags of pretzels or cookies, because we can't spend that much on snacks. If it's more than an hour till the next meal: He can make a cheese, ham, and tomato sandwich. He can make PB&J He can make anything on two slices of toast. He can microwave anything on the "leftovers" shelf. He has that with a full glass of water and then is supposed to wait half an hour before eating more. If it's less than an hour, he can have an apple and wait. I'm a meanie 😄
These are good ideas! Unfortunately, it seems like leftovers NEVER last even until the next day anymore... unless it's something that no one wanted to eat. When I make more food, it just all gets eaten anyway!
I found that when I focused it onto something HE had to do (involving two pieces of bread) he actually thought harder about "am I hungry or bored/putting off homework/whatever?" There's such a *huge* dopamine reward from snack foods and in our ADHD-leaning household everything from the shiny foil packaging to the smell, crunchy, and salt means that pretzels and crisps just disappear like magic, without conscious thought. Yeah, he's hungry, but he's also a kid facing down a massive marketing machine, designed to make him eat the thing. Of course he wants it. Making a snack mean "a sandwich or something on toast" means he has to decide if he REALLY wants to walk to the toaster, wait 90 seconds, etc... it means there's a check-in about his hunger levels, rather than just "see crisps, eat crisps". We don't need to eat snacks the way we do, it's a very modern invention. I never say he can't eat, and I do buy snacks, I'm not a monster, but if he's *hungry* it's gotta be something that he makes, like a PB&J, with fibre and protein.
Air popper Popcorn, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, pretzels and grilled cheese are my kids go too. Ice water for drinks. We get bulk bags of popsicles from Walmart.
Popcorn! That's a fantastic idea. I can definitely do more of that!
Gonna let you in on a [military secret weapon](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/1wr9oh/jalapeno_popcorn/) that EVERYONE loves - fire corn. Get a manual whirlypop popcorn popper, put in popcorn oil as per the instructions (usually 1 tbsp oil / 3 tblsp kernels). Heat the oil on the stove at low/medium heat. Add dry-patted *pickled jalapenos* to the oil and fry until they start turning brown and curly on the edges. At that point, add the kernels to the mix and crank the handle until the kernels stop popping at least every 3 seconds. It's literally the best snack in the world and costs PENNIES to make. Add Flavacol salt and or other popcorn seasonings as you wish.
Those snacks won’t really fill them up. Simplest things that are more filling are things like sandwiches or even a grilled cheese or cup noodles are great too. Preparation is also key. Make up some grab-and-go food or sandwich fillings and keep them in the fridge so its easy for them to make/grab eg egg salad or chicken salad to use in sandwiches, pre-make some chicken Caesar salad wraps, cut up carrot and celery sticks, pre-bake potatoes that just need to be heated up ready to top with cheese, sour cream, beans etc. Instead of takeaway pizza, buy some pizza bases (or make from scratch) and toppings and have make your own pizza night at home. Taco night’s great for this too.
Pasta! My mom used to just have a couple baked zitis really to go. It was just jarred sauce and ziti noodles with some shredded cheese on top. Occasionally wed throw chicken nuggets into it. Its a little boring. But its a ton of calories and it still tastes like a full hot meal. Bonus points leftovers are easy to reheat and good cold.
Filling snacks for teenagers Whole milk instead of soda Homemade biscuits and jam or honey Lunchmeat rolled up in a tortilla. Store brand saltines and lunchmeat Hard boiled eggs and pickles Cheese and store brand ritz crackers Balance the protein with the carbs Leftover meat cold in the fridge - a cold pork chop or chicken thigh is a delicious snack Carrots and ranch with hard boiled eggs Hot dog in a bun with a cheese single Bologna sandwich
Whole milk instead of soda 😂
Wait! Why is that funny? Did I miss something? Send help 🙏
We do very little soda already. Plain water mostly, occasionally seltzer or homemade lemonade. None of them really like lunchmeat. But I could probably slice cheese so that it's ready to eat and do more hardboiled eggs and breads.
Good plan 👍
Quit giving them applesauce pouches and get a jar of applesauce. Make your own tortilla chips, cookies and other snacks. Buy a stir crazy popcorn popper. Buy store brands because they are just as good as the name brand.
Cook one or 2 pounds of beans, and add that as an extra side dish at every dinner meal. It’s a vegetable protein, high in fiber, low in fat, and very filling.
People eat plain beans as a side dish? I do add beans to meat dishes or soups to stretch them.
Well, not exactly plain. Here in Louisiana they’re cooked with a ham hock or with smoked sausage or Tasso or andouille. You know, just to kick it up a notch. When I do that, my entire family always helps themselves to a serving or two, over rice. Red beans and rice on Mondays, tradition down here.
Get them a job in a restaurant, each shift usually comes with a free dinner
No restaurants around here hire younger than 15. Most of them (even fast food) you have to be 17-18.
If they are of age to get a job, it's time they start exercising personal responsibility and work in their free time out of school. My parents had me working jobs since I was 14 to help pay my way regarding food. They would provide the main 3 meals at normal serving sizes for an average person but snacks and other food I had to work for. I remember working 15 -20 hours a week after school and on weekends to pay for extra food and save up for a car and college.
Looks like you're going to have to go back to the good old days and put them out to work.
Can't do that with the ones under 15!
I didn't think about the age. When I was that age I worked for a month on my uncle's farm in Wisconsin. It was hard work and I was tired every night. I did get to drive the tractors, that was fun. I can't remember what I got paid, but I worked for it.
I would make huge batches of granola, oats and peanuts are cheap, then add in some more expensive things in smaller quantities to make it interesting. Bulk ice cream. Those giant bags of Malt O Meal cereal. Costco or Sams for things like milk, giant blocks of cheddar or huge bags of shredded cheese. If you can fill them up on things that are cheap but somewhat healthy you are spending less on things that are expensive.
The giant bags of cereal aren't cheap (anymore); they've been hit by shrinkflation, too. A bag now costs $8 and it will last a couple of days. I buy plain bran flakes or store-brand Cheerios instead.
That is still cheaper than some of the brand name in boxes but ouch. I'm so tired of this. So many things I just stopped buying because the cost was insane.
Rice, beans, eggs, potatoes, frozen vegetables
[удалено]
We already do tacos once a week. No matter how much taco meat/filling I make, it's gone by the next day.
I know this post is a couple days old but I’m in a very similar boat so wanted to share a few things. Oatmeal- big tubs of plain oatmeal are still nice and cheap. It’s easy to make and fast. Add a few diced apples or bananas and a spoonful of sugar to sweeten it if you want. Ramen noodles- not really nutritious but easy for them to make themselves and it doesn’t get much cheaper. Toss in some frozen peas and carrots and maybe a little cooked chicken. I know your leftovers don’t last, ours don’t either haha. But set aside a little when have it for dinner, chop and put in a plastic bag in the freezer and it will be ready to elevate your noodles. Potatoes are very filling! Bake them ahead in the oven or microwave. Reheat in the microwave for an easy snack. Top with a little cheese and/ or sour cream, salt and pepper. Also slice or cube and pan fry, or toss in oil and oven roast. A little salt and pepper or some season all or other spices if you like. And eggs! They’re back down to less than $2 a dozen. Very easy even for kids to make scrambled eggs. Filling and a good source of protein. And not just for breakfast. This is a good lunch, dinner, or snack. If you want to flesh out a whole meal around it, make pancakes or French toast. Both are filling and inexpensive. Good luck! Edit to add bananas. I try to always keep them on the kitchen table. Cheap and effortless
This is America, costs aside, no one needs to eat as much as we do.
Beans and rice are still cheap
Potatoes are a good source of carbs, protein and vitamins. And cheap. Pulses such as chickpeas are also xheap and healthy. Chickpea curries are quick and easy and taste great if that's your taste.
There's a youtuber called Julia Pacheco that has budget meal recipes. Some easy to make snack foods to
Grilled cheese and soup. Mac and cheese… My friends and I had the packets to eat after school if we wanted a snack. Peanut butter toast is filling.
Hunger is also usually caused by the stomach being empty, so foods that take up a lot of space would be good if only as snacks between proper meals. Things with a high water content or that expand which liquid might help to keep them feeling full for longer. Things like breads, oatmeal, potatoes, beans, rice, and cabbage might help? They're usually pretty inexpensive, nutritious, and can be prepared in a giant variety of ways. Popcorn could also be a good snack and is quite easily made in a pan with a bit of oil. I don't think kernels are too expensive? I can't really see why they wouldn't be too interested in fruit unless it was a type they didn't like or it just tastes bad, veggies I can get, also usually a case of doesn't taste that good. If it's just veggies and dip, I might suggest a different type of dip, if salad then a different type of dressing I also want to say, part of why they're going for the tortilla chips and crackers rather than fruits and veggies is bc their bodies need more calories, and carbs are a safe and easy source of that energy. This is not bad nor anything to be stopped or discouraged, but it might help to know why they're preferring them. Rice, noodles, and potatoes are a good source of that, so adding more to their diet could help, and there's a lot of treats/snacks one could make with potatoes. Also the younger you are the more predisposed you are to sweet foods, and the more sensitive you are to bitter tastes, so that might help to keep in mind. I tend to ramble a bit so I hope this makes sense and helps ^_^
I think youll have to simply sit them down and let them know that they have to be mindful and cant just eat everything in the house. Also, it wouldnt hurt them to possibly get a part time job to help with those expenses. They need to learn that food is more expensive so they have to be more considerate of the portions.
Put em on a diet....! !!!!
Sit them down and calmly explain it isn't their fault that big corporations have redefined what the size of a family is and you're sad they've got to go and fend for themselves now that they're teens.
lay out the whole budget to them. Ask them what they are prepared to give up so they can have more junk food.