Feeding friends cheaply in School hols?

cheerfulness4

I'm finding it difficult to stick on budget and feed DS2's friends now that the school hols have begun and they are staying all day - meaning 1 or 2 meals. :eek: I'm not stingy but I can't palm them off with toast and jam when they are here from dawn to dusk. He normally just has one or two at a time and they seem to eat anything but I need some ideas for really cheap but tasty lunches to give them.

I've tried both hotdogs and HM pizza which went well but what else?

The flip side is that he's out round theirs a couple of days a week, so other mums have to feed him then.

boo81

I never really had anything other than sandwiches. Corn on the cob I had at one friends which was nice with bread and butter.

You could try big sausage rolls or making pastries like cornish pasties and freezing a batch.

How about cheese on toast for a change?

cheerfulness4

I tried marmite sarnies and peanut butter but they said they didn't eat them, they usually had cold meat or cheese. Being as that was a bit pricey I didn't go that route.
Cheese on toast would work, they like cheese, and I could pad out the cheese by adding some tomato - maybe use my sandwich toaster.

DS2 said that one of the other mums always does a big plate of Iceland sausage rolls she cooks so I think you're right with that idea. Shall give that a try.

recovering_spendaholic

I sympathise as I am having this problem at the moment too. It's not DD2 but DD1 who is the problem as she seems to always have a gang of boys and girls (they are all 16) round and they all have appetites like I've never seen. Since Monday I have used three large loaves, a 500g tub of I can't believe it's not Butter, 1lb of cheese, a large tin of Family Circle biscuits (bought on Monday reduced in Supermarket), two tubs of ice cream, 2 tins of corned beef, 1lb sausages, 2lb bacon, 1kg bag of oven chips, 2 pizzas, a dozen eggs, 2 4 pint things of Cravendale milk, half a jar of coffee, a litre bottle of squash, 2 boxes of Weetabix minis, 4 tesco quarterpounder burgers, two tubs of hm chilli which I had made and frozen (2 portions per tub), a bag of pasta shapes, 2 tins of beans, a dozen bread rolls, loads of hm garlic bread which I had frozen, 2 packets of Asda savoury rice, a packet of 20 cheese slices, a batch of hm scones, best part of a jar of jam, 3 sugar free jellies, a tub of coleslaw, a packet of ham, a bottle of Barbecue sauce, half a bottle of ketchup, half a bottle of salad cream, a bag of salad leaves, two cucumbers, a 12 pack of Potato head crisps, two bags of value tortilla chips, a packet of chicken breast fillets and the contents of the fruitbowl. I went to Tescos yesterday and spent £116:eek: which should last for two weeks but I can see me having to go next week too! Thing is everyone seems to come here but they don't seem to land on other parents and eat them out of house and home! I don't want to come down too hard because at least when they are here I know what is going on and they aren't walking the streets but I just can't believe how much they eat. Then there is the mess they make when they prepare it all......... sorry, rant over now!

morganb

What about jacket potatoes? And recovering spendahlolic, why don't you suggest to them to bring a picnic??

newlywed

Toasted sandwiches

Less cheese than cheese on toast and add whatever else you have! Bit of chopped ham stretches the ham nicely too. Or pickle or mustard

Mashed baked beans with a bit of cheese or chilli is good.

The kids love em, especially if you give a choice of fillings... choc spread and banana is good

thriftmonster

I'd go for some serious carb padding to fill them: HM pizza, cheese and potato pasties, HM quiche, HM wedges done a bit like nachos (huge plate of wedges done with a bit of fajita seasoning topped with a bit of cheese and tomato), beans on plenty of toast, spanish omelette with plenty of spuds, pasta salad, fried rice etc

Then I'd invest in some lolly moulds - Sainsburys have some ATM or I got mine from Matalan and use strong value squash - ie not diluted as much.

Good luck - I only really have my 2 and it still feels like I'm providing food constantly.

dolly_day_dream

recovering spendaholic I know what you mean. I have always been the local 'youth centre' and feeding them can be a nightmare. Some tricks I have found along the way are. Buy bacon pieces - if you look carefully you will see that some packs are just about all rashers - these I pounce upon and freeze in suitable sized packs. Defrosted this is baked in the oven on a tray for a few minutes to make 'the best bacon sarnies in the world' Wedgies are really popular especially with some homemade dips. Home made pizza - espcially if you make a large rectangular one and cut it into large chunks goes down well. Home made sandwiches are not allowed - they think they are helping but in reality use up far too much of everything. Chilli made with hardly any meat but with some soy mince and lots of veg is good. Home made cakes are very popular even with the older teens. Hot dogs especially with lots of onion to disguise the fact that they are cheap c***
and tom sauce. If I am feeling really kind I make some profiteroles - especially if the cream has been reduced. Iced with value plain choc they love them. They all long ago got used to the fact that if you need a drink in my house you use the tap. Did this lack of processed, sugary fatty foods put them off - not at all they all came back for more.


Be thankful that they come to your house - it means that you are welcoming and they feel comfortable. My youngest DD is now 20 but I still have a good relationship with her friends and they all celebrate New Year here. I have friends and family who envy me my relationship with my children but it all takes work - even if that means doing a bit more home cooking.

cheerfulness4

Oh my goodness Recovering spendaholic, and I thought I had trouble. :eek:

Love the ideas, jackets would really fill them up and I never even thought of beans of toast (cheap, tasty and could put the beans on the jacket, too) Lolly moulds are a great idea, too. My mum used to make those for me when I was little.

I've never tried wedges but I like the idea. Will have to have a ferret round and find a recipe.

I'm definitely going to try a few types of toasted sandwiches. Like the idea that they don't really know what they're getting inside till they say it's delicious. Must be some toasted sandwiches idea sites somewhere.

kazmeister

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

I sympathise as I am having this problem at the moment too. It's not DD2 but DD1 who is the problem as she seems to always have a gang of boys and girls (they are all 16) round and they all have appetites like I've never seen. Since Monday I have used three large loaves, a 500g tub of I can't believe it's not Butter, 1lb of cheese, a large tin of Family Circle biscuits (bought on Monday reduced in Supermarket), two tubs of ice cream, 2 tins of corned beef, 1lb sausages, 2lb bacon, 1kg bag of oven chips, 2 pizzas, a dozen eggs, 2 4 pint things of Cravendale milk, half a jar of coffee, a litre bottle of squash, 2 boxes of Weetabix minis, 4 tesco quarterpounder burgers, two tubs of hm chilli which I had made and frozen (2 portions per tub), a bag of pasta shapes, 2 tins of beans, a dozen bread rolls, loads of hm garlic bread which I had frozen, 2 packets of Asda savoury rice, a packet of 20 cheese slices, a batch of hm scones, best part of a jar of jam, 3 sugar free jellies, a tub of coleslaw, a packet of ham, a bottle of Barbecue sauce, half a bottle of ketchup, half a bottle of salad cream, a bag of salad leaves, two cucumbers, a 12 pack of Potato head crisps, two bags of value tortilla chips, a packet of chicken breast fillets and the contents of the fruitbowl. I went to Tescos yesterday and spent £116:eek: which should last for two weeks but I can see me having to go next week too! Thing is everyone seems to come here but they don't seem to land on other parents and eat them out of house and home! I don't want to come down too hard because at least when they are here I know what is going on and they aren't walking the streets but I just can't believe how much they eat. Then there is the mess they make when they prepare it all......... sorry, rant over now!

Wooah - put your foot down! I just read my list to my 15yr old and he was totally gobsmacked. His friends and DD's come round they have lunch, they have tea, they have sleepovers, but I control how much they eat, and its only at meal times apart from 1 small snack mid morning. I know what you mean about knowing where they are but its your shopping bill.

Good luck - I think you need it

newlywed

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

I'm definitely going to try a few types of toasted sandwiches. Like the idea that they don't really know what they're getting inside till they say it's delicious. Must be some toasted sandwiches idea sites somewhere.

There was a thread on here some while back on your favourite toasted sandwich filling - think it was on OS board

Found it!! http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=85263