Friday, July 14, 2006

Almost over...

Friday of the second week of the school holiday at last. They'll be back at school next week. Phew!

School holidays are pretty easy for me - no having to worry about taking time off or trying to find a holiday programme that doesn't think playing in the motorway tunnel is a good idea.

But the holidays are so damn expensive!

Now, I'm not one of those mothers that hands lots of money to the kids to keep them amused in the holidays. Nope, Jake has to fund his own fun.

It's the extra food that costs all the money.

We reckon in a normal week Jake costs us about $150 to feed. I know that sounds like a lot, but we do keep a decent stock of convenience foods around, both he and Mark are enormous meat eaters and remember Jake does play half a dozen sports that need body-fuel.

Remember the days when one of those little multi-packs of chippies was a snack? A full-size pizza is a snack for kids like this.

You'd think we'd go through less food in the holidays - after all he's always out. He's slept at home maybe five times in the last two weeks.

But large amounts of food can be consumed in the quick visits home to shower and change clothes!

Of course, I don't help myself. I've always encouraged his mates to spend plenty of time at our place (at least then I know where they are). I attract them with all the things teenage boys love - 42 inch TV, X-Box, a fridge full of soft drinks and, you guessed it, food. Not to mention the Rugby Channel.

They're all very good and know there are some things in our pantry that are out of bounds. But we go through huge amounts of: spaghetti, instant noodles, creamed rice, chippies, bread and juice. They do a fairly good job of cleaning up after themselves too.

And then there are the sausages. A bunch of boys came over after rugby training the other day for a poker tournament. I told them I'd cook them up a feed before I went out for the evening. That feed consisted of three dozen sausages, onions, Watties tomato sauce, American mustard and two loaves of sandwich bread (which has to be white, no slipping any of that healthy brown muck past these boys). I stupidly thought that would be plenty and that they'd have some leftovers to snack on later. WRONG! All gone before I left the house. And when I got home there were 10 pizza boxes in the rubbish as well. At least I don't get to pay for those.

Now, before anyone decides to jump all over me for letting them eat so much junk food, let's put their consumption in perspective. These boys are all jocks and play at least two top-level sports. Most of them are doing Elite Physical Education at school and know more about nutrition and the body than all us weight-loss bloggers put together. Several of them are so serious about their sport they've never had alcohol - these are 17 and 18 year old boys! Jake definitely reduces his eating when he reduces his exercise.

And I know some of them eat fruit - because I always take bananas and apples to the 1st XV two hours before a game!

14 comments:

Kathryn said...

My god, I'd forgotten how much they eat! I remember having to go to the pizza place and pick up a tower of pizzas one night when Andrew had friends over. It was awfully embarassing.

It's a hard call with the convenience food. It is so expensive but then it's also much easier to have things that they'll cook themselves otherwise they just go out and buy junk. I can't imagine any teenage boy throwing together a stir fry or something like that for themselves let alone their friends.

Btw do you think teenagers drink less nowadays? Andrew has no interest in booze but I'm not sure if that's just because he's a freak.

Rachel said...

First of all - LOVE the new look blog, very stylish.

Second of all - As my boys are only 2 and 4, I have started saving after what you just said about what they are going to be eating in 10 or 15 years time *giggle*

Learning Leaders said...

Hi Sue - like the new look you've got me thinking about updating my blog.....I have tried the no count plan but just do not have the discipline to not over eat on it so for now I am sticking to points but encompassing the thinking of no count - as in 'whole' foods and no 'white' stuff. Have a great weekend.lb.

Els said...

I love the new look blog! And the stories of boys and their eating made me laugh. I used to live with two guys who were runners and the nights when it was my turn to cook I'd take what I'd usually make for myself and times it by about 7. And even then there'd never be leftovers! I can only imagine what it's like at your place with all the boys around ;)

Karen said...

Love the new look! Its awesome! And wow to the amount of food the boys go through! LOL Maybe I had better start saving now in case we have a boy next time! LOL
Have a great weekend.

Suzy said...

I love your new look blog too!

I say keep the boys at your place any way you can. Sounds like you are doing a good job to me. It is great that they feel welcome. Active boys do burn a lot of fuel.

Laura Bora from Bufadora said...

My guys are 10 and 12 and are just beginning to hoover up food. I remember my mother screaming at my brother for drinking 2 gallons of milk in one day. Still laughing about the THREE DOZEN SAUSAGES!!

Anne said...

Remind me not to invite our four grandsons for dinner when they get older!!

Love the new look.

Melli said...

I understand 100%!!! I spend about $400 a week at the market - I have two of those teenage boys! (athletic as well) and a teenage girl - with boyfriend! LOL! My older daughter isn't so bad... she eats like a normal adult -- but still - we have 6 adult size people living in my house! But the boys eat as much as the rest of us put together!

Melli said...

Oh! I meant to tell you I like your new look! It's nice!

Pam said...

Hi, Thanks for your nice comment on my blog (parents's diamond wedding one). Yours looks very interesting - I also laughed at the sausages bit. I have only one son but when he has friends round, we've experienced the same phenomenon (but not quite so acute!) Goodbye from Scotland - I'll be back!

Briony said...

Wow I love your new look blog! It looks great. I guess I have all this teenage boy stuff to look forward to. 10 pizza boxes? Crikey that's a lot. I'm ecstatic if Lachie manages to eat 2 weetbix at the moment, but he's only 2 after all!! hehe
Bri

Mary said...

LOL I still get a shock when I go down to mum's and my brother and all his mates from the Country NSW rugby team are hanging out. What you've written is exactly what my mum goes through LOL but she wouldn't have it any other way :-)

You sound like a great supportive mum and I hope Jake appreciates you! I bet his friends think you're the coolest mum.

Picasso's Muse said...

We ALL love your new blog look :) lol. Sounds like the sooner they get back to school, the better. Does that mean there will be more money to spend on clothes etc?? :)