VENT: It is nearly impossible to keep teen boys feed and clothed

**imagine** · 12-06-2011, 10:05 AM

It is nearly impossible to keep teen boys feed and clothed! At least it is hard to keep my teenage boy feed and clothed.

He eats a bunch. The fridge can go from full to empty pretty quick these days.

He outgrows things quick as a wink too. Cold weather started coat fit turn around and now it is really cold and coat is to short and to small. Did it happen overnight?

Same with shoes school starts shoes fit a couple of months later toe busting out the shoe he jumped two shoe sizes. He now has the biggest feet in the house.

**OOwl** · 12-06-2011, 10:20 AM

I remember those days. My son grew to be 6'2" and was probably that before he graduated high school. He ate like Paul Bunyan! I remember just making him loaves of wheat and oatmeal bread to fill him up before dinner. I'd have to put "don't eat; for recipe!" notes on stuff I wanted to keep from becoming snack food (I swear he'd sit and eat a container of breadcrumbs if he was hungry!). He's almost 30 now and still a BIG eater (his wife's problem now

). Good luck with your growing, always-hungry boy!

**krbshappy71** · 12-06-2011, 10:23 AM

Yuppers. My mom swears my brother drank a gallon of milk a week to himself. She couldn't keep him dressed or fed during the middle and high school years. (well she did but it was a constant exclamation of hers that she couldn't, ha!)

Stock up on bulky healthy food to try and keep him tided over from meal to meal. Clothing, well, I'm sure its a battle between what's cheap and what's fashionable and as fast as they grow its a killer to try and keep them in clothing that is "in" due to the extreme cost of what's "in" only to have them outgrow it. My mom and brother battled this constantly as well.

Plato's closet, if you have one in your area, may be a resource for you to try and resell his outgrown clothing that he barely wore. They give store credit which you can then buy more clothes with.

**imagine** · 12-06-2011, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by OOwl

I remember those days. My son grew to be 6'2" and was probably that before he graduated high school. He ate like Paul Bunyan! I remember just making him loaves of wheat and oatmeal bread to fill him up before dinner. I'd have to put "don't eat; for recipe!" notes on stuff I wanted to keep from becoming snack food (I swear he'd sit and eat a container of breadcrumbs if he was hungry!). He's almost 30 now and still a BIG eater (his wife's problem now

). Good luck with your growing, always-hungry boy!

I have to label " for recipe" on things to or they will get eaten.

**imagine** · 12-06-2011, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by krbshappy71

Yuppers. My mom swears my brother drank a gallon of milk a week to himself. She couldn't keep him dressed or fed during the middle and high school years. (well she did but it was a constant exclamation of hers that she couldn't, ha!)

Stock up on bulky healthy food to try and keep him tided over from meal to meal. Clothing, well, I'm sure its a battle between what's cheap and what's fashionable and as fast as they grow its a killer to try and keep them in clothing that is "in" due to the extreme cost of what's "in" only to have them outgrow it. My mom and brother battled this constantly as well.

Plato's closet, if you have one in your area, may be a resource for you to try and resell his outgrown clothing that he barely wore. They give store credit which you can then buy more clothes with.

Goodwill is our friend right now as well as $10 of $10 coupons at Jc Penney

We have a plato's closet in the next town over a hour by highway drive. Might work for resale. They still wanted $16 for an used american eagle hoddie and they are on sale new for $17.00 at American Eagle

**MissSeetonFan** · 12-06-2011, 10:44 AM

I have a friend who had 5 boys and one girl. The girl would eat like a bird until she realized that the instant she said she didn't want something, one of her brothers would reach over and grab her plate and finish it off before she could change her mind.

During the teen years, they bought 10 gallons of milk a week and went through it all. She had to put a special lock on the pantry to prevent raids. They could and would pick a normal lock.

Three of the five are well over 6 feet and the other two aren't that far off. They all still have tremendous appetites but that is up to the wives to provide for now.

Clothing wasn't as much of a chore because the boys either had jobs and paid for them themselves or their growth spurts happened at more manageable rates despite the voracious appetites.

My kids are still under 10 but I am dreading that stage. Every so often, they still surprise me with something they have grown out of or with eating every last bite of something that I thought was safe.

**oheoh's momma** · 12-06-2011, 10:50 AM

had 2 teenage boys and they were rough on the food budget and clothing budget. I bought milk daily, quit buying oj at all they drank it in a hour and no one else got any, bought the cheapest fruit, crackers, ect. also quit soda pop then a 24 pk would be gone in 1 day went to water and has been ever sense. POP is a luxery.

Clothing buy basics shop every yard sale and clearance rack and always buy at least 1 1/2 size to big.
Good luck dear u are going to need it. hugs

**zakity** · 12-06-2011, 11:08 AM

I am right there with you. The oldest is 6 ft+ and wears a size 11 shoe. He will need a bigger size shoe soon. The twins are both about 5'4" and weigh about 120 to 130 lbs. For shoes, one wears a size 11 and one wears a size 12.

Right before we left to visit family for thanksgiving, one twin said that his jeans didn't fit and the other twin said that he only had one pair that fit. We got back and he informed us that the pair that fit, no longer fits. We had to run and get another pair.

I have a white board on the fridge and I list the foods that they are allowed to eat on there. It also helps keep them from standing in the fridge looking for something to eat. I cook massive amounts of food for dinner. I have an 8 qt pot that I cook gravies and white sauces in.

They say that teen boys have two hollow legs. I think they are so wrong. It is at least two hollow legs and at least an arm, sometimes both.

**imagine** · 12-06-2011, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by oheoh's momma

had 2 teenage boys and they were rough on the food budget and clothing budget. I bought milk daily, quit buying oj at all they drank it in a hour and no one else got any, bought the cheapest fruit, crackers, ect. also quit soda pop then a 24 pk would be gone in 1 day went to water and has been ever sense. POP is a luxery.

Clothing buy basics shop every yard sale and clearance rack and always buy at least 1 1/2 size to big.
Good luck dear u are going to need it. hugs

Water is the beverage of choice here and is the default choice with meals. Juice is a rare thing normally made for a specific meal (and I know it will be gone after) Soda is a 59 cent two liter and it is a weekend treat for the family so it is a luxury.

School has a share box (even at high school) so they can get extras for free from there so that helps a bit but he has to be a quick eater as Freshman have short lunches.

No more garage sales until May. It is to cold for people to have them. Just how it is her enough garage sales no farmer's market until may or after September. Shopping ahead has me a bit nervous as he skipped sizes. I think he was in a medium for maybe two weeks.

**bonnotsm9** · 12-06-2011, 11:53 AM

I have 3 teen boys at home right now and a teen girl. They eat a lot. It's nice when I want to splurge and make cookies or cake. They usually eat it up so fast, I don't have time to indulge in more servings than I should.

**imagine** · 12-06-2011, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by bonnotsm9

I have 3 teen boys at home right now and a teen girl. They eat a lot. It's nice when I want to splurge and make cookies or cake. They usually eat it up so fast, I don't have time to indulge in more servings than I should.

A small silver lining

**mango** · 12-06-2011, 12:47 PM

Can so relate, have two teenage boys both about to start 7 weeks leave. If I had a buck for every time I will hear "what's to eat" over the hols I'm sure I would have a nice little tidy sum by the end. I'm going to make piles of homemade bread and pita bread and hommous and banana bread and muffins and make sure we have lots of leftovers.

**mommy2krj** · 12-06-2011, 01:46 PM

Hugs! I am right there with ya! My 14 year old son eats ridiculous amounts of food....he even makes his dad shake his head at the amount that he eats and dad eats plenty too.

Goodwill is definitely our friend right now. He doesn't really care at all what he wears so long as it is comfortable, so thank goodness for that. He also wears a size 12 in shoes...has for about a year now so I guess we're due for his feet to grow again. *sigh*

Every once in a while my 17 yr old daughter and 4 yr old will jump in the game and eat like their brother....and then you better watch out! Doesn't happen very often though, thankfully. As far as clothes go...oh yeah, but all three of them go through it at various times and not ever when there are good sales! I also am leery of buying the next size up as they are frequently skipping ahead a size or two.

My youngest just did the try the winter coat on & it fits, then it's cold, put the coat on and it's 2 sizes too small! Gah! Of course it was right after all the winter coats were on sale for 1/2 off! Damned uncooperative growth spurts! He did that right after Christmas last year too. All sorts of new clothes that no longer fit, a week after he got them.

Growing kids are hard on the wallet! Good luck to everyone!

**shoiji** · 12-06-2011, 02:01 PM

Really sounds frustrating. Fortunately in another month the end of season clearances will start. I like thrift stores. Also find that Old Navy has good clearances that seem to always be going on.

A good place for coats is Burlington Coat Factory.

**frugalwarrior2** · 12-06-2011, 02:13 PM

I enjoyed this stage/ It was outrageous. I had saved items in the stockpile and put things like Thanksgiving" on paper bags.
In the fridge he had to ask unless it was listed on the outside.
He is at college now and the 3 of us eat what he ate together.
Kinda sad. I never hid food until he was 12 though.
I used to make food in my dutch ovens.