Sleepovers

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Sleepovers may be a hard topic to discuss for teens or anyone since its a social issue. But for those of you who have had them whether you are in the US, Europe or Asia, what foods did you have?

Does ANY teen here hate pizza?
How about hate for potato chips? I know some people hate sour cream and onion flavor but will eat other kinds. I personally am not a fan of BBQ but will eat other kinds.
How about hating fried chicken or anything fried like sweet and sour pork? I know its a common thing at parties or sleepovers to get a pizza, have some chips and get soda. Maybe even a cake too if it someones birthday.

Further afield - But still...




1) That would depend on what type of pizza we are referring to - I'm a picky guy when I want to be.
2) Hot Chips - Fine, Honey Soy Chicken (The expensive sort) - Fine, anything else - I'll pass.
3) I eat all of that.

I have four kids and have had so many sleepovers here I can't count them. I found that it's best to keep it simple. Pizza is a good thing to serve. It's simple to go pick up a couple of them, they can serve themselves out of the box, and there isn't much cleanup. I'd suggest paper plates to simplify the cleanup as well. I'd just ask the kids when they get there what kind of pizza they like and buy two, one of each that has the top two votes. Usually though we would just get one pepperoni and one cheese. That seems to please most everybody.

I keep plain potato chips on hand and Sunchips or cheese curls. Ranch dip is what everybody here seems to like. If you have those four items, you should have enough stuff there where everybody can find something to like. I wouldn't get a bunch of Little Debbie type sweet snacks, it just ends up costing double what you would pay if you bought one cake from the deli and it's basically the same thing.

For drinks let me make a very important suggestion that may save your floors and furniture. Buy the 16 oz bottle drinks with the screw on tops. Don't give them cups or cans if they take drinks out of the kitchen. Drinks get knocked over all the time by accident and if they each have their own drink they can keep the lid on it and take it off when they take a drink and put it right back on. That seems to be what most do anyway because they know it's easy to knock something over. I don't know how many but I'd figure three drinks for each kid. My kids and their friends like Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper. I'd get a six pack or twelve pack of each. Just pick two popular drinks and most kids are fine with it. Lots like water now too so you could get a thing of bottles of water.

Breakfast has the potential for complications because you do not want to be in there standing at the stove cooking for each kid as they get up. Get a couple boxes of cereal (paper or plastic bowls are good as well), some milk, and also maybe a couple boxes of pop tarts. Let them take their pick and it's easy to for it to be "every man for himself" and they can just grab that when and if they are hungry.

Lots of teens like coffee now. When I was a teenager, none of us wanted anything to do with coffee, but apparantly it's "in". So, I'd make a pot in the morning when you get up if I were you. Don't go to any trouble with fancy creamers or anything unless your family drinks them. I've found that most just like plain milke and sugar if they put anything at all in it.

One thing that a lot of kids also drink in the morning is energy drinks. While I might buy one extra one if there is one friend spending the night, if you have a bunch of them it can be expensive. Don't have a thing of energy drinks in your fridge unless you want to wake up and find them all gone. If your kid drinks one in the morning, fine, leave his one in there. If the other kids want any, they have to bring their own because they are between $3 and $4 each down here. Too much to spend on something thats nothing more than souped up soda.

If you get the big bags of chips, you should have enough leftover the next day for snacks then too. If they are staying through lunch, having two or three kinds of lunch meats and some cheese and the standard condiments are usually good for lunch. Thats another "eat when you are hungry, just help yourself" type thing. Leave the paper plates on the counter so they can just grab one for their sandwich.

Unless it's a party where you are going to put out food and drinks and such and it's for an occasion, I'd just keep it casual and let them pick and choose and get it when they want it. Everything I've named is something they can get themselves and some kids, even teenagers, are shy about asking somebody elses parents that they don't know well for something. If they can just go get a piece of pizza or a bowl of cereal or a sandwich themselves, some shyer kids feel a lot more comfortable. I was that way when I was a kid. I would have rather done without than call attention to myself by asking for something, and I'd probably decline something that I did want if a parent offered it to me. If you have a real shy kid like that come over, let your kid be the one to offer then something when you aren't in the room. Thats how my friends would do for me because they knew how I was.

What is the age group and how many kids are you planning? Boys or girls? Also, is this just a regular sleepover or is it for an occasion?

Frances

Sorry I wasn't clear in my post. I don't have any children at all. I was just wondering what foods are typical at sleepovers for teens. I know someone who hates pizza, deep fried foods, chips, and most other sweets. She did like this before, but why the sudden change I have no idea. She's just 13. So if she does have sleepovers it may be difficult then.

OK, sorry. From my experience in going to them as a kid, and having them here with my kids, and my kids going to them, it really breaks down this way, If one or two friends spend the night, then nothing special is planned for supper. The friends eat what the family eats. Some moms will make the guest something else, some will take them to the grocery store and let them pick out something frozen or something like a couple of Lunchables for supper, some will tell them to feel free to browse around the fridge and cabinets and see if they can find something like ravioli or cereal or they can make themselves a sandwich or some eggs. Other moms will tell them that at their house they don't have alternatives for supper. If you don't want it, it's ok not to eat it, but you need to wait until the next meal or have a snack later.

Since you never know how a parent is going to be until you meet them, and you also have to remember that some parents vary on the issue because of financial matters, I'd suggest that your friend just bring a couple Lunchables or whatever other stuff she might like in her bag for just in case. Lunchables are supposed to be refrigerated, but usually I'd say up to 12 hours not in the fridge is fine. It's nothing but preservatives with a little meat wrapped around it anyway lol.

Parties on the other hand are going to be much different. If the mom is having a party with several kids, especially kids she doesn't know, she's going to want to be on the looking for things like allergies. She will probably check with the other parents or have her kid check with the other kids, to find out if anybody is allergic to anything or has some sort of special doctor order diet or something because she will want to have something for everyone there. If she's somehow looked over finding out about your friends preferences, and there is nothing there she wants to eat at all and she's hungry and doesn't want to just wait until breakfast or snack, then what I would want her to do if I was the mom of that party and she was there would be to take me aside and say something like "I can't eat x or x, is there any way I could get a little something else please?"

Here is why I say she needs to phrase it like that. "I don't like x food" can just sound like a picky eater and not somebody who really cannnot get it down. If the mom thinks it's the former then she's not going to accomodate it, probably. Depending. Saying "I can't eat x" is true, she really CANT get that down even though she can digest it and alll and doesn't swell up like a balloon from it etc. "Can't" can mean several different things, and she doesn't owe the parents any explination of her medical history as to why she can or cannot eat something, but as the hostess it's up to the mom to help find a solution to this once she finds out the kid can't eat it. I also say to take her aside and tell her quietly because it can be embarrassing to plan a party and all and find out during it that you have a guest who can't eat anything you put out. The mom will probably feel bad if she forgot to find out about food issues, and will want to help fix that problem right then. Tell your friend to please tell the mom of anyone whose party she is invited to, before she goes to it, about her food issues. She needs to tell the mom when it's in the planning stages so it's easier to plan around that. She can call the mom on the phone, or her mom can, or however she wants to do it. I know I'd want to know ASAP because part of throwing a party is making sure others have a good time.