All semblance of normal family life goes out the window when skids are involved. The inmates run the asylum.

Not always. My DH has actually been pretty good about giving chores, parenting, setting boundaries and expectations. Ironically, as the kids have gotten older he's gotten a bit more lax and lets them run things more than I would like...but I comfort myself with the fact that we're almost done.

I think that a few things factor into this.

1. Dad only sees them every other weekend and doesn't want to fight with his kids over food.
2. Dad only sees them every other weekend so wants to treat them so that they have a fun time with him.

Personally, I would just do my own thing regards to food and let him feed them what he wants. I would not cook to cater to them.. but if he wants to, he can knock himself out.

Your DH needs to be 100% responsible for feeding them. YOU can make something for yourself (refrigerate or freeze extra for weeknight meals or lunches).

I either go out to eat or cook something tasty for myself.

In my house we eat what was cooked. And if the skids don't like what I cooked, then the skids have the option of not eating. Of course, my DH will not tolerate the picky eating nonsense. We occasionally joke about how if the skid is allowed to eat what he wants eventually he will eat nothing but white bread cut into star shapes and served with a single plum floating in perfume served in a man's hat on the side, and neither of us want that.

The issue is your DH is allowing this. What does he do when they won't eat what you made? Make them something else? That is encouraging their behavior and it will go on forever.

Set rules on what foods will and will not be allowed in your house. (I don't allow white bread, chocolate, chips, a few other things.) Then have DH cook on the days the skids are here. He can deal with it, and clean up after dinner too. As long as he wants to cater to their behavior, he will deal with 100% of the consequences. If you find the meals he makes to be nutritionally lacking, simply ban items from your house until all he has left to choose from is normal human food.

I see nothing wrong with your DH wanting to feed them what they want on 4 days a month. Buuuttt….is he expecting YOU to do the cooking?

Just start having DH be the responsible one for feeding everyone the 4 days that skids are there. That means shopping, cooking and cleaning.

Cook just for yourself and let your DH shop, feed and clean up after his little angels. Tell him that you don't like what they eat so you will cook what you like for yourself and he is responsible for making his children their meals.

Sounds like a great opportunity to get carry out...treat yourself to the type of food you don't often get to eat because DH doesn't like/refuses to eat. For myself that would be some bad arse spicy Pad Thai.

I wouldn't get involved in what he wants to feed his kids - not involved in shopping for it, cooking it, eating it or cleaning up after it.

Been there, done that. Skids only wanted junk, those "kid-centric" tv dinners; fast food, basically garbage. I stopped cooking and let Chef make two dinners until he wore himself out and said "you're eating what I cook, period."

If you act like short order cook, DH will never exhaust himself enough to put his foot down.

To this day, SD stb 19 only will eat chicken mcnuggets, fries, oreos, doritos, cheese pizza.

Wow this is great. Darling Husband will cook Breakfast, lunch AND dinner.

If you don't like what he has planned, "OH DARLING, I have to run out for a little"

run to Panera bread and sit for 1 hour maybe 2.

No harm no foul.

In our house, we eat what I cook. If they don't like it...they don't eat or they can make themselves a sandwich. But they will NOT eat junk food instead.

If you don't like what they order you to cook, stop cooking. Unless you are chained to the stove, you are not being forced to cook what is demanded. Not trying to be snotty, just making a point.
You have free will. Stop bowing down to everyone's commands.
If you want to make meatloaf, make meatloaf. If you don't want what they suggest, cook something else or tell the kids to make it...or better yet, your DH.

I can understand asking for suggestions if you really don't mind or for special occasions like their birthday. But not EOW. I told my DH and SS's "I am not a short order cook, you don't get to order here and you will eat it or not...but I am not cooking multiple items"

I never cook something they don't like on purpose...but like most kids, their appetite changes and one minute they love something and the next time they hate it.