Meal planning for a family of three or four can be a little tricky. But what about meal planning for a family of 12?
That's a reality that 40-year-old Alicia Dougherty knows all too well. Her family has grown both through adoption and biologically, and she often documents how she keeps them all fed and happy.
Alicia admits that it's exhausting work but says that she's used to the chaos. Her house contains mountains of clothes, and her car has plenty of rows to transport everyone, but to her, the more, the merrier.
So what does a shopping trip for Alicia look like? For one, multiple carts are used.
Carts are often organized by grocery aisle. In videos that Alicia has shared online, it's obvious that she makes a separate trip just for dairy products.
Alicia is a big fan of TikTok, and she's not ashamed to share how her large family manages. They have a total of three refrigerators plus a deep freezer to help with the overflow of food. As far as food goes, Alicia cooks up large pots of mac and cheese and breakfast items she can easily make large quantities of in a hurry.
Their family consists of six adopted children and four biological children. Their adopted children have higher needs, all born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. They've made it their mission to work with their kids and give them all of the patience and love they need.
They're also open to their kids still having contact with their biological families. "Our children’s family is our family and we continue to believe in them," Alicia told People. "Their birth parents love them. They just can't care for them."
Watch the video to see what mealtime is like for Alicia's family.
