For most of us, the thought of cooking dinner for 10 kids every night sounds like a Hell’s Kitchen remake of Groundhog Day. But for Alicia Dougherty, it’s literally child’s play.
The matriarch of the viral Dougherty Dozen has perfected the recipe for feeding a hungry crowd without losing her mind or her oven mitts. With a scoop of smart shortcuts, a dash of planning, and a heavy handful of mom math, she keeps dinner drama to a minimum and mealtime stress-free.
Whether you’re cooking for two or twelve, Alicia’s tried-and-true tricks can help keep your kitchen calm, cool, and chaos casserole-free.
1. Sometimes boring and basic is better.
By swapping out seasonings, sides, or toppings, she creates a running list of greatest hits the whole family can agree on. “I often rotate the same three vegetables. To some that might be boring, but I know my kids will get their serving of veggies and I won’t have food waste.”
2. Don’t shade the premade.
Frozen meatballs, jarred marinara, rotisserie chicken — these are weeknight lifesavers. They aren’t just shortcuts, they’re strategy. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s everyone fed, with your sanity intact.
3. When in doubt, starch it out.
Layer rice under leftover chicken, roast up some potato wedges, or toss pasta with peas and jarred sauce to turn complex carbs into easy dinners.
4. Don’t get your pantry in a bunch.
Label bins. Sort snacks. Keep your shelf-stable items grouped by category so you can see what’s running low at a glance. That means fewer frantic searches and more time actually cooking.
5. Prep before the panic.
Alicia started doing this during nap time when her kids were younger. Pulling ingredients, chopping veggies, and setting up your pots ahead of time keeps the process smooth and saves you from scrambling mid-sauté.
7. Shop smarter, not harder.
Alicia even organizes her shopping list by store layout: “I make up the grocery list on a template that separates out what I need by the area of the store I can find it in.”
When it comes to ingredients, timing is everything. She grabs fresh produce at the start of the week and saves the canned and frozen stuff for later. Plus, she makes sure to check the expiration dates on everything: “Choose the later date, and the item will stay fresh longer.”
8. Bulk up on the basics.
Just don’t bulk-buy items that spoil quickly or mysteriously vanish the moment they enter the pantry. (Looking at you, Snack Packs.)
9. Feed your family, not the algorithm.
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