Hannah Keeley’s Family Mealtime Strategies

Hannah Keeley’s Family Mealtime Strategies

Total Mom, Hannah Keeley, takes a break and gets frank about the tips, tricks and tales related to gathering the family around the dinner table each night.

Get Back to the Table (GBT): Hi, Hannah! Let’s start with the question on everyone’s mind: do you take all seven kids with you to the grocery store?

Hannah Keeley (HK): Most of the time, I do. It’s great because we all have jobs to do and they are a big help. The older kids scatter in the produce section and collect our fresh fruits and vegetables. The younger ones help pick out the groceries with pictures on them, such as canned peas, green beans and corn as well as cereals.

GBT: What is an average weekly grocery bill for the Keeley family?

HK: Probably between $150-$200. When we had only a few children, I could easily keep it around $100/week, but now I feel like I’m feeding a small army. Plus, teenagers are notorious for being bottomless pits! I keep my grocery bill lower by buying food that’s good quality and great value, like Libby’s canned vegetables.

GBT: If you had to whip up a family dinner in 10 minutes using only what is in your pantry, could you do it? What foods would you use?

HK: Absolutely! And there have been plenty of meals when I have done just that. I often buy in bulk, so we always have plenty of broths, beans and grains that stock our pantry. Plus, I always keep staples like Libby’s French-cut green beans and corn handy, which help cut down on preparation time.

GBT: You have a lot of great recipes on your Web site, TotalMom.com. What is often your inspiration when developing these recipes for your family?

HK: I love to cook with my children, so I’m naturally drawn to kid-friendly recipes that get the whole family in the kitchen cooking together. I also strive to create meals that are healthy and economical.

GBT: With nine mouths to feed each night, it’s no surprise that you have a lot of hearty soups and stew recipes. Do you have any tricks for cutting prep time in the kitchen?

HK: I have a few tricks up my sleeve! I look for recipes that can be prepared with minimal effort and still get maximum results. I will often double a recipe so that half can be frozen and stored for another evening. Forget rolling out perfect biscuits for sides. I just drop my dough in little mounds on a baking sheet! And, of course, Libby’s canned vegetables help me cut the time I spend preparing ingredients for soups and stews.

GBT: What is family dinnertime like in the Keeley house? Who cooks? Who cleans?

HK: I can honestly say, we’re all in this together. We all cook. We all clean. Of course, the kids don’t always clean like I would, but the most important thing is that we are all involved in the process. Mealtime is a family event, start to finish. Plus, my husband and I really feel like we know our kids. Dinnertime is when we get to learn about their likes and dislikes, their friends and experiences at school. If one is having a problem or wants to share a personal story, we have time set aside each day to listen to each other, offer advice and, most importantly, have a great time.

GBT: Are there any foods that your kids just will not eat? Do you have any tricks for making sure that even the pickiest eaters get a nutritious meal?

HK: Of course there are. I try to be sensitive to their unique likes and dislikes as much as possible. And I’m constantly looking for ways to make healthy foods have more kid appeal. I’m also a pretty sneaky mom—slipping black beans into their brownies or putting cut carrots into their soups.