Monday, July 16, 2012

Michelle Duggar: Large Family Logistics


Last week, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar spoke at Vision Forum's The Reformation of Food and the Family conference in San Antonio, Texas. Michelle shared a list of tips for feeding and caring for a super-sized family:
  • We love convection ovens.
  • Large crock-pots. Put the food in the night before.
  • We have a bright colored piece of paper on the fridge with 3 columns representing the 3 major stores where we shop. When we run out of an item, we write [it] down on the refrigerator door.
  • We use a phone app called Cozi Calendar in order to monitor what’s going on with the family.
  • Get a deep freezer with a lid that lifts from the top. The regular freezers often don’t freeze properly because something is sticking out. We have found so many things on Craig’s List.
  • We recommend an extra washer and dryer and a fold out ironing board from the wall.


Do you have any tips to add?

14 comments:

  1. Great ideas!! thanks

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  2. I would just like to say I was there this weekend and it was such a blessing to met her and I was in her talk only a short time Because of my baby but what I did get to hear was a big blessing

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  3. I wonder what having an extra washing machine and dryer and fold out ironing board has to do with feeding a large family-it helps with the laundry but how does it help with preparing large meals

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  4. do you know what the three major stores they shop at are??

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  5. I have 2 deep freezers in our utility room + a large side by side fridge/freezer in the kitchen. I grow and can a majority of our food. Soups & stews are great to cook ahead and then label & freeze, it will keep up to a year in the freezer. We also scan the reduced items in our local grocers for great savings. We also clip coupons & price match whenever possible.

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  6. If something is on a deal like buy 1 get one free. Buy It, if it is things that dont go out of date like plasters, hair ties and medicine. This i find is a good idea and saves money.
    Maddison
    I have 12 children and bump! due on the 28 July 2012!

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  7. That is certainly a dangerous statement to make -- "if it is things that don't (sic) go out of date like....medicine. Web hosts, please remove that one. Medicines most certainly do go out of date. I hope there is no one that is not so uninformed as to believe this post. You could kill a child with that mistaken belief that medicines do not go out of date.

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  8. @Anonymous

    Sounds to me like Maddison means things that don't go out of date quickly. Over-the-counter meds generally have a long shelf life, so stocking up is okay.

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  9. "Large Family Logisitics" is an actual book that Michelle Duggar is quoted as a reviewer on the back.

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  10. I would guess laundry falls under the "caring" part of the heading "tips for feeding and caring for a super-sized family."
    If you must make snotty comments, pay closer attention to your information.

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  11. I am the 3rd of 9 (so far! :) children. It seems to help that mom has (pretty much) solid schedules for school days and set times for free time. We also all help around the house. Other wise I don't see how any "large" family could keep the house running. Mom and Dad found out long ago that (as much as they would like to) they cannot do everything for us. Thus, they started delegating different jobs and house chores for each of us to do, along with the older children taking care of a younger one. That helps with running the house. As far as costs for food & doctors goes, we have a extremely large garden (like, multiple 100 foot rows) that cuts down on the cost of buying food and also is much healthier for us. This in the long term also helps with medical bills because you usually have a stronger immune system from eating healthier foods (meaning you usually don't get sick as often). So, summing that all up: Schedule, Garden, Delegate, and Save up by canning your garden goodies(you could even sell them and make money if you want! Check county regulations first though because they might have something against that). I think that is about it! Just be diligent and you will reap the rewards! "The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor." Proverbs 12:24 If you are lazy, then you will be in debt and have to work anyway! It is much better to have a cheerful attitude about work than to be forced to do anything. ~ I hope that helps!

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  12. I have seen several episodes of them shopping at Aldi's and can tell from products in their home and pantry that they shop at either Wal Mart or Sams club and probably both. Stocking up while keeping in mind expire dates, etc is tricky, I am just now getting good at knowing how much we'll used in a certain time. That's one of my concerns with some of that extreme couponing business. Jimbob has had experience working in a grocery store and has trained his kids in pantry stocking so I am pretty sure they have it down.
    As far as tips, the way they manage their family closet is cool. I'd add that taking advantage of places and activities with family rates or famil memberships. They get a big bang for their buck

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  13. @Anonymous It gives them more time to prepare the meals, I suppose; if they had only one, there would always be a line of laundry piling up, making no time to prepare meals.

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