This recipe is a winner for being home with the kids, wanting something nutritious that fills them up from constant snacking, but also one that is super yummy and so easy, as well as having a fun name!

My little brother brought this recipe home from kindergarten, and it has been a family favorite ever since. It is so much better than the ingredients look on their own, and my kids will eat several bowls at a time usually.

Hamburger Stew in the Crockpot or Instant Pot

One pre-step is required: brown the meat ahead of time. You can even do it the night before and add it cold. Just do it. I also prefer to brown the onions a bit before adding everything else (for flavor). Everything else just goes into the pot.

• 1 1/2  lb ground meat (we have used both beef and ground turkey)

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 carrots, chunked

• 3-4 potatoes (russets, or 5 cups of red or yellow potatoes) cubed to 1”

• 3 T Worcestershire sauce

• 3 T soy sauce

• 2 bouillon cubes (I prefer Better than Bouillon paste, 2 T)

• 2-4 c water or bone broth if you have it (depends on how soupy you like it)

Turn it on, give everything a stir, and lid it for about 6 hours on high or longer on low for an all day simmer, or about 30 min in the Instant Pot. If you want the best flavor, do this slowly in the Dutch Oven, but when you are feeding kids you do the best you can so this isn’t required for it to still be delicious!

For older babies, you can cook extra carrot chunks and mash them separately or save for baby led weaning/self feeding.

I usually serve this with some kind of biscuit (or like we did this week, Irish soda bread made with buttermilk–but that is for when you have time to make bread with them or when they will really appreciate it—can you tell I have teens?).

You can easily double this for freezer portions, or just to keep some around for quick bowls of protein that can meet the need of hangry kids quickly. My kids have snuck downstairs to eat this at night (they are older now and have access to the panty) so you have know it is good when they choose this over chips.