Veronica Merritt, 39, from New York, US, says she has to feed her kids macaroni, hot dogs and packet ramen – because now her annual food bill totals $24,000 (£19,400)

A mum-of-12 revealed how she’s forced to rely on food stamps as she “can’t afford” to feed her family.

Veronica Merritt, 39, feeds her kids macaroni, hot dogs and packet ramen because her annual food bill totals $24,000 (around £19,400).

She’s often trolled on TikTok for “not being able to afford” her big brood. Some even said she shouldn’t have had kids in the first place.

But she doesn’t regret them and said having babies feels like a “superpower”.

The TikTok creator, from New York, US, said: “I never would’ve had kids if I’d waited until I was rich – I don’t regret any of my kids.

“I’m trying to take care of my kids as best I can. This month I didn’t have any money, so had to spend $1,400 (£1,200) in food stamps.

“It’s impossible to feed 11 people on $1,400 (£1,200) – the prices of everything right now are tight. I used to feed a family-of-12 for $500 (£400) a month.

“But now you need $2,000 (£1,600) to $3,000 (£2,400) a month to feed this many people ramen.”

Veronica had her first baby Victoria, 24, in March 2000, aged 14. The first 10 kids were with her first husband, she then went on to marry an old friend and had two more kids.

Her large family includes Victoria, 24, a mum-of-one, Andrew, 19, Adam, 17, Mara, 16, Dash, 14, Darla, 13, Marvelous, 11, Martalya, nine, Amelia, seven, Delilah, five, Donovan, four and Modi, two.

She revealed the family receives $1,400 (£1,200) in food stamps each month from the government.

Despite her large family, Veronica confessed she wanted more kids but had to undergo a hysterectomy due to a fibroid on May 2.

She also mentioned the cost of toys and electronics vary, but Christmas alone costs her a hefty $7,000 (£5,600). The mum bought her nine-bedroom house on the East Coast for $20,000 (£16,000).

The mum admits the house needs a lot of repairs though.

Veronica she plans to raise the funds through her TikTok earnings and by selling paintings. She pockets around $1,200-$7,000 (£967-£5,600) a month through the creator fund.

But it really does depend on how much she posts as last month she only made around $300 (£240). Although it’s challenging raising her kids, she wouldn’t change it.

“I wish I would have chosen better partners so that I wasn’t a single mum right now,” she confessed. “But I love having babies.”

She continued: “I think that having a baby is like the greatest, most precious and wonderful thing ever. We’re living on ramen, when we used to be able to buy anything.

“I used to be able to go to the grocery store and get whatever we wanted and not have to worry about it.”

But her life does ruffle a few feathers among people on TikTok who think she shouldn’t have had kids in the first place.

She went on: “People comment on my TikToks that if you’re not perfect you shouldn’t have kids at all. I’m just trying to take care of the kids as best I can.

“I’m just very honest about things online. I don’t only show the best meals – I’ll show them eating hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.”