Sarah Michelle Gellar is arguably most well-known for her starring role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which catapulted her to fame beginning in the late ‘90s. Around the same time, she also made a name for herself thanks to starring in iconic teen thrillers such as I Know What You Did Last Summer. Needless to say, the media was all over Sarah when she began dating fellow teen icon Freddie Prinze Jr. in 2000, and especially when the couple married in 2002.

Sarah and her husband waited several years before beginning a family, as both were still very much focused on their work. They eventually welcomed their daughter Charlotte Grace in 2009 and son Rocky James in 2012. Since having children, Sarah has taken a step back from the spotlight. She’s continued to take on acting roles, namely on TV, including stints on the short-lived shows Ringer and The Crazy Ones. Offscreen, Sarah has also been busy launching her organic baking mix brand Foodstirs, which she co-founded in 2015. She’s also since released a cookbook, proving she’s just as passionate about food as she is about acting.

As she balances motherhood with her acting and cooking pursuits, Sarah is a true celebrity inspiration! Read on to learn how she’s raising her family (hint: it involves a lot of time in the kitchen!).

20 The Kids Have Watched Buffy

Fans have been curious to know whether Sarah has introduced her kids to the show that made her famous, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And although the star has spoken about the positive messages portrayed in the show, she’s also said she and her husband try to keep the kids away from their acting projects (although the kids have seen Buffy!).

“We try to sort of keep them separate from that,” she told Huffington Post, though she added the kids have seen her husband’s movie Star Wars Rebels (in which he does voice work). “Otherwise, I don’t think they’ve ever seen anything. I know Charlotte has seen one or two clips from the ‘Buffy’ musical episode that people have shown her. But on a whole, we try to really keep it separate.”

19 She Was Late To Her Own Delivery

When they feel the contractions starting, most mamas want to get to the hospital as soon as possible so they can be ready to go into labor. But Sarah once hilariously revealed she was late to her own delivery. Why? Because she wasn’t about to miss drop-off for her older child, Charlotte.

"I have advice: Get to the hospital on time. I didn't. I was busy doing drop-off. I got to the hospital at 4:09, and my son was born at 4:15,” she told Buzzfeed when asked if she had any funny memories from her deliveries. Luckily, everything went smooth and baby Rocky was born without complications.

18 She Used To Breastfeed On Set

Back in 2013, Sarah has just signed on to the now-canceled show The Crazy Ones opposite Robin Williams. And she had also just given birth to her son Rocky the year prior. The actress admits that the crew was very accommodating when they had to take breaks to let her pump or breastfeed.

“They were great to me when we shot the pilot, when I was still breastfeeding,” she told Your Tango. “They would joke that when my outfits stopped fitting me during the day, it was time to take a break and let Sarah go back to her trailer. So it will be interesting. But it takes a village.”

17 The Kids Lose Money If They Don’t Eat

Sarah has been asked many times how she gets her children to be such adventurous eaters. And it turns out the celebrity has an interesting hack to make sure her kids eat whatever is in front of them.

"My daughter was doing this thing lately where she was asking me for a cup of milk and not drinking it,” she explained to Working Mother. “ So I told her that every time she’d ask me for a cup of milk and not drink it, I would take a quarter out of her piggy bank. Someone has to pay for that milk.”

Well that would sure be some motivation!

16 The Kids Do The Grocery Shopping

Not only does Sarah make sure her kids are involved in cooking the family’s meals, she adds that she also gives them tasks when they go grocery shopping. These kids are going to be professional chefs before they’re teenagers!

“We went to the farmer’s market and they get to pick vegetables they eat over the weekend. I give them a list at the supermarket and ask them to get something,” the actress told Working Mother. "We have a rule in our house. You have to try something 10 times and two times more before you decide whether or not you like it,” she added.

15 The Kids Don’t Get An Allowance

Many parents will give their kids an allowance every week if they help out around the house or keep up with their schoolwork. Fans always imagine that celebrity children must get a nice weekly “salary” given their parent's wealth. But Sarah has admitted she doesn’t feel right paying her children to help out around the house or keep up with their responsibilities.

"I don’t love the idea of giving them money to do chores that they should do anyway,” she once told to Working Mother. We guess the Gellar-Prinze kids are going to have to get part-time jobs when they’re old enough!

14 She Won’t Push Her Kids Into Acting, And They're Uncomfortable Onstage

It always feels like celebrity children end up in show business just like their parents. And while Sarah doesn’t sound against their children following in her and their father’s footsteps, she’s also mentioned that she would never pressure them to pursue a profession in the spotlight.

“I think there’s a very different pressure for ‘the children of’ [a celebrity],” she once mentioned to People. “They can decide what they want to do for themselves. I’ll never push them.” The actress added that their children have “too much stage [anxiety]” so she doesn’t feel like either of them will want to pursue acting when they’re older.

13 The Kids Don’t Understand Her Job

It sounds like it’s been relatively easy for Sarah to keep her kids away from her acting credentials since they don’t really understand what her job entails! “For years, they thought getting my hair and makeup done was my job!” she said to Huffington Post.

“I know the day’s coming. To be honest, I’m still avoiding it. I haven’t given it a ton of thought yet,” she continued, adding she doesn’t know how she’ll explain to them what mom and dad do for a living. “I want to raise empathetic and kind and intelligent children, so that’s where my focus is, not necessarily Mommy’s resume.”

12 No Phones Allowed In The Kitchen

Given how much Sarah has talked about getting her children involved with cooking, it’s no surprise that she enforces a no-phone rule- for both the kids and the parents. “It’s about the time that we spend together, it’s about no phones in the kitchen,” she once explained, Kids Spot reports.

“I do a lot of cooking with the kids. I’m big on child labor,” the actress continued. “The kids have to help with the ... potatoes. You want them to understand what the process is. Everything doesn’t come from a box in your house.” It sounds like Sarah is preparing her kids to be very healthy adults!

11 Her Spare Time Is Spent With The Kids

With her acting commitments and other engagements, Sarah is one busy mama. She says that she, unfortunately, gets taken away from her family a lot due to work engagements. But that motivates her to make sure all of her spare time is spent with her children.

“If I have extra time, I want to be with my kids,” she once told Today’s Parent. “I still have that mom guilt. I haven’t had a facial since my first child was born.” The actress added that she’s been part of various mom groups in order to help keep herself balanced and in a routine.

10 She’s A Huge Target Lover

Who doesn’t love Target?!

Given the amount of wealth most celebrities have amassed, us regular folks don’t expect them to go to Target as much as the average Joe. But Sarah has admitted that she loves finding a good deal. She sounds more enthusiastic about Target than us!

“I’m not going to lie. Target is great,” she said while speaking to Huffington Post. “I’m definitely one of those people who goes to Target for three things and walks out with 455 items.” So, if you’re ever hitting up a Target in the L.A. area, you could very well run into Sarah Michelle Gellar!

9 She Admits To Being Strict, Freddie Says Especially With Their Girl

It’s clear that Sarah and her husband like to run a tight household - and she’s not afraid to admit it! The celebrity has acknowledged that the two of them are likely harder on their kids than the average celebrity parents. But she believes that children need firm ground rules.

Speaking to Working Mother, she explained that she’s often tougher with her daughter while her husband is tougher with their son. “Freddie thinks I’m harder on Charlotte and he’s harder on Rocky. We’re both very strict. Kids need limits,” she explained. Hey, if you’re raising your kids in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, then being strict doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

8 She Had A Hard Time When The Kids Started School

Although many parents can’t wait until their kids start school so they have a bit of break during the daytime, Sarah has admitted it was hard for her to adjust to.

“I definitely had a little bit of empty nest syndrome when my daughter started kindergarten this year,” she once explained, Daily Mail reports. “I barely let anyone else drive her around and now she’s getting on the school bus and going to a school I’m not a part of!'" she revealed. "I’m having a harder time than she is. She’s the one that’s saying to me, 'Mommy, it’s OK. It’s just a bus to school. I’ll be fine."'

7 She’s Been Open About Her Postpartum Depression

Sarah is one of many celebrity mamas who’s bravely come forth to share her struggle with post-partum depression. The actress said she dealt with it after the birth of her first child, daughter Charlotte.

“I got help, and made it through, and every day since has been the best gift I could ever have asked for. To those of you going through this, know that you’re not alone and that it really does get better,” she wrote in a touching post to social media.

“I think it’s important for people to understand that not only can it happen to anyone but that there’s also light at the end of the tunnel,” Sarah added. “Because what happens with any kind of mental illness is you can go down a rabbit hole.”

6 She’s Choosy About Her Children’s Toys

Sarah has said time and time again that she’s all about teaching her children values and morals from a young age. So it’s no surprise that she’s particular about what toys her kids play with. If it doesn’t teach them about responsibility and compassion, then it’s a ‘no’ from her.

“As a parent, the most important thing you can do is teach your child responsibility and empathy,” she told Working Mother. “When a baby or toy cries, they have to take responsibility for that and take it more seriously than having someone else deal with it. They have to care for these animals, spend extra time and love and feed them.”

5 Both Parents Are Involved In Bedtime

When Buzzfeed then asked Sarah who tucks the kids in at night - her or her husband Freddie - the actress said that both of them are involved when they’re both home. “We do the bed together. Get it?” she told the publication.

"Bedtime is very peaceful in our house,” she continued. “[Both kids] get to pick out a story; my daughter is into chapter books right now. It's really kind of a nice time in our house. I think morning time is more chaotic." While speaking to Working Mother, the actress said that story time in their house usually lasts 30 minutes. We bet her kids are great readers!

4 She’s A Huge Fan Of Hatchanimals

By now, most parents have heard of the infamous Hatchanimals - a toy your child can literally hatch from an egg. Due to its popularity, there have been times stores have been completely sold out of these furry friends, much to the dismay of parents and children alike come the holidays.

It turns out that Sarah is a huge fan of these toys because of the responsibility it can teach children from a young age. “What I love about the Hatchimals is the idea of the responsibility,” she told People. “They have to care for these animals. They have to take care of it and spend extra time and love, and feed them. Having a daughter and a son, too, it’s a great opportunity for them to spend time together.”

3 Eating Healthy Is A Must In Her House

Both Sarah and her husband Freddie have branched away from acting and into the world of cooking. The couple have both released their own cookbooks and spoken about the importance of healthy eating, so it sounds like they definitely keep their kids on a strict meal plan.

In 2017, Sarah released her first cookbook Stirring Up Fun With Foods and also launched her brand Foodstirs, a collection of all-natural baking kits designed for parents to do with their children. "The more aesthetically pleasing something looks, the more likely we're going to want it,” she’s said about getting her kids to eat healthily, Delish reports.

2 The Kids Have To Help Cook Dinner

It’s no surprise that both Freddie and Sarah have passed down their love of cooking to their children. Sarah has said on more than one occasion that she regularly gets her two kids involved in the cooking process (which is likely how she came up with the concept for Foodstirs in the first place).

"We have to be aware of not just what we put in our body but where it comes from and what it's doing to our planet," she once said, Delish reports. "I learned quickly that to get my kids to be adventurous in their choices, I had to involve them in the process of preparing food."

1 And She Doesn’t Put Up With Picky Eaters

Just like she’ll take money out of their piggy banks if they don’t finish their food, Sarah refuses to let her children become picky eaters. In the Gellar-Prinze household, the family has a very specific rule one must follow before deciding if they like a food or not.

"We have a rule in our house. You have to try something 10 times and two times more before you decide whether or not you like it,” the celebrity explained to Working Mother. But given how vast her children’s taste palettes are (she says Charlotte and Rocky love asparagus and Brussel sprouts!) it seems like her unconventional method is definitely working.

Sources: People, Delish, Working Mother, Kids Spot, Huffington Post, Your Tango, Buzzfeed, Daily Mail