Image by Elena Ho

All those who read Nourishing Traditions for the first time and felt entirely overwhelmed, raise your hand!

(Yes, that's my hand raised along with all of yours!)

If there's one thing that I hear over and over again from the women that visit this site, it is that they want to learn how to eat and live healthier, but they often don't know how to start or feel daunted by all the information that's out there and the new skills that need to be acquired. What on earth is kefir? How do you make fermented veggies? Why don't my soaked flour baked goods turn out well? How do I use some of these whole foods ingredients? And why are some of these extra steps and different preparation procedures necessary in the first place?

Have you ever just wished for another woman to step into your kitchen and show you step-by-step how to prepare real, whole, nourishing foods? No more frustration, no more wasted time and ingredients, no more recipe flops. Just simple instruction on how to make regular foods that your family will want to eat.

I have to tell you ladies that I am just beyond excited to tell you about this incredible Fundamentals eCourse that is being offered by Wardeh Harmon of GNOWFGLINS (God's Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season). The goal? To give you a simple plan that you can follow so that you can cook healthy food. There is nothing fancy about it. It's not a gourmet course. What you will get is a regular mom, standing in her own kitchen, showing you in a simple and straightforward manner how to make foods like soaked muffins, dry beans, water and dairy kefir, whole chickens (and stock made with the bones), soft cheese, sourdough bread, and lacto-fermented vegetables.

Here's an overview of what this eCourse includes:

* Overview: eCourse Overview

* Lesson 1: The GNOWFGLINS Foundation

* Lesson 2: How to Soak Whole Grains, Nuts and Seeds

* Lesson 3: How to Make Soaked Whole-Grain Flour Baked Goods I

* Lesson 4: How to Make Soaked Whole-Grain Flour Baked Goods II

* Lesson 5: How to Soak and Cook Dry Beans

* Lesson 6: How to Sprout Beans

* Lesson 7: How to Cook a Chicken and Make Chicken Stock

* Lesson 8: How to Make Skillet Dishes: A Dinner Formula

* Lesson 9: How to Make Water Kefir

* Lesson 10: How to Make Dairy Kefir

* Lesson 11: How to Make Soft, Spreadable Cheese

* Lesson 12: How to Make Sourdough Bread

* Lesson 13: How to Sprout Whole Grains for Sprouted Grain Flour & How to Bake With Sprouted Grain Flour

* Lesson 14: How to Make Natural Pickled Foods

These lessons will take place in video format, and you will also have access to audio lessons and printable PDF files with further information and an overview of what was covered in each video lesson. Additionally, there will be a members-only forum in which you can connect with others who are also participating in the course and have support as you learn!

Alright, time to cut to the chase... it sounds amazing, but what does it cost? Only $27 per month, for 5 months! If you break it down, the cost is a mere $9 per lesson. (Please note that I had originally stated the cost was $6.75 per lesson, but that is actually the per week cost, as the course goes a few extra weeks with more support offered) If you were to take any sort of cooking course at a local college or community center, you would probably pay a minimum of $40-$60 (or significantly more) per month and likely receive a lot less support and resources along the way.

Additionally, Wardeh is offering a no-questions asked, money back guarantee, so if you are not satisfied with the eCourse you can receive a full refund. I highly doubt you would want one, though, after watching some of the videos myself and checking out the other resources like the printable sheets, audio lessons and recipe links, I am sold! She has done an exceptional job on this course. Way to go, Wardeh, and thanks for helping to make real food more accessible for all of us busy mamas!

Have I convinced you yet to at least take a good look at this eCourse and learn more about how you can grow in your ability to cook healthy foods for your family? Check it out here:

GNOWFGLINS Fundamentals eCourse

**You should know that I am an affiliate of this eCourse and will receive some financial compensation for each person who signs up for the course through my links. However, I have also previewed the course myself and can tell you with 100% honesty that I would not be giving the course such a glowing review if I was not thoroughly impressed with it and sure that it would be helpful for many of my readers.

Registration is taking place from now until February 22 and space is limited, so you'll want to look into the course quickly. It will run for the next 5 months (15 weeks), and so the next one will not begin for another 6 months.

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
• ListPlanIt: Lists to put your world in order
• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

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Imagine taking a chocolate-loving woman (so, that would be pretty much any woman) to some incredible chocolate store, perhaps in, say, Belgium. The shelves and counters are lined with incredibly decadent, melt in your mouth, sweet perfection and goodness. Chocolate truffles, chocolate covered cherries, chocolate toffee, hazelnut chocolate pralines.

As she stands there, taking it all in and salivating at the delicate smell wafting through the air, she is bluntly told, "Alright lady, take your pick. You get 3. That's it. No more, no less. Just 3." Can you feel her agony as I do?

So that's sort of how I felt when Judy so graciously asked me this:

Three?!? I can only choose three?

Ok, calm down. Stop shaking. You can handle this. It's a simple question really, and all it needs is a simple answer. She's not asking you to never post about anything important ever again, she's just asking for a starting place. You can do this.

Deep breath. Here goes:

1) Move away from processed foods, towards a whole foods diet

I say this, knowing that it is a large step, but it starts in small ways, and that is all that I'm suggesting. Really, truly. It starts by choosing 1 or 2 processed foods that you regularly buy, and starting to learn to make them from scratch or to substitute a whole food in it's place. Don't even worry yet about whole grain, organic or natural, pasture-fed, etc, etc. Just concentrate on foods that are as close to their original state as possible.

This can be as simple as forgoing the pasta mix (like Lipton side noodles, Kraft dinner, or even a Prego sauce) that you like to purchase, and try making your own sauce to pour over some noodles. It could be attempting to make some homemade bread or muffins instead of buying them from the grocery bakery. It could be learning to make homemade white sauce or trying out some new soup recipes in lieu of canned soups. Chopping and steaming your own fresh veggies instead of the usual canned or frozen ones. Try battering and baking or simply seasoning your own chicken or fish, instead of buying frozen, deep-fried chicken strips or fish sticks.

2) Switch over from a reliance on vegetable oils and margarine, to truly good-for-you fats

What goes: Margarine or any half-half mix or imitation butter spread or spray, canola oil, sunflower oil (this one can still be used minimally, but really, keep it minimal), safflower oil, corn oil, generic vegetable oils, Crisco, Pam, all hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils (look in the ingredients on many packaged foods to find these)

What to add: Honest-to-goodness butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, palm oil, flax oil (not for cooking), and even animal lard or tallow

(For more on this, see these posts, Part 1 and Part 2, for more on cooking oils, and this post on butter)

3) Start to decrease and move towards eliminating refined sugars from your diet

There are just so many good reasons to cut out refined sugars entirely:

• They contribute to weight gain and obesity
• They contribute to blood sugar imbalances and Type II diabetes
• They are empty calories and actually rob your body of needed nutrients
• They damage your teeth
• They are addictive (I kid you not!)
• They are a major cause of hyperactivity and an inability to focus and learn well in children
• They cause your body to be highly acid, rather than slightly alkaline as it should be, which contributes to disease
• They feed cancer cells (did you know that one of the most effective cancer scans looks for cells that are uptaking glucose at a fast rate?)

Do we really need any more reasons to get rid of them? Work towards this by slowly finding replacement snacks and foods for the more sugary things you have a habit of eating (pops, store-bought baking, sugary beverages, candy, cereals, granola bars and many other processed foods- look at the ingredients!). Try having one or two days a week where you don't have any refined sugar at all, and gradually cut it down more and more. Learn to use natural sweeteners in your own baking and treat-making at home.

(And if you really want to know, the other suggestion that I really strongly considered was to add in a Cod Liver Oil supplement- it gives you crucial essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA, plus high amounts of Vitamin A and D, which most North Americans are lacking in but are vitally important to good health. So if you're struggling with one of the above suggestions, consider Cod Liver Oil another good step to take instead.)

Phew! That wasn't so hard... Think I'll go have a piece of chocolate now. (See, there's that addictive thing I told you about!)

Aren't you proud of me for not mentioning soaking and sprouting your grains? And working to avoid food preservatives, dyes, MSG and other such chemicals? And adding more fermented and cultured foods to your diet?  And drinking raw, not pasteurized, milk? And trying to buy more organic or unsprayed produce and learning to wash and peel to avoid pesticides? And finding a good source of...

I could have mentioned all of those things, but aren't you glad I didn't?

Truthfully, I don't know that it matters where you begin. The point is simply to start somewhere. Anywhere! These are just my suggestions, to give you a few points to focus on, and I hope you find it helpful! Blessings as you begin to make these positive changes for you and your family!

What are some of the small, baby steps that you have begun taking in the area of nutrition? Do these 3 things sound like something that you could do?

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
• ListPlanIt: Lists to put your world in order
• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

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*******

Guest Post by Babychaser

We’ve taken the plunge to healthier living… but why?  This is a question I have to ask myself from time to time… mostly when I’m focusing a little too much on the specifics.

It’s easy to get wrapped up on making sure we are eating healthy and not being exposed to dangerous chemicals… and when we get too wrapped up in it, it can become an idol. 

On the far, far other side of that is my inclination to be lazy and just let it go when it gets to be too much. 

So why have we made the decision to live a healthier lifestyle?  I think the answer to that helps to keep me in check.  Stewardship. 

Most of the time we think of stewardship as being in reference to finances.  We are to be good stewards of our money… all that God gives us.  We are also to be good stewards of everything else God has and will give us… including our bodies and our family’s bodies. 

Upon learning more and more of the crazy things we’ve implemented in our lives, one friend smiled and said, “I’d love to know how you guys are going to die.”  I had to laugh because the truth is; we are all going to die.  Even if we take all the chemicals and harmful substances out of our lives, we will still die.  But God gave us these bodies to live in (note: we are not our bodies, but merely live in our bodies while we reside on earth.)  He gave them to us and it is up to us to be good stewards of them. 

Good stewardship may look different from one family to another.  I do not hold myself above those who have not chosen to make the food and chemical choices we have just like I hope those in better physical shape are not looking down on us for failing to exercise as I know we should.  None on this earth is perfect, but as I have learned about the harm so many of the foods, etc. available to us are to our bodies, I’ve felt the need to make changes in order to be a better steward of my family’s health. 

Let me give a couple examples: 
•    Refined sugars lower our immune systems as well as a ton of other things.

•    BPA affects our bodies in a number of ways, including its links to breast cancer and fertility problems.

•    Pasteurization depletes most (or all) of the healthful aspects of milk and is linked to a number of allergies and health problems.

As I work to be a good steward of our health, it only makes sense to me to cut as much refined sugar as possible, to remove BPA from our home and to switch to raw milk. 

I’ll be the first to admit that we are are not die hard on these things.  From time to time my kids can be found playing with bad plastics or our family will get ice cream from one of the yummy places around town, but we are on a road to being healthier and getting closer and closer every day. 

You can learn more of our journey to healthier living beginning with this post. 

What motivates you to live healthier? Do you agree that it's an issue of stewardship?

Babychaser is the wife to her Beloved and mommy to Tornado and Sweet Pea.   You can read about the “Adventures of the Babychaser” at her blog, Stay at Home Mommy.  Blogging anonymously, Babychaser writes about raising healthy children, training her children, day to day happenings, and anything else tickling her fingertips.

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
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*******

Guest Post by Allyson

As a stay-at-home mama to our highly active 2 year-old daughter, Emahry, and our “coming into his own” and very mobile 9 month-old son, Jonathan, I know how tempting it can be to reach for the convenience foods while grocery shopping.  However, I’ve found that with a little planning I can make many convenience foods from scratch at home. We’ve found this to be a great way to streamline our time in the kitchen.

One of our favorite quick fix breakfast recipes is this Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix. The flavor of these pancakes is delicious, but I think my favorite part is that one large batch of the mix lasts our family about a month. Once the mix is complete it takes very little time to make pancakes for breakfast from scratch.

A jar of this pancake mix also makes a great housewarming, new baby, or holiday gift.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix

4 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar (or other dry sweetener)
1 cup instant dry nonfat milk
3 Tablespoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
5 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mix these ingredients together in a large bowl. I use my hands to make sure the brown sugar is mixed in well. Store the mix at room temperature in an airtight container or gallon-sized freezer bag.

Yield: 10 cups of pancake mix.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes
 
2 eggs
1/3 cup applesauce
2 cups of Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix (recipe above)
1 cup water
Optional: one mashed banana or fruit of your choice

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Gradually beat in applesauce. Alternately add mix and water to mixture. Blend well. Preheat and oil griddle. Pour 1/3 cup batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form around edges, flip and cook until done.

Yield: about 10 pancakes

(Stephanie's note: If you would prefer, I believe that you could probably leave out the powdered milk in making the mix, and instead substitute 1 cup of milk for the cup of water when mixing it up in the morning. Another option might be to use 1 cup of buttermilk, kefir or watered down yogurt instead, but add it the night before in order to soak the flour. I haven't tried this myself, but I don't think it would be difficult to play around and find a way to make it work!)

Here are a few other ideas for streamlining your time in the kitchen.

- Freeze cooked portions of meat for adding to tacos, pizza, pasta sauce, and soups.
- Chop and freeze raw onions and peppers for tacos and fajitas.
- Freeze cooked portions of brown rice for tacos, stir-fry, and soups.
- Cook and freeze beans for tacos, beans and rice, brownies and more.
- Freeze fresh fruit like strawberries and banana slices for baking and smoothies.
- Make your own cake mixes.

How do you save time in the kitchen while still cooking from scratch?

Allyson is the happy wife of Tim  and stay-at-home mama to Emahry (2 years) and Jonathan (9 months). She and her husband strive to bring glory to God as they live, love, and learn together. Allyson regularly blogs about family, faith, frugality, and her journey as a wife and mom at A Heart for Home.

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
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In my own experience, I found that I just had to pick an area and begin to jump in, to the degree that I was able to as I balanced my other commitments (as wife and mom, as a Christian, etc.) and the time and energy that I had available. Personally, the first area that I really worked at was learning about nutrition and how to cook healthier and more from scratch. For me, this was a really key area since I was battling a hormonal disorder and my husband was experiencing some more minor health issues as well. When I started, I wasn't initially doing all sorts of sprouting and fermenting and making sourdough bread or homemade yogurt... instead, I was just learning to use whole foods ingredients, less sugar and processed foods, more high quality protein, many more fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.

From there, my confidence grew, as did my ability to maintain the changes that I had made, and I began to branch out into learning more about non-toxic cleaning and beauty supplies, organic gardening, detoxification and supplements and herbs, etc. But those other areas came much more slowly, and had to be balanced so that I didn't overwhelm myself, and so that I could learn to do it all frugally as well.

As far as our Biblical standpoint, it is basically this: the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. His truth and goodness is found in ALL areas of life, not just those that we deem "spiritual". Good stewardship includes the ways that we care for our bodies, which are His temple, as well as how we care for the earth, which we have been given dominion over, and also the finances that He has allowed us, to be used carefully and wisely. This could be an entire post series (or even a book, for that matter!), but suffice it to say that we want our health and the way that we live to honor Him completely, just as we desire to honor Him in our relationships, our parenting, our service and compassion and care for others, etc.

I definitely delve into my own personal story, and also my motivations behind why I pursue nutrition and natural living, much more in my ebook, Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time. It gives a year's worth of step-by-step instruction and encouragment towards making a lot of these positive changes, without overwhelming yourself! If you haven't picked it up yet, you can purchase it (and learn more about it) here.

Image by 5th Ape

 

I was recently laid off from my very demanding corporate job. My
husband and I have recently decided that I will transition to stay home
full-time with our 22-month old toddler son.

 I know this may sound silly, but I have some concerns about how to
keep my toddler thriving and learning once we bring him home from his
Montessori daycare. I'm thrilled to have my dream of being a SAHM come
true, but now I'm almost at a loss as to how I can do this job. I am
getting nervous for my first day at work, so-to-speak, and I thought
I'd reach out to you for any thoughts or resources you may suggest.

 Blessings,

Brooke

Brooke, I am so very excited for you! Though it will be nothing like your corporate job at all, the position you are about to undertake will be the most rewarding, thrilling and challenging career you can imagine!

The wonderful thing about such little ones is that they are so curious and interested in everything that I don't think you will have any problem with finding ways to draw him in to new activities where he can learn and play and grow. Especially when you involve him in the things that you are doing (cleaning, cooking and baking, running errands, going for walks, etc.) you will find that he is eager to participate with you and to enter into your world!

I would suggest that you try to make at least a flexible routine for your days, so that you have a rough idea of when you will accomplish your basic cleaning, cooking and homemaking tasks, when his nap or quiet time will be, when you will eat meals or snacks, etc. In your routine, perhaps you could include some special times for reading books together, doing art projects or hands on activities (like playdoh or water play or building things), playing outside or going to the park or whatever other things you would enjoy doing together! It doesn't have to be formal at all- the point is just to enjoy being together and to facilitate natural learning and exploration!

Here are a few resources to get you started as well:

Learning Resources for Little Ones- This is a list of some resources that I have personally used or am still using as I homeschool our young children, and why I enjoy them. It includes resources for spiritual training and character development, for art projects, early foreign language learning, exposure to reading/language arts, etc.

Learning with Preschoolers- A wonderful post from a preschool teacher who is now a mom of a little one, with some great insights into how children learn and how to encourage that learning!

Activities to Try- the continuation of the above post (Learning with Preschoolers), with lots of great suggestions for natural and fun learning activities to do with young children.

Do you have any more encouragment or suggestions for either of these ladies? I'm sure it would benefit us all!

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
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• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

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Baby Step 12- Homemade Condiments

What this baby step is about:

Try your hand at making a homemade condiment of your choice.

Why this step is important:

Have you read the back of a condiment label lately? Enough said! ☺

Seriously though, there are so many unnecessary ingredients. Sugar (which tops the list and is present in almost every condiment), preservatives of every kind (of course), a bit of MSG here and there, maybe some colorings, not to mention white vinegar and regular table salt (which have had all nutritional benefit removed in the “whitening” process).

Homemade condiments are quick, simple and wholesome. They can be used freely, without worrying about the sugar buzz your children will get from their ketchup, the rancid oils in the mayonnaise, or the preservatives in the salad dressing.

You may even find that once you begin to make them yourself, you will lose a taste for store bought items. I now find regular ketchup far too sweet since I have been making my own, and have also realized just how sweetened the mayonnaise is, too. I truly prefer the more down-to-earth, natural taste of something homemade, and after you adapt to the new flavor, you may just find the same is true for yourself.

Is it cheaper to make my own? I'm not really sure. I've heard many people say that it is, but frankly I don't really think so. When I take into consideration all of the different ingredients I am using, I would wager that it ends up pretty much equal with what I would pay in the store.

The difference, then, is in the quality of the ingredients, the lack of unknowns or undesirables, and the freshness of the product. For me, that's worth the few minutes that it takes to prepare it, rather than just grabbing it off the store shelf.

How to get started with this step:

My suggestion would be to simply choose one that your family enjoys often, and just give it a shot. If the first recipe doesn't do it for you, try looking for another, or try altering the first one yourself. We all have slightly different tastes, so you may not love the honey mustard dressing that I love.

One thing to keep in mind is that many of these will not taste exactly the same as your usual store-bought brand. That's ok. Encourage your family to try a little anyways, and be enthusiastic about it. Ask for their input, and see how you can tweak it to suit their tastes.

I once made a plum sauce that just wasn't really doing it for us. I looked up in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, to get an idea of what they would add to a plum sauce, and behold- they included soy sauce and vinegar in the recipe (which I hadn't). A bit of Bragg's and a few spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar later, and I had a sauce that we were practically licking up with our fingers, it was so good!

Online Resources:

Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Make-it yourself salad dressings (Ranch, Creamy Lemon Poppyseed, Caesar, plus Teriyaki sauce)
Everyday Oil and Vinegar Dressing
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing (best with homemade mayo)
Allrecipes.com (just search the type of condiment you'd like to make, and chances are, you'll find the recipe! As well, look for spice mix recipes, like taco seasoning mix)

Reading Resources:

Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book - Most really good, standard cookbooks will include condiment recipes. You might need to make minor ingredient substitutions to keep the recipes a bit healthier, but this book has a lot of do it yourself recipes
Nourishing Traditions – a whole chapter on homemade condiments

Taken from the eBook Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time.

 
Do you ever make your own condiments? Which ones do you find the easiest to adjust to making homemade? Any great recipes to share?

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
• ListPlanIt: Lists to put your world in order
• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

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Image by jspatchwork

Baby Step 8- Meal Planning Primer

What this baby step is all about:

To make a meal plan of your dinners for the next week (if you already do this, you could try planning breakfasts or lunches if you don't already).

Why this step is important:

I think that most women, if asked about cooking dinner for their family, would say that they wanted to be able to make affordable and healthy meals that are delicious, simple and as quick to prepare as possible.

I find that meal planning is one of the major tools that I use in order to align my cooking with those very same wishes (because no, I don't like spending hours on dinner, and yes, I'm super frugal and want it to be as nutritious as possible!).

Meal planning helps me to be purposeful about what my family is eating. I am able to be more intentional about meeting my family's nutritional needs by including a wide variety of foods and by seeing where I can improve our menus.

It helps me to keep costs low, by reducing waste, planning ahead, taking advantage of sales and seasonal deals, etc.

It saves me time and effort - I don't have to start wracking my brain in the middle of the afternoon for what I could possibly make for dinner. Knowing what I am making ahead of time allows me to prepare by taking the meat out of the deep freeze, soaking my grains or beans the day before, making sure I have all of the ingredients, etc.

How to get started with this step:

There are probably as many variations on meal planning as there are homemaking blogs, but allow me to share with you some basics of meal planning, as well as my particular method.

Image by Hillbraith

Make a plan before you go shopping. The idea is to have a fairly firm list, so that you will be less tempted to buy extras at the store, and so that you will know that you are coming home with the right ingredients to make actual meals (and not have to make an emergency run to the store mid-week).

Look at your calendar as you are planning- you'll want to know if there's a night when dinner needs to be really fast because of evening plans, or if you've been invited over to a friend's house (or vice versa, are having company over!), or if there's a special occasion, such as a family birthday.

Know that your menu plan does not have to rule you. Though I make a plan religiously each week, it almost inevitably gets switched up at some point during the week. I'm not in the mood for a particular dish, or it's been a hectic day and I'd rather make the simple dish planned for Thursday and switch the more time-intensive meal I had planned for that night, or I made far too much of a dish and we just need to ditch the plan and polish off some leftovers. Life happens, and the menu plan is there to serve you, not the other way around.

As for how I do my meal planning in particular, here are the steps that I follow:

1.    Take a quick inventory and put first things first. I glance in the fridge, pantry and freezer to jot down some of the things I have that I need to use up, especially any produce, dairy or meat that is at risk of spoiling.

2.    Sit down with my planner and look at my week.  I like to get a basic idea of any nights that we'll be out, or having guests, etc. This gives me an idea of the types of meals that I need to be thinking about.

3.    Use my favorite meal list. This is one of the best things I have done for my meal planning. I made my first list almost 3 years ago, and just updated it a few months ago. It is an extensive list of our favorite meals and specific recipes, organized into sections such as Red Meat, Chicken, Vegetarian and Fish Main Dishes, Soups and Stews, Salads, Veggie Side Dishes, Grain Sides (includes rice, bread, biscuits, etc.), as well as a list of our regular and favorite breakfasts. I also had my husband rate the meals, on a scale of 1-10, so I know which are his favorites (and the ones that he's not so into). This helps me to serve him and keep him in mind as I plan.

4.    Have a basic schedule for each week. This is a skeleton plan that I use for helping me to select my recipes. Mondays are chicken, Tuesday vegetarian, Wednesdays red meat, Thursdays fish, Fridays Ryan's favorites, Saturdays quick and easy, Sundays crockpot or make ahead meals. I love how this simplifies the choosing process and helps me to just slot in meals, as I find a chicken dish for Monday (off my handy dandy list, of course).

5.    Use a 2 week rotation. This may be an aspect of my planning where I differ a bit from others. Here's how it works... the first week, I don't have a lot of food in the house, so I plan whatever I feel like planning, make my shopping list, and go to the store.

While there, I will make substitutions if I need to (if I discover that there is no asparagus available, or that the price of peppers is ludicrous), but generally, I will buy what's on my list. However, I also look around for deals on items that are seasonal, on sale, discounted items (that are near expiry, perhaps). I also buy more than I need for week 1 (ie. if I need 3 carrots, I'll buy a whole bag). The end result is that I come home with enough food for two weeks.

Week 1, I stick to my pre-planned menu, but Week 2, I have a different strategy. As I go to plan my meals for that second week, I will take a careful inventory of what I have left and what needs to be used up, and I will choose my meals based on what I have. Although I occasionally need to do a very small, supplemental shopping trip, my goal that week is to avoid the store if at all possible!

This does several things: it helps me to maximize my grocery shopping money (by being able to stock up on deals), it helps me to carefully use up everything that I buy so that I am not wasting food, and it encourages me to be creative and to try out some new recipes as I seek to use the sometimes-random foods that I have remaining (it's not usually too random, but some weeks... it keeps me on my toes!).

Online Resources:

The Nourishing Gourmet- Meal Planning 101 series

Organizing Junkie- Why and How I Meal Plan, and details about her Menu Planning Monday carnival, where hundreds of bloggers share their weekly meal plans and great recipes!

My own posts on meal planning, Part 1 and Part 2

Taken from the eBook Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time.

Are you a meal planner? What are some of the ways that you make meal planning work for you? Share your method and tips with us!

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More from Keeper of the Home

• More healthy and frugal meal planning… | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy and frugal menu planning help! | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy Homemaking: Homemade Condiments | Keeper of the Home
• Creating a Homemaking Binder | Keeper of the Home

 

Image by wwworks

Baby Step 7- A Good Egg   

What this baby step is all about:

To consider buying a higher quality of eggs than you are currently buying.

Why this step is important:

Eggs are powerhouses of nutrition; they are considered by many to be one of the most nutritionally dense foods out there. So, providing you or your family are not allergic to them (unfortunately, it can be a fairly common allergy or sensitivity), I would highly suggest adding them to your repertoire as much as possible!

Most commercial eggs come from hens that are cooped up indoors, with little to no ability to move around and get exercise, no fresh air, artificial light, a poor quality of nourishment (usually pesticide-laden grains and soy products), not to mention the fact that they are probably receiving antibiotics or other medications (to avoid the infections that frequently pass through chickens living in cramped conditions). Eggs coming from this unfortunate situation pale (literally!) in comparison to free-range eggs.

Hens who are able to roam around (free-range, free-run or cage-free are generally the terms used to denote this), to exercise, receive fresh air and sunlight, eat insects and other grub (a healthy part of a chicken's diet), and just plain old act like chickens, produce far superior eggs. They have higher omega 3 concentrations, higher levels of Vitamins A, E and beta-carotene, and are generally free of any toxins. The difference is actually quite notable, if you compare a conventional egg with one that is free-range and/or organic-- the yolk in a healthy egg is a lovely, bright yellowy-orange color, and stands out visibly next to the pale, sick-looking yolk of your basic grocery store egg.

Image by darwinbell

How to get started with this step:

There are a few terms you should know, which will help you to know what you are looking for, and what to avoid.

Omega-3 Eggs: This has become a trendy type of egg on the market in the last several years. Although it sounds so promising at first, these eggs are still not free-range, and in fact, their Omega-3 does not come from a natural diet, but rather a supplemented diet, that still generally contains the same grains, as well as soy, with added flax seed. I wouldn’t consider them a great choice, considering what the hens are fed, unless your only other option is conventional.

Free-Range (free-run or cage-free): This is an excellent choice. Although these eggs are not able to be certified organic, they are the closest you can get to that kind of quality without the price. They will have all of the above benefits mentioned, except that (unless specified) they could still be exposed to unwanted things such as antibiotics (though this is less common), pesticides, etc.

Organic: Obviously, these eggs should be of the highest quality and I would definitely recommend them. My only concern would be that you ensure that they clearly state that the birds are free-range, as it is possible to raise “organic” eggs, without allowing the hens full roaming ability, and feeding them a diet based mostly on organic grains or soy.

Farm fresh, free-range: This would be my top choice. If you can find a local farm (hobby or otherwise) that raises chickens as I mentioned above, does not use any medications or sprays on their farm, etc. I would snap those eggs up in a heartbeat! Establish a good relationship with the farmer and become a regular customer!

Online Resources:

The Nourishing Gourmet- Free Range vs. Commercial Eggs and Eggs: A Powerhouse of Nutrition

The Chicken and Egg Page (some good research on the benefits of free-range eggs)

Reading Resources:

Nourishing Traditions
- Much excellent information on including eggs in a healthy diet (addressing the issues of cholesterol and fats especially, plus lots of wonderful recipes using eggs).

Taken from the eBook Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time.

What type of eggs do you buy? Where do you get them from? Have you changed your egg buying habits in recent years?

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
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• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
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• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

More from Keeper of the Home

• Healthy Homemaking: Meal Planning Primer | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy Homemaking: Homemade Condiments | Keeper of the Home
• Good Nutrition in a Nutshell | Keeper of the Home
• Q&A- My Grocery Budget | Keeper of the Home

Baby Step 14- Creative Repurposing

What this baby step is all about:

What? Repurposing? Okay, so it’s just a fancy word for reusing, but you have to admit, it sounds a bit sophisticated, doesn’t it?
The goal is to find a way to repurpose an item that you would normally throw out.

Why this step is important:

Frugality used to mean something different than what we tend to mean when we use the term these days. When we say that we’re frugal, we mean that we shop for deals, try to use up everything we have, coupon clip, buy in bulk, score bargains at second hand stores, etc. Once upon a time, though, frugality was even more of a lifestyle.

I love reading the introduction to Emilie Barne’s book More Hours in My Day
. She tells the story of her mother, raising her and her brother alone after her Father’s death. When she was a young girl, her mother (a seamstress) made her a beautiful dress for special occasions. As the dress lost its newness, it eventually became an everyday dress, and as she grew taller, rows of rickrack were added to extend the life of the dress. When it was no longer acceptable to wear as a dress, it became a play dress to wear over pants. When the dress became tattered, the sleeves were ripped off, and it was sewn into an apron that she wore alongside her mother. Next, the dress became soft cloths for dusting and eventually it made its way into the rag box, where long strips of the fabric became part a rag mop that cleaned the kitchen floor. Over the years, buttons popped up on things like nightgowns, and she even still has some to this day.

Every single part of this dress was used until it was no longer usable. There was no room for waste. Everything was valuable. Nothing was lost. How far we have strayed from this old-fashioned and yet much truer concept of frugality! How quick we are to discard of something that no longer suits its original use.

I long to develop a keener sense of awareness and creativity when it comes to using and reusing the things we own. To skillfully make use of all that God has blessed us with, and to ensure that each item is used to its full potential, rather than taking the easy way out by tossing it in the garbage because it no longer works for the original purpose. Let’s pursue that ingenuity and purposefulness that defined the lives of our grandparents and great-grandparents!

How to get started with this step:

This isn’t an easy step for me to write, just so you know. I don’t always push myself to think outside the box, nor do I routinely examine what I am throwing out and consider whether it could be transformed into a more useful object.

**One example from our own home- toilet paper rolls turned into seedling starters!

Here is a list of just a few ideas from my own home:

• Glass or plastic jars with lids can be incredibly useful for organizing and storage (food, craft materials, office supplies, etc.). Since I no longer buy plastic wrap, I try to save every decent jar with a lid to keep in my cupboard, for the purpose of storing leftovers, pantry items, soup broth, homemade salad dressings, etc. The bonus in this is that it can save money as well, by reducing the containers that you need to buy for these types of things!
• The odd thing we’ve bought has come with a really useful package. For example, I purchased a set of cloth diapers, together with covers and liners which came packaged in thick, see-through, zip up containers, about half a square foot in size. I have begun to use these for storing baby socks, toddler’s underwear or tights, etc. 
• As a second example, my daughter has a fold up child-sized tent that came with a medium sized mesh bag with handles- it was impractical to try to get the tent back in that silly little bag each time she’s done with it, but because it is mesh, it is perfect for storing bath tub toys in!
• I've recently been learning to make my own feminine cloth pads, and have been using cloth from all sorts of random places. Old baby towels, unneeded blankets, a stained shirt of my daughter's, a burping cloth I never liked.

That’s just a couple of ideas to get you started. Below, I’ve left links to a few sites with far more creative ideas than my own!

Online Resources:

10 Easy Reuse Ideas for Organizing your Home
When Recycling Won't Cut It
Repurpose and Recycle Ideas
The Imagination Factory's Trash Matcher (lots of ideas for kids, especially craft ideas)
Reuse Trash Ideas
Uses for Plastic Bags

Reading Resources:

Another Use For . . .: 101 Common Household Items
(This is a really neat little book a friend lent me, full of practical ideas)
ReMAKE ReSTYLE ReUSE: Easy Ways to Transform Everyday Basics into Inspired Design
(I haven’t read this one myself, but the concept looks so interesting!)

This is an excerpt from the book Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time. Buy the eBook now!



What are some ways that you've practiced "creative repurposing"? Share your proudest reusing and repurposing moments with us!

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
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• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
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• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

More from Keeper of the Home

• Healthy Homemaking: Homemade Condiments | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy Homemaking: Meal Planning Primer | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy Homemaking: A Good Egg | Keeper of the Home
• Creating a Homemaking Binder | Keeper of the Home

Healthy Homemaking:

One Step at a Time

A 52 Week Journey of Baby Steps to Help You Move Towards More Natural, Nutritious and Sustainable Living

Hooray! After a year of brainstorming, spending afternoons in various local coffee shops with my husband's laptop, researching like crazy, writing some more, editing, editing, editing, and then pulling all of the final design components together, my eBook is finished!

I am so pleased to be able to make it available for you! Many of you have been kindly asking me about the book's progress and when to expect it, and I am thrilled to say that you can purchase and start reading it today!

My motivation has been to create a resource for all those women (married or single, homemakers, mothers, career women- all of you!) who have a desire to move in the direction of more natural and healthful living, but are looking for some good places to start. When I was planning the book, some key words that helped to shape my vision and direction were: manageable, NOT overwhelming, simple, everything-at-your-fingertips, encouraging, upbeat, motivating, and do-able!

I hope you like it. It has been a labor of love, in an attempt to help more and more women (and their families) live simpler, healthier lives, in ways that truly glorify our very good and loving Creator.

And can I just say a special thanks to my husband, for his constant encouragment and support? He has been my greatest cheerleader, my toughest critic, and the one who pushed me to keep going whenever I was discouraged. Practically speaking, he has edited, approved or nixed my ideas, watched the kids so I could get out to work on it, and slipped enormous amounts of "mad money" into my back pocket, "just so I could get a little something while I'm out". I couldn't have done this without you, Ryan! I love you!

And thanks also to YOU, my wonderful, faithful, inspiring, encouraging readers! You were the reason I wrote it in the first place and you have given me so many of the ideas for what to write about and focus on. This blog would be a pretty lonely place, without y'all coming and visiting and commenting and emailing... I'm grateful for you, and humbled that you take the time to visit.

So, what is Healthy Homemaking all about?

This 76-page eBook includes:

** 26
Baby Steps, covering a broad range of topics in the areas of Nutrition,
Cooking and Food Preparation Techniques, Going Green/Sustainable, and
Natural (non-toxic) Living. Each step gives you a specific goal,
teaches why that step is important, and then gives detailed directions
and tips for implementing that step into your life. At the end of each
step, you'll find both online and reading resources to help you with
completing the step, as well as to encourage you to look into it more
on your own.

** A printable chart intended to help you
keep track of the steps that you are working on. It includes space to
set goals for yourself, as well as to write your own notes and
reminders as you implement these steps.

** A detailed introduction, discussing some of the why's and motivation behind pursuing a journey like this.

** My own personal journey.
I share with you my story, from unhealthy child and teen, to where I am
at today. It is a story full of bumps and challenges, huge learning
curves, many mistakes and ultimately, a whole lot of God's grace.

Here's what others are saying about Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time:

Get your own copy of Health Homemaking: One Step at a Time for only $8.95!

 

For the rest of this week, instead of my regular posts, every day I will be posting one baby step from Healthy Homemaking. Look forward to the first step tomorrow morning, "Creative Repurposing"... See you then!

**Quick note: In answer to a question in the comments, no, you will NOT need an eBook reader to be able to read my blog. All you need is a Preview type program (pretty much every computer has this) or Adobe Reader, which you can download for free!

Our Sponsors:

• It Starts at Home: Are we Discipling or Outsourcing the faith of our children? Read It Starts at Home! Then, just nurture them together.
• Moukisac: Your 6 in 1 shopping bag system; compact, stylish, versatile and practical, of course! Made by Canadian mom.
• hope ink: Custom inspirational art for your home
• ListPlanIt: Lists to put your world in order
• Vintage Remedies: Get healthy, naturally
• Just Bumming Around: When only the best cloth diapers (at great prices) will do. FuzziBunz packages on SALE!

More from Keeper of the Home

• Baby Steps: Going more natural, one cleaner at a time | Keeper of the Home
• Q&A: Homemaking and Mothering | Keeper of the Home
• Baby Steps towards more natural, healthy living | Keeper of the Home
• Healthy Homemaking: Homemade Condiments | Keeper of the Home