In the next edition of Who, What, Where, I am introducing you to an awesome food blogger, a hot/cold sports bottle, and an online store.
As always, while I find value in what I will share, ultimately you get to be the one determining value.
Who: Lisa Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
I was first introduced to 100 Days of Real Food by a friend a few years ago. I was on the hunt for guidance with food education when we were making diet changes to help our oldest. He was having some development challenges, and food modifications were one of the many things that were recommended. I decided to try her 10-day pledge to clean up the food choices in our home. Her thoughts on real food strategies for converting your pantry were SO super helpful. Ultimately as a result of her blog and suggestions, we eat real food 80% of the time. Her crockpot chicken recipe remains one that is in my dinner rotation a few times a month.
The reason that I am suggesting that you visit her blog and follow her on FB is because of her AMAZING page dedicated to school lunches. Now friends, this subject makes me want to rock in a corner. Every.single.day the tinys go to school with lunch. While I am quite cautious about what my kids eat, I am in no way creative. At home, nearly every day, they eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches. I am unable to describe the gnashing of teeth that began when I discovered that one of my kids was attending a nut-free school this year. Y’all…I cannot. If you are preparing lunch for a child with an allergy, or they attend a school with food restrictions, she has you covered! Her website gives you the option to filter by restriction.
I am super visual, so it really helps that she shows pictures of the lunches she packs every day on her FB page. Here is an example of what you might see:
Yes, I obviously bought some colorful muffin cups, because the items in said cups will appear tasty and then be eaten.
Here are some great links to help you:
A bit about why she started the blog: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/start-here/
School lunch ideas: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/school-lunches/
Nut free lunch ideas: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/10/07/nut-free-school-lunch-ideas/
What: Thinksport Stainless Steel Sports Bottle
I found this gem online last year, and it has become a favorite. Besides the amazing deep pumpkin color, I love many things about this go-to water bottle. Here are just a few.
- Perfect of hot or cold beverages. Does not sweat (for cold contents) or burn your hand (for hot contents).
- Colds stay cold for up to 20 hours and hots stay hot for about 4.
- The fabulous, removable mesh filter keeps the ice from hitting your teeth, and allows you to steep tea without the tea bag blocking the opening.
- Super easy to clean with removable top parts and dishwasher safe.
- Simple stainless option, or available in several colors.
Run on off to Amazon and get one here. (Not an affiliate link)
Where: Thrive Market
I found this online store a year or so ago through another food blogger. She raved about the prices, so I gave it a quick look.
The first thing that caught my eye was their mission. (I am a total believer that a company that lives their mission is worth supporting.) Their goal is to make healthy food affordable to the masses. They are a membership-based community like Costco, offering members 25-50% off retail. Part of the mission is that for every paying member, they offer a free membership to a low income family. Love.
When I compare prices on food items that we previously purchased at Whole Foods or Costco, Thrive wins. Savings, delivery, and free shipping on orders over $50.
My shopping list rotates a bit, but will typically looks like spices, Larabars, organic oats and different types of flours. I will occasionally get some cereal, organic “lady” products, coconut oil, beans and parchment paper/muffin cups. I do all of the cooking in the house, and most things are made from scratch, so to find a place where I can get raw ingredients cheaper than a grocery store…it is a total win.
The only possible downside is that there is a membership fee, like Costco. $59 per year. They offer a one month trial which will allow you to try the store without paying the membership fee. You can then check prices and assess convenience yourself.
Anyone that wants to give them a go can get 15% off their first order! Use this link:
Full disclosure…they offer current members $25 in credit for referrals that decide to try a membership. If that weirds you out, you can avoid the link above and go directly to http://www.thrive.com; however, you will not receive 15% off your first order.
Follow them on facebook for some awesome recipes.
Determining Value 