MORNING BASKET

Black and White ABC Cards

Character Cards

Colorful ABC Cards / Manners / Hygiene Cards

Everyday Graces Book

Manners Can Be Fun Book

Connoisseur Kids (Etiquette, Manners Books)

ABC Devotional

Preschool Morning Binder

Primer (Kinder) Morning Binder

Days of the Week Poster

Months of the Year Poster

Apply Study (Nutrition Program for Kids)

Pumpkin Study (Nutrition Program for Kids)

Daily Rhythm Cards (Visual Kid Calendar)

My Online Shop!

MORNING VIRTUES

This is the program we’ll use for Hymn, Bible Verse, Manners, Hygiene and Read-Alouds!

Gentle and Classical Press Primer & Sequence 1

LANGUAGE ARTS

The Good and The Beautiful (We’ll be using preschool, pre-k and 1st grade in 24 / 25

READING / PHONICS

Dash Into Learning Phonics Program – Code: HGG15 for 15% off

Bob Books

WRITING:

Dash Into Learning Handwriting Program

Draw Write Now

Draw / Write Paper

A Reason For Handwriting (We’ll be using level K and A in 24 / 25)

SPELLING

A Reason For Spelling (We’ll be using Level A in 24 / 25)

MATH

Math U See

Good and The Beautiful

Learning To Tell Time Clock

Telling The Time Flashcards

SCIENCE

Good and The Beautiful

Nature Study

HISTORY

Gentle and Classical Press – Sequence 1

Adventures To The New World: Part 1 and Part 2 (Coming Soon!)

GEOGRAPHY

Gentle and Classical Press – Sequence 1

Home Geography Book

The 50 States Book

OUR WORLD GLOBE!

SOCIAL STUDIES

Me On The Map

Art + Music Program

ENRICHMENT

Spanish – First 100 Words Book

Piano – Hoffman Academy (code LEARN for 10% off)

BOOKS

A Child’s Garden of Verses

A Children’s Book of Virtues

Aesops Fables

Mother Goose

The Tree Book

Little Pilgrim’s Progress

The Ology

Stay connected with me on Instagram here!

Disclosure: Many of the links above are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission when you shop through my link! This does not cost you anything extra, rather by shopping through my links or from my online shop here it makes it possible for me to continue to keep create videos! Thank you so much for supporting my small business! Thank you also to A Reason For, Little School of Smiths and Lovevery for gifting us with your programs this year!

Why We Homeschool

The decision to homeschool is a personal one! I do not believe there is a right or wrong way to educate your child, only the right way for you and your family. There are many reasons why we homeschool and here are just a few!

Curated Curriculum: I love having the ability to curate the curriculum and education that fits my children based on their academic level and interests.

Faith Inclusion: The ability to integrate faith-based learning into our education.

SLOW mornings: I have worked from home for 13 years. The idea of rushing out the door early and commuting to school every weekday was not appealing to me. Based on where we live the only private school we considered would require 2 hours of total driving a day. I worked so hard to build a business where I don’t have to commute so that was really unappealing to me. Plus instead of driving for 2 hours, we could complete so much school at home during that time! Then we could move on to playing, reading and more.

Flexibility: With homeschool we complete our lessons at any time in the day or weekday that works for our family. However, typically we prefer to complete our main lessons in the morning, such as language arts and math. In the morning I notice both my daughter and my mental capacity is at it’s best! Then we save other learning elements like reading, art, music, nature study for the afternoon. However, I love knowing there is flexibility! Somedays we’ve done school in the afternoon or even after dinner – it can be fun to mix it up! We can also take time off anytime we need for visitors in town, when someone is under the weather or we just need a break and time to refresh. We can also school through the summer if we prefer! There is so much flexibility in creating an educational environment that really encourages a passion for life-long learning and learning together as a family.

Efficient: With homeschool, we can complete our academic work in a much shorter duration of time than a traditional school day. This opens up the day for more play, reading, time outside and more!

No Homework! We are already doing work at home, and then we are done!

Life Skills: A lot of our learning takes place through life skills! For example, baking together is a great way to learn about math, science and patience plus learning how to bake! I love being able to integrate cooking, baking, taking care of the home, gardening, talking about money and finances and other life skills into our learning.

Community: We’ve built some really beautiful friendships with other homeschool families!

My Gut and Heart Says It’s Right For Us: This is the most important reason why we homeschool. I could make a big long list of pros and cons but the truth of it is, I know in my gut and heart that this is what God has called me to do in this season of my life and really that is all that matters. You can’t go wrong as a mom listening to your heart and your gut when it comes that what YOU know is best for you and your family!

Homeschool Style

My personal opinion is that you do not need to know your homeschool style before you get started. Just get started and as you go you’ll learn what works best for you, your family and your child. You can start a program and if you don’t love it, try something else! Or you can always adapt the program you’ve purchased fit you and your child’s preferences versus following the program exactly as it’s laid out. For example, the preschool program I started with Ella was designed to be done Monday-Friday but I felt that was too much and too repetitive for us, so we condensed the days / doubled up on the days and would do our preschool 2-3 times a week!

Why knowing your homeschool style matters for some people is that it can help guide what type of curriculum you buy as well help you select additional learning resources, homeschool groups, educational books and more that fit your style.

If you are interested in learning more about homeschooling and the different homeschool styles, I highly recommend reading this book which includes a great overview of the various homeschool styles along with great insight and encouragement into the homeschool journey.

Preschool Homeschool Curriculum

The early years are a really special time where so much learning can happen through play, reading, conversations and simply exploring and enjoying the world around us! According to Charlotte Mason, formal education should not begin until the age of 6. In Sweden, formal education begins at the age of 7! There are many benefits to delayed formal education including ensuring that a child is developmentally ready for the tasks set before them.

While we started preschool with my daughter at the age of 3.5, our preschool consisted of a gentle approach to learning. As a mom, you also know when your child is ready or not for something. My daughter has always been very interested in the world around her, obsessed with books and I felt that a gentle program would be fun for her! My main goal when we started school is just to make learning fun and enjoyable!

Busy Toddler Playing Preschool

This is the first home learning program I bought. What I love about this program is that is is very organized! I LOVE organization and this program clearly maps out what the parent and child will be doing each day. This program includes 190 days of learning with a Monday-Friday schedule. We personally did not follow this program exactly as it’s laid out – another beauty of homeschool is adapting the curriculum to meet your child’s needs and interests! Some days we would do 2-3 days of school at once and some days we wouldn’t do school (the program) at at all and instead we’d read, bake, play and just do life together! I also love that this program has themes that last 2 weeks such as community helpers and weather along with a book list for each unit. I love a good homeschool learning theme and this was a fun way to introduce new concepts and have a book list to compliment. While we didn’t do every activity in this program, we worked our way through most of it and I’ll be using again a gentle guide for preschool with my son when we starts preschool.

The Good And The Beautiful Preschool

This preschool program is more advanced than Busy Toddler. While Busy Toddler is more play-based learning, this program is more of a true open and go workbook. I absolutely LOVED this program and credit it to helping us build a really solid foundation for letter sounds, letter recognition and learning to read! This Preschool Program covers phonics, letters, numbers, math, colors, and more!

This program really checks the boxes for a great language arts and math program and also includes an activity pack with fun hands-on learning games and bonus practice learning sheets.

Preschool Morning Binder

We LOVE this preschool morning binder to start our school day where we can talk about our feelings, the weather, the day of the week, the month, the date and focus on letter recognition, number recognition and more.

The Gentle and Classical Press Preschool Program

For those who love a Charlotte Mason approach to learning – we love The Gentle and Classical Press Preschool and Kinder programs!! This program integrates an artist study, nature study, a list of living books, simple handicrafts, memory statement cards that cover scripture, character, manners + hygiene, wonder tales, poetry and nursery rhymes along with storyboards with paper play to encourage play narration and engagement from the stories we read. This program can really span over the course of years and be enjoyed at any pace that works for your family! Did I say we love this program? We do!

Preschool Busy Books

Busy books are essentially educational books that keep a little one busy and engagement with Here are some of our favorites

Nutrition Schoolhouse: Construction Site Busy Book. Perfect for kids for love construction sites!

Montessori Busy Book: This book includes velcro pieces for hands on learning!

Educating Amy: This cloth quiet books are beautiful and a fun way to learn

Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum

The following is a list of resources and programs for both pre-k (or kindergarten prep) and kindergarten. Remember, that just because a program is labeled kindergarten you do not have to only use that program during the kindergarten years. Some children may be ready for a kindergarten program early or later than what a traditional school age defines as kindergarten. As a parent, you know your child best and what they are ready for academically so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and start a program whenever it fits your child best!

The Good and The Beautiful Kindergarten Prep Program

We love this short (31 lesson) kindergarten prep program from The Good and The Beautiful. I highly recommend ensuring the information in this program is mastered before starting the kindergarten program. Mastering this course first simply ensures that you child is ready for the kindergarten program and not frustrated by it. I do find the Good and The Beautiful Programs to be a bit advanced. If you’re curious what program is right for your child their website includes free PDF sample pages of each program to review! The Good and The Beautiful also offers their curriculum for FREE in PDF form for grade K and above. This is a wonderful option to download and test out a few pages before buying the full hard copy program.

The Good and The Beautiful Kindergarten Program

This school year 2023 / 2024 we will be starting The Good and the Beautiful Kindergarten Program and it looks so wonderful!

The Gentle and Classical Press Primer (Kindergarten) Program

This program is designed for kindergarten and beyond. Having used this program for a few years, I truly love it for the beautiful subjects such as art, nature, poetry, nursery rhymes and more. While it does include some letter and number introduction it is not a complete language arts or math program so I would recommend adding a language arts program and math program as well!

This is a wonderful program to introduce art, music and composer study, nature study, nursery rhymes, bible verses, poetry, character and more! This program follows a Charlotte Mason educational philosophy and is a really great program that we continue to use for years (not just one year and then we are done). We started this program for our Pre-k year and are continuing to work our way through and will continue to do so all through early elementary!

Kindergarten Morning Binder

This kindergarten morning binder is very similar to the preschool morning binder, yet with small adjustments on the pages and some new additional learning pages to meet the educational level of a kindergartener. You can order the menu covers from the Gentle and Classical Press website too!

Kindergarten Phonics Program and Early Readers

This is the phonics program and early readers we use and love! Dash Into Learning was created by a homeschool mama and the program, art and stories are so beautiful and enjoyable. Use code HGG15 to save 15% off anything from the Dash Into Learning website.

We do own a few Bob Book’s and also checkout some out from the library. While we have integrated Bob Books into our education as simply another book for my daughter to practice reading, you’ll notice that the art and storyline are not as quality as Dash Into Learning. As mentioned, we own some Bob Book’s and they are very popular! Yet if quality image and beautiful stories are important to you, definitely checkout Dash Into Learning!

Kindergarten Math

We are loving The Good and The Beautiful Math! Visually it’s beautiful to look at, I love the hands on learning and math activities / games and bonus – it’s free!! Well the digital version is! You can download and print out the Kindergarten math program for free, which is what we did at first to try out some lessons! We loved it so much we bought the full printed and bound program from The Good and The Beautiful! This program you can add on a math box but we already had these math counting sticks (as you can see in the image over) so just used what we already had on hand!

Handwriting

We LOVE this handwriting program from Dash Into Learning! It includes a great mix of tracing letters, drawing, mazes, games and so much more to really engage a child all while improving hand writing skills! Use code HGG15 for 15% off the Dash Into Learning Handwriting Program.

Social Studies Unit Study

This program called “Me on the Map” is new to us this year! It’s a wonderful social studies and geography unit study to learn all about a child’s place in their world! This program includes a book list and activities as you learn about your home, street, city, town, state, country, planet and more! We are also excited to begin the Human Body and Space unit study through our early education years from Little School of Smiths.

Emotional Resilience Program

We are integrating this Emotional Resilience Program into our 2023 / 2024 school year from Dash Into Learning! It’s a great program that teaches the importance of social emotional skills. Each story is designed to emphasize the thoughts and emotions of the characters so that the child can learn to connect with his or her own emotions! See more here and use code HGG15 for 15% off.

Nutrition Education

Apple Unit Study

Pumpkin Unit Study

I created both of these unit studies above, which are wonderful for the Fall season to learn about apples, pumpkins, their nutrition and health benefits, hands-on activities and recipes!

Learning Resources

Below is a list of additional hands on learning resources we use and love!

Spin-and-Read Montessori Phonetic Reading Blocks and CVC Phonics Wooden Toy Set

Ten Frame Math Manipulatives / Counting Pegs

Math Link Cubes

Base Ten Blocks For Math

World and USA Map for Kids

Daily Rhythm Cards – Visually organize your day!

More Resources From Nutrition Schoolhouse

Lovevery has also been a wonderful resource of use with their quality, educational toys!

Homeschool Discounts!

Here is a big list of discount codes for homeschool companies we love!

Dash Into Learning (Phonics Program & Early Readers) – Use code HGG15 for 15% off

Nutrition Schoolhouse (Educational Programs That Inspire A Love of Fruits and Veggies) – Use code HGG10 for 10% off

Educating Amy (Quiet Books) – Use code: HEALTHYGROCERYGIRL for 15% off

Sarah’s Silks – Use code: HGG10 for 10% off

The Library Is An Awesome Resource for Homeschoolers!

Another AMAZING way to save money with homeschooling is the library! Most of the books that our programs have on their book lists, we can checkout for free from the library! Reading together and reading aloud is one of our FAVORITE ways to learn and spend quality time together as a family. I highly recommend getting a library card and utilizing the amazing resource that is your local library!!

Let’s Chat Homeschool!

If you ever want to ask me a homeschooling question, I’d love to chat! You can e-mail me here!!

I created Nutrition Schoolhouse because of my passion for good nutrition, how important it is for growing bodies and minds and from seeing a lack of educational nutrition content for kids. 

With Nutrition Schoolhouse, we hope to be a wonderful addition to your child’s learning (whether you homeschool or not!) and spark an interest into the wonderful world of fruits, veggies and other nourishing foods!

APPLES STUDY

Our recent addition to the Nutrition Schoolhouse shop is our Apple Study! This 26 page Apple Study is a great way to learn about apples through paper play, reading books, making apple recipes, apple activities, learning about an apple’s life cycle and so much more.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Apple Nutrition Education
• Apple Health Benefits
• Apple Anatomy
• Apple Life Cycle
• Apple Geography
• Apple Number Tracing
• Apple Letter Tracing
• Apple Matching Game
• Apple Recipes
• Apple Activities
• Apple Book List
• Apple Rhymes & Poems
• Apple Paper Play
• And More!

My daughter, who is 4.5, LOVES the Apple Paper Play! She also loves the apple recipes!!

You can learn all about + shop this new Apple Study here!

These DIY place cards can be made from flowers outside and whatever paper you have, making it so you don’t have to go out and buy anything. Making fun and beautiful things from what you already have is a great way to celebrate and save money!

See below to view or print these DIY instructions! If you make these place cards, please share a photo on Instagram and tag me @HealthyGroceryGirl so I can easily find and like your creations! It’s so fun to connect with you and see what recipes you’re enjoying.

For more HGG recipe ideas you can also visit the HGG YouTube channel here! 

Print

Lemon Place Cards

Servings 0

Author Healthy Grocery Girl

Ingredients

• Limoneira classic lemons
• Spring flowers
• Name / message cards
• String / twine

Instructions

• Start by punching a hole in your name cards.
• Then, tie string around each lemon.
• Add your card to the string and tie to secure.
• Add flowers to the inside of the tied string and your cards are ready to be used!

If you love using citrus for every day items, check out these other easy & fun DIY citrus ideas! At Healthy Grocery Girl, we want to help you life a healthy lifestyle and enjoy some affordable, at home family projects!

DIY Citrus Gift Tags

Dried Citrus Rose Bouquet

DIY Lemon Toner & Lemon Sugar Scrub

This video was created for the Limoneira YouTube Channel! Megan Roosevelt, RDN is the Spokesperson for Limoneira. To see all our tips & videos makes sure to visit & subscribe to the Limoneira YouTube Channel! 

Playroom + Home Learning Space Tour!

Originally this room was a multi-purpose guest, play and exercise room and it was just too crowded. We moved our elliptical upstairs – still can’t believe Aaron and I did that together all during one nap time! We also brought the queen mattress upstairs for my daughter’s bed and then we decided to build a daybed for the playroom! We really only have my mom stay with us just a few times a year. So we wanted a comfortable place for her to sleep but also a bed that didn’t take up too much room so we could maximize the play space! The daybed works great because it’s like a comfy couch for reading! 

I definitely like neutral tones and am inspired by Montessori-style learning. We do not follow a Montessori lifestyle 100% but you can see a few Montessori inspired elements throughout the room. I linked sources for as many things as I could! I hope you enjoy today’s blog post! 

Play Kitchen

My kids both love this kitchen and make many meals here every day, from pretend pie to soup. I also love this letter-board from Letterfolk – you can change out the words but honestly, I forget to so it stays the same most of the year!

DIY Chalkboard

This DIY project turned out so good! Aaron and I made this chalkboard, and it’s really fun for drawing on and my daughter loves to practice writing her name and her letters. I wanted a schoolhouse green color for the chalkboard and it turned out so well. The paint we used for the chalkboard and the stain for the wood trim are both from Ecos Paints. We love Ecos Paints, they are non-toxic and free of VOCs and harsh odors. They have a ton of paint colors to choose from but you can also color match to get the shade you like which is what I did to get this exact green color I wanted for the chalkboard.

Chalkboard + Bed Paint Details

– Ecos Paints Chalkboard Paint

– Ecos Paints Craft Stain

– Ecos Paints Satin Varnish

– 1/4″ 4×4 Plywood Panel

– 6′ 1×3 Pine Board

Montessori & Schoolhouse Inspiration 

The banner on our chalkboard is made with cards from a company called Kindergarten Tool Kit. She makes minimalist preschool learning tools for ages 2-6. Some of her other cards include shapes, numbers, letters, words… We use them all the time and love them. 

This neutral flag banner wraps mostly around the room. It’s really neutral but adds some whimsical fun to the space. 

I also LOVE this schoolhouse clock above the chalkboard! The dolly or “buddy stroller” it’s called that you see in the photo above BOTH my kids love, they play with it every day taking their dolls, stuffed animals even balls on a walk ha! 

Day Bed

I found a similar looking daybed online as inspiration and my husband re-created it using the same stain as the chalkboard. Aaron did such a good job building this bed!! It’s so cute! 

Our mattress is from Avocado Green Mattress, we love their mattresses and pillows. Avocado mattresses are made with natural, renewable and certified organic materials. They are also the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. This is the twin, we have a king in our bedroom and my daughter also loves her avocado toddler pillow. Definitely check them out if you’re looking for a new pillow or mattress!

Click here to check out Avocado Green Mattress!

Lighting

The light for this room was a bit tricky because we don’t have a light fixture in this room! So we decided to hang a pendant light and to keep the cord from being too obvious we kept the light in the corner close to bed.

Light Details!

– Basket Weave Bamboo Pendant Shade

– White Electrical Cord Swag Kit

– Cord Cover

– Lighting Canopy Kit

Book Wall

I love a good book wall! I like to rotate the books and make fun book walls with our holiday books. It just makes our books feel new and exciting again. You can explore all our favorite kids book on our Amazon Shop page here! The banner and pennants are from Letters and Laurels! 

Wallpaper

Okay so now you’re probably noticing the wall paper!! I really wanted wallpaper for this room. We have never put up wallpaper before so it was a learning process but we love how it turned out! It’s a really simple pattern but also adds a lot fun to this space. 

The wallpaper is from Livette’s wallpaper and I chose it because of both the cute design and also that it’s made with 100% non-woven material that doesn’t contain PVC, plasticizers, glass fibers, heavy metals or formaldehyde. The inks used to print the wallpaper patterns also have GREENGUARD Certification. All important elements for selecting a non-toxic wallpaper. They have traditional wallpaper and also peel-and-stick style wallpaper. They have so many cute wallpaper prints, you can explore more here!

Toy Shelf

We added 2 cube shelves to organize toys and extra books. I was inspired by Montessori style book / toy shelves and wanted everything to be reachable at the kids level. Most of our toys are from Lovevery! We LOVE lovevery toys – they are so well made, educational and really engage my kids to think and problem solve. The Lovevery books are also awesome and include photos of real kids experiencing every day life – whether it’s a trip to the park or making muffins, my kids love to see others kids doing real-life things! 

I also love this “Time To Play” art print, which I got from Minted. We love minted for art – so many cute pieces! This print you can get in a variety of sizes, select from a bunch of different frames and then they mail it to you! Such an easy way to add framed art to your room. 

Pikler

Lastly – when we really need to get the wiggles out, we bring out the Pikler Triangle with the ladder and arch from Wood and Hearts and the kids love playing on this. It helps develop gross motor skills, physical strength and learning through play. I love watching them figure out how to make their way from one side to the other and they have so much fun crawling all over this.

I am so, so happy with how this space turned out. It’s our playroom, our dance party room, where we read so many books, make pretend pie and it’s been fun to share a tour with you! I will also be homeschooling E for preschool this Fall and wanted a fun room for homeschool. I like having arts and crafts and all learning supplies organized in one space. Thanks so much for reading today’s post – I hope you found it helpful if you’re creating a little play or learning space as well! Have a wonderful day! xx Megan 

We moved into our new home this year, and our living room had this great big blank wall. I wanted fireplace and have always loved the look of a shiplap fireplace with a rustic, unique mantel. I searched for “barn wood beam mantels” in California and found this amazing company that sells exactly what I wanted! Next was finding that perfect fireplace insert. After spending time searching online, I fell in love with this fireplace insert from ModernBlaze.com.

Often with projects I have the design ideas or inspiration and Aaron is the one who brings it to life! So once we had our key elements… mantel and fireplace, we were ready to build! I’ll let Aaron take over the blog now to share his thoughts / process on how he built our custom Shiplap electric fireplace with barn wood beam mantel! Before Aaron takes over the blog… here is a BEFORE photo of our living room!

HOW TO VIDEO!

Aaron’s Blog Takeover:

I decided to build the frame for this project in the garage so that I was close to my chop saw and because I built the frame over the course of a few days and I did not want all the noise and construction around the kids play zone.

For the frame I used 2×6’s and 2×4’s where I needed strength and 2×3’s everywhere else, to save money and overall weight. I also kept the frame in two pieces to make it easier to carry in and install.

Once the framework was in place I installed the fireplace. This Dynasty Harmony fireplace came with an easy to follow guide for what size the framing should be. So it was a simple install, but definitely a two person job getting the fireplace in position.

The fireplace comes with small clear and black rocks for the base and logs or large crystals, we decided on the logs for our preferred look. We loved being able to create our own custom fire bed and have the option to change the look overtime. Personalization is a great feature of the Harmony fireplace, with many different flame and base colors to choose from.

After the fireplace was installed and tested, I added the shiplap. First, I took the shiplap up the fireplace halfway to the mantel height. I needed the shiplap in place behind the mantel and also needed access into the frame to securely bolt the enormous mantel.

I have no idea how heavy the mantel is however, it has to be over 200 pounds. I built a hinged frame to lift and hold the mantel in position while I bolted it in place. I used 3 six inch lag bolts as well as two metal pipes reaching all the way back to the wall.

After the mantel was secured in place, the rest of the project was smooth sailing. I added the remaining shiplap, filled in gaps at the corners and painted.

We are very happy with our fireplace choice, the Dynasty Harmony BEF, which we were gifted from ModernBlaze.com. It is easy to install and operate, energy efficient and has a variety of options for customizing the look. In addition to controls hidden on the front of the fireplace, the Harmony BEF also comes with a remote control. The remote controls all of the features including the 3 different Flame Colors and 13 different Bed Color Options. Our favorite choice is the simple orange flame with the bed colors off, which we think provides the most realistic look.

This fireplace also has a heater which will be so nice on chilly fall and winter days! What’s also great about the heater is that it’s front facing, which means you do not need to add a vent . However, even with the front facing heater this fireplace still mounts flush and has a thin trim which something you don’t often find with electric fireplaces.

As you can see this fireplace has a beautiful modern look, it’s so easy to install, turn on / off and adds such a cozy feel to our home!

Important Update on Trim Size & Installation: 

This electric fireplace model has since been updated. As a result, the trim size & installation instructions have changed slightly. Please refer to the manufacturer’s images and manual provided on Modern Blaze’s website for an accurate representation of the current trim size and proper installation.

Shop This Project!

Shiplap

Wood For Fireplace

Electric Fireplace

Paint

More Project Photos!

That’s A Wrap On This Project!

Aaron did an amazing job on this fireplace! I cannot wait to decorate for Fall and Christmas and all the Holidays! If you have any questions on this project, you can contact us here! 

Until next time, come hang with me on social! Follow me on our Healthy Grocery Girl Instagram here and also my personal Instagram here and also subscribe to the HGG YouTube Channel to follow all our Home DIY, Design and Lifestyle projects!

Why does gut health matter? Your microbiome, the population of microbes (bacteria) that live in your gut, plays a key role in your immune health, digestive health, mood, energy levels and skin health. Did you know that eighty-percent of your immune health resides in your gut? Did you also know that the gut is often referred to as “the second brain” because of how closely gut health and cognitive health are related? Eating a diet that supports gut health is crucial for overall health!⁠

This recipe is also easy to adapt and adjust to be paleo or 100% plant-based – so feel feel to change up the ingredients so it works for your health needs & dietary preferences!

Print

Soup For Gut Health

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Healthy Grocery Girl

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large onion
• 3 celery stalks
• 4 carrots
• 1/2 pound chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 24 ounces bone broth or vegetable broth
• 3 leaves kale
• 1 zucchini
• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard optional
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 can white beans drained & rinsed

Instructions

• Begin by chopping the onion, celery, and carrots.
• Add the EVOO to an instant pot; set to saute.
• Add the onion, celery, carrots and all of the seasonings, saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add 2 cups filtered water and the chicken breast. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
• While the chicken and veggies cook, wash, de-vein and chop the kale. Then chop the zucchini and cauliflower.
• Once the instant pot has cooked for 10 minutes, let it sit and naturally depressurize for 5 mins. Then carefully vent the remaining pressure and remove the lid. Remove the chicken breast and shred.
• Set the Instant Pot back to saute, and add the shredded chicken back to the pot with the chopped kale, zucchini and cauliflower.
• Finally add the bone broth, coconut milk, mustard, lemon juice and white beans.
• Stir and cook on saute 5 to 8 minutes.
• Serve up and enjoy

I LOVE being a mom. It has made me so incredibly happy and so incredibly tired at the same time! I never shy away from sharing real life mom moments on Instagram stories because I believe it helps us not feel alone in our motherhood journey. So today on the blog, I thought I would share 6 things I’ve learned going from one kid to two. Some of these are things that a new mom may learn no matter how many kids she has! As always, I’d love to hear from you! After you read today’s post, hop on over to Instagram and share with me in the comments here [link to IG post] what you’ve learned since you became a mom!

I’ve Never Been More Tired

From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep at night, I am in mom-mode or working. There is more love and also more laundry, more cleaning, more emotions and more needs. Sleep is essential; however, the quality and quantity of sleep changes when you become a mom. I struggled with postpartum anxiety with my firstborn. My anxiety was so bad that some nights I couldn’t fall asleep. Eventually, I learned techniques to help me fall asleep and fall back asleep in the middle of the night. As a second-time mom, I still have restless nights, however, I am generally sleeping much better than I did with my daughter. Here are a few things I do to help me sleep better!

• Epsom salt bath a few nights a week after the kids go to sleep
• A cup of chamomile tea and a cup of magnesium powder + water each evening
• Unplug from social and email at least 1 hour before bed

Nourish, Nourish, Nourish 

I’m not going to lie, meals made with real, whole foods take time. I’ve learned to create some simple meals that are either quick or easy to make. A typical day for me looks like: morning smoothie and coffee, mid-morning eggs with tortilla or toast, lunch is usually soup (I meal prep a batch of soup once a week, so it’s easy to heat and eat), afternoon snack is an apple and almonds and usually a piece of chocolate, dinner rotates – usually we make something you’ll find on the HGG blog! Some dinner favorites are salmon, green beans and sweet potato or tacos filled with beans, sweet potatoes, lots of veggies and avocado if ripe and in season. I am in a season of expending extra energy and getting less rest, so in addition to trying to eat as many nourishing foods as possible, I also take supplements. My daily routine includes: Baby & Me 2, Vitamin D3 and MegaFlora Probiotic for Baby & Me, all by MegaFood®, a brand I trust.

MegaFood crafts premium supplements with key nutrients added to  real food from trusted farm partners. I love MegaFlora Probiotic for Baby & Me, which supports the immune health of a pregnant mother and developing baby.* MegaFlora Probiotic for Baby & Me contains a broad range of the brand’s proprietary blend of 14 unique strains of 30 billion probiotics,  and ginger to soothe upset stomach and promote healthy digestive function. Probiotics may help aid nutrient absorption, and studies have shown that intake of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (HN001) during the last trimester and early breastfeeding supports the child’s developing immune system.* 

One of my passions is learning about products that make it easier to live a healthy lifestyle and sharing them with you. Another MegaFood product I wish existed when I was pregnant is the new Morning Sickness Nausea Relief* Soft Chews! These easy-to-eat chews combine two well-known anti-nausea ingredients: ginger and vitamin B6 to help alleviate nausea related to morning sickness.* Even though I am not pregnant, I find myself grabbing one of these when I have an upset stomach.* They taste great, and if you know an expecting mama, these would be a great mama-to-be gift! 

Create A Routine Then Be Flexible

Without a routine, the days would just feel like a circus. It’s already wild, so we try and follow a schedule. I believe that having a schedule and boundaries is helpful for little ones. It helps them know what’s coming next, gives them comfort and familiarity, and for my daughter – she likes to help out and be involved in the daily routine! While this makes most days feel like Groundhog Day, it does help us plan and accomplish one or two work tasks a day. For example, I know that nap time for my toddler is usually from 1-3 pm, and my son’s nap may cross-over for an hour during that time, so I have one solid quiet hour of uninterrupted work each day. We definitely have to work more than one hour a day, and we fit it in here and there in 30-40 minute blocks when we can trade-off between kids. Other times, the kids are just right by us as we shoot content. Naturally, I have learned to become very efficient when I work!

Each Baby Is Different

I would say that my kids have a lot of similarities from how they nurse, how they sleep, to looking like twins (only 22 months apart!). However, they do have some distinct differences and I love watching their personalities develop as they grow! I’ve learned that just because I did something a certain way for my daughter, it doesn’t mean that is what works best for my son. Because of that, I adjust how I care for each kid based on what works well for them!

Mother Yourself 

It’s not easy fitting in self-care as a mom. However, I try to do something for myself every day. Some nights I get lucky and can squeeze in a 10-minute bath. Some days self-care looks like stretches and yoga next to my daughter while she plays. Other days it’s eating something delicious that makes me happy!

I also try and give myself grace. Going from zero to one kid was a huge change for me. With two, while there are new challenges and less rest, I find that my perspective is different. This season is a phase – it doesn’t last forever. I tell myself this, not to deny my present emotions but to help me find inner strength. Life with littles is often survival mode! Remember to be kind to yourself, especially if you’re not sleeping through the night. You are doing the best you can and you’re doing a great job, mama! 

Find Your Tribe 

Having mom friends who will encourage you, support you or just listen to you is so important. Motherhood is not meant to happen alone. We need a village, we need support and we need to support each other – judgement-free. Different seasons of life may call for different types of friends and that’s okay. It’s also okay if friendships look different once you become a mom! You may not have time to meet-up, grab coffee or talk on the phone. True friends will still be there for you even if you meet less and chat less. 

I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget to head to Instagram to share with me what you’ve learned since becoming a mama of one, two or beyond! 

Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by MegaFood – a brand I love and products I genuinely use everyday! That said, I’m excited to be sharing a discount code for 10% off any MegaFood product using code HGG10.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

POSTPARTUM NUTRITION TIPS

Increase Your Vegetable & Fiber Intake

Nutritious and fibrous foods are crucial to keeping your body well nourished, full and maintaining a healthy digestive system. This increase will promote regular bowel movements as well as keep your blood sugars from spiking throughout the day. The average American consumes half of the daily recommended amount of fiber, only about 15 grams! Aim to consume 25-40 grams daily. Some incredible, high fiber foods include oats, beans, whole grains, apples, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, dark leafy greens, potatoes, beets and carrots! Here at HGG, our recipes are packed with nutritious foods and fiber! Check out some recipes here.

Consume Enough Protein

Did you know that moms who are nursing need more protein? The average protein intake for women is about 46 grams and nursing moms need about 65 grams per day! Protein is so important postpartum to help recover and repair all your cells from giving birth. Your body just went through a lot and needs all the assistance it can get! Your baby will also benefit from your protein intake because they need it for optimum cell growth and immune function. Choose lean sources of protein such as beans, tofu and yogurt as well as chicken, fish and eggs if you consume animal products. 

Stay Hydrated

Hydration is key to avoiding constipation and it also supports breastfeeding. You’re already extremely tired from everything motherhood brings and dehydration can add to that by making you feel sluggish and slowing down your metabolism. Aim to consume 12, 8 ounce glasses a day if you are breastfeeding. One easy way to achieve this goal is to keep drinking until you are no longer thirsty and your urine is clearer in color. 

Limit Added Sugar

Added sugar causes your glucose levels to rise and plummet. This is exactly what you don’t want to happen while trying to stay awake and nourish your baby. These sugar spikes and crashes can also effect mood and hormones, which are already all over the place. Added sugar also takes a toll on your immune system, which you want in good condition to stay healthy while taking care of a newborn. Food labels have transitioned to showing the amount in grams of added sugar in food, so check these out before buying your convenience foods. 

Find Ways To Relieve Stress

Lack of sleep and a new schedule, can make you feel overtired, overworked and completely stressed! Finding ways to relieve your stress is such a crucial aspect to taking care of yourself postpartum. Some simple ways you can do this are to get outside for some fresh air, take a short walk, do some yoga or stretching, have a chat with a good friend to reconnect, put on some of your favorite music or take a moment to journal down all your thoughts and emotions. Implementing some of these ideas throughout your week will help relieve stress and give you some moments for self care! If you are struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety that is out of control, reach out to someone you trust as well as a medical care provider to get some help. It is so important to take care of yourself and know that you are doing a great job! 

Want More?

We want the transition from pregnancy to motherhood to be as easy as possible for you! That is why we’ve created a Postpartum Nutrition Plan that contains educational information ranging from Body After Baby, Safe Supplement Use and 20 Plant-Focused Recipes & Speedy Snacks! This guide has everything you could need or think of and we can’t wait for you to use it! To get info on how to get the Postpartum Nutrition Plan here.

Twenty-Five Eight is the gift she can now offer all mamas throughout their motherhood journey: before, during, and long after baby. This business is her way of taking care of a community of women. From her experience, these nourishing meals are what made her feel whole again. In her months of struggling with breastfeeding coupled with sleepless nights, nourishment was what she looked forward to the most. With each bite of intentionally made meals, she slowly began to feel restored. She gained a whole new appreciation for what her body is capable of achieving when it is fueled with whole, unadulterated foods.

Erica’s aim is to empower every woman to intuitively trust what her body guides her to eat. It is her job to focus on the how. She never criminalizes entire food groups, but will always use the most pure and unprocessed version of each ingredient. She limits the places, processes, and packages to an absolute minimum to ensure that their meals only include the most vitality-rich ingredients. Being a mother is a full-time job. The meals they make are symbolic for the support, love, and understanding they so desperately need while navigating on this incredible journey.

Podcast Highlights

– Erica shares her beautiful birth story

– Postpartum and breastfeeding journey

– Struggling with identity as mom and ways to balance mom, wife and business woman

– All about her incredible meal delivery company Twenty-Five Eight

– Role of food in each stage including postpartum recovery and breastfeeding production

Listen Here: 

STAY CONNECTED WITH ERICA!

Erica’s Website: www.twenty-fiveeight.com

Erica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twenty_five_eight

Erica’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twenty-fiveeightLA

In Case You Missed It:

There are so many incredible past episodes to catch up on! Click the links below to listen to any and all episodes now!

Episode 1: Unmedicated Births & Creating A Successful Organic Beauty Brand with Emily Silverstein

Episode 2: Overcoming Fertility Struggles, Balancing Motherhood, Career & Healthy Living with Heather Lake

Episode 3: Hypobirthing & How To Prepare For A Positive Birth Experience with Siobhan Miller

Episode 4: Home Births. Healthy Family Recipes & Pursuing Your Passions As A Mom with Catherine McCord

Episode 5: A Discussion On Birth Centers, Home Births & Midwifery Care with Hayley Oakes

Episode 6: Birth Stories, Mama + Work Blend & How Reality TV Prepared Her For Motherhood with Desiree Siegfried

Episode 7: Creating Peace In The Midst Of Messy Motherhood with Kathryn from Do It On A Dime

Episode 8: Endometriosis: What It Is, Resources, TTC & Pregnancy with Jeni Hollifield, RDN

Episode 9: What I’ve Learned As A First Time Mom with Megan Roosevelt, RDN

Episode 10: How To Keep The Peace With Toddlers & Kids with Caitlyn Doerksen

Episode 11: Pre & Postnatal Nutrition & Baby Led Weaning with Whitney English, MS, RDN, CPT

Episode 12: Postpartum Anxiety, PPD, Birth Trauma & Breastfeeding with Carley Hall

Episode 13: NICU Mama & Postpartum Support with Jess Baumgardner

Episode 14: IVF Nutrition & Finding Connection Through Infertility with Liz Shaw, RDN

Episode 15: Returning To Work After Having A Baby with Melissa & Brittany

Episode 16: Mom Life With A Child With Special Needs with Annya White-Brown

Episode 17: Anxiety & Depression Support In Pregnancy & Motherhood with Suzannah Neufeld, MFT, C-IAYT, CEDS

Want More?!

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