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Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
Water kefir!
If you've been reading other blogs like mine, you probably already know what water kefir is. In case you haven't, though, I'll tell you. Water kefir is a drink made from sugar water, which is cultured with kefir grains. These grains are composed of yeasts and good bacteria. I don't totally understand how it works, but then, I'm not supposed to. There are lots of great posts about water kefir that might understand it better than I do (other bloggers), and I'll link to those at the end.
So, why drink water kefir? It has more probiotics in it than yogurt, and some sources even say more than traditional milk kefir (that was in one of my Health News Tuesdays links). It is a super healthy drink that can help restore your good gut flora and is rumored to help allergies and various digestive upsets. It also is slightly carbonated, and is therefore a healthy substitute for pop! That's how I got Ben interested, initially.
There is some controversy about whether or not this is alcoholic. Some say it must be; but tests have shown it to be less than 0.5% if at all. It does smell sort of alcoholic because of the yeasts used in culturing. But it's never made us even the slightest bit tipsy and we don't drink at all, so if it WERE alcoholic, you better believe an 8 - 12 oz. bottle would do something to us. There's a link on that at the end, too.
There are many different recipes for making kefir out there. Some people kefir freshly pressed juice. Using a wedge of lemon and/or dried fruit is very common too. When I first started reading about it, I was pretty intimidated by all the variations and the many different things required. I just wanted something simple and straightforward, at least to start! So I'll give you our simplest recipe here:
*3 cups filtered water
*1/2 cup white sugar (most of it will be eaten by the yeast)
*1 tbsp. water kefir grains
*4 - 6 oz. organic apple juice
Mix together the water and sugar in a quart mason jar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the kefir grains with a plastic spoon (don't use any metal). Cover the jar loosely (we use a piece of fabric attached with a rubberband, so nothing can get in, but the gases can escape). It should ferment about 2 days, less if you live in a warm climate. Generally 2 days seems about right, but you can start with 1 if you think it'll be too much. When it's done fermenting, strain the grains out and set them aside to start another batch (they need to be kept in sugar water if you're not using them again right away, and refrigerating is a good idea too). Pour the kefir into bottles (we bought some at a local brewing store) and add apple juice. Seal tightly. Let the bottles stand on the counter, sealed, about 2 days longer. Then refrigerate. This is important because if you leave them sitting out they'll continue to ferment and could explode. Ben says when he releases the cap it sounds like "a gunshot." The drink will be lightly sweet and carbonated!
That is our simplest concoction. I'd like to experiment in the future with using ginger (to make a ginger ale, sort of), lemon-lime, and grape juice. I think I'm going to do grape juice next because it's the simplest. You can add the fruit juice to the original ferment, but then your kefir grains get stained. Best to keep them in plain sugar water and avoid that problem.
Have you ever heard of water kefir? Are you interested to try?
Resources:
Cheeseslave's How To
Kelly the Kitchen Kop on Alcohol Content
Kitchen Steward on Kefir Making
Dom's How-to Website (one of the most well-known on the web)
Fermented Treasures (one place you can buy grains)
Kefir Making (yahoo group, you can usually find free grains here, plus help)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Teaching Kids about Chores
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How we're teaching Bekah chores, the ways she helps us, pictures of her helping.
Teaching kids about chores is very important, from a young age. Children must learn personal responsibility and good stewardship as soon as they are able to understand the concepts (which is a lot younger than some of you know). It's extremely important to teach children well so that they grow up responsible, helpful, and generally well-mannered.
Bekah, at 22 months, is already a big help around the house. Most kids, somewhere around 18 months, start a highly imitative phase, and they want to "help" you with everything. Some parents are tempted to brush them off because, yes, it can make your chores take longer to let them help. But it's crucial to let them do so for several reasons.
1) Helping takes advantage of their natural curiosity to learn new skills
Kids really love to learn. That's part of the reason why they start imitating you in the first place. If you can give your child an age-appropriate job whenever possible, your child will be challenged and will continue to learn new skills, and hone existing ones. This is crucial to their development as a productive member of society.
2) Helping teaches them they have a place in the family
In our family, everyone pitches in. No one person is fully responsible for each task. We share the responsibility for what needs done. Giving a young child a chance to help teaches them that they are part of the family and that they need to pitch in, too. Luckily, toddlers are only too eager. Allowing them to help makes them feel grown up and like they are really a part of the family. This will make it easier to teach them more responsibility later, because they'll already understand that all members of the family pitch in, and they'll have experience doing it.
3) Helping validates their autonomy and efforts
Toddlers are not babies, as many are quick to remind you. They want to "do it themselves" very often. Allowing a toddler to do a job makes her feel strong and capable. Our job as parents is to make our toddlers' world a place where they can do much more than they cannot do whenever possible. Allowing the toddler to help reminds her that she is an individual person who can do things for herself.
4) Helping gets them conditioned to doing "chores"
When children are older, we almost universally will ask them to do chores around the house -- their laundry, setting the table, sweeping floors, feeding animals, etc. By allowing them to help now, they are learning about how to do those jobs and what it's like to feel included. If a child grows up "always" having helped, they will be more used to simply doing so when we would choose to assign formal chores, and chores will not seem so overwhelming or unusual.
5) Helping allows them to spend more time with you
When there is a lot to get done (grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, etc.) it can be hard to find time to spend with your children. But if you can involve them in what you are doing, you can still spend time with them while you do what you must. You can teach children silly songs about sweeping the floor, play games while stirring cookie dough, count the socks in the laundry, etc. For me personally, this is a huge reason to let Bekah help. I personally find most baby games and toys boring, but I could find ways to let her help me all day long. I love to include her in what I'm doing, so this is a great way to spend time with her that's interesting to both of us.
All that said, how can kids help? It seems like kids as young as 18 months can't really do much. However, I've found that not to be true. My daughter has become VERY helpful, actually, and I mean she actually is helping me, not making things take longer! Here is a list of the types of things very young kids may be able to do (keep in mind your own family situation and your child's abilities; these are the things my daughter does at 22 months):
*Empty plastic or metal items from the dishwasher and put them away in low cabinets or drawers
*Put laundry from the washer into the dryer (handed to child by mom or dad)
*Sweep floors (this needs a LOT of guidance or the dirt just goes everywhere)
*Feed pets (watch carefully, show scoop for food)
*Tear lettuce for salad
*Add chopped vegetables to bowls (teach the child to wait until the knife is done and the vegetables are moved to one side)
*Fold laundry (hand to mom to fold)
*Put laundry away in low drawers/closet
*Remove own clothing and put in laundry basket or hamper
*Pick up toys from the floor and put in bins or toy box
*Give a pacifier or toy back to younger child
*Wipe up spills
*Fetch diapers, blankets, etc. for younger child
*Dump pre-measured foods into a bowl (i.e. parent fills measuring cup, child adds)
*Stir cold foods (cake batter, salads, etc.)
*Harvest from the garden in the summer (teach colors, i.e. "pick the red tomatoes")
There are probably many more ways that I can't think of right now, but Bekah has helped do all of these things at one point or another -- sometimes without my knowledge!
The other week I was emptying the dishwasher and feeling rather annoyed and busy. Bekah came over and wanted to help. (She will sign "help" if she wants to help me.) I said "No, mommy is busy, just let me do it." She completely ignored me. She picked up a cutting board (plastic) and opened up the cabinet it goes in and put it away! Recently she's also learned how to tear the salad leaves into bite-sized pieces, instead of just tearing them in half like she used to. The more she helps, the more she learns about how things are done.
Children -- ALL people -- learn best by DOING. Repetition is key, and observation doesn't hurt. As Bekah observes me doing certain likes (like tearing salad leaves smaller), she practices doing it herself and learns to do it "right." She's also learned to pick up a cutting board and push all the food into a bowl instead of grabbing several handfuls. Her skills will be honed as she does more and more. Whenever possible, I try to give her a job to do. It makes her feel included, and it actually staves off a lot of tantrums that would result from being ignored. It's also setting her up for a future of being responsible.
When our children are older, they'll be expected to pick up after themselves. That is, put their dishes in the dishwasher, clothes in the hamper, toys put away, any messes cleaned up. We already make Bekah clean up her own messes whenever possible, or at least help. We'll also teach them to do all different types of chores. Girls will learn to mow the lawn and do hard labor; boys will learn to cook and sew. By including them in all these types of chores now (Bekah enjoys cooking and pretending to sew just as much as tramping through the garden), we're setting them up to continue helping.
How do you teach your children about chores? At what age did they start helping and what types of things did they do?
If you enjoy this blog, subscribe and have it emailed to you everyday!
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
How we're teaching Bekah chores, the ways she helps us, pictures of her helping.
Teaching kids about chores is very important, from a young age. Children must learn personal responsibility and good stewardship as soon as they are able to understand the concepts (which is a lot younger than some of you know). It's extremely important to teach children well so that they grow up responsible, helpful, and generally well-mannered.
Bekah, at 22 months, is already a big help around the house. Most kids, somewhere around 18 months, start a highly imitative phase, and they want to "help" you with everything. Some parents are tempted to brush them off because, yes, it can make your chores take longer to let them help. But it's crucial to let them do so for several reasons.
1) Helping takes advantage of their natural curiosity to learn new skills
Kids really love to learn. That's part of the reason why they start imitating you in the first place. If you can give your child an age-appropriate job whenever possible, your child will be challenged and will continue to learn new skills, and hone existing ones. This is crucial to their development as a productive member of society.
2) Helping teaches them they have a place in the family
In our family, everyone pitches in. No one person is fully responsible for each task. We share the responsibility for what needs done. Giving a young child a chance to help teaches them that they are part of the family and that they need to pitch in, too. Luckily, toddlers are only too eager. Allowing them to help makes them feel grown up and like they are really a part of the family. This will make it easier to teach them more responsibility later, because they'll already understand that all members of the family pitch in, and they'll have experience doing it.
3) Helping validates their autonomy and efforts
Toddlers are not babies, as many are quick to remind you. They want to "do it themselves" very often. Allowing a toddler to do a job makes her feel strong and capable. Our job as parents is to make our toddlers' world a place where they can do much more than they cannot do whenever possible. Allowing the toddler to help reminds her that she is an individual person who can do things for herself.
4) Helping gets them conditioned to doing "chores"
When children are older, we almost universally will ask them to do chores around the house -- their laundry, setting the table, sweeping floors, feeding animals, etc. By allowing them to help now, they are learning about how to do those jobs and what it's like to feel included. If a child grows up "always" having helped, they will be more used to simply doing so when we would choose to assign formal chores, and chores will not seem so overwhelming or unusual.
5) Helping allows them to spend more time with you
When there is a lot to get done (grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, etc.) it can be hard to find time to spend with your children. But if you can involve them in what you are doing, you can still spend time with them while you do what you must. You can teach children silly songs about sweeping the floor, play games while stirring cookie dough, count the socks in the laundry, etc. For me personally, this is a huge reason to let Bekah help. I personally find most baby games and toys boring, but I could find ways to let her help me all day long. I love to include her in what I'm doing, so this is a great way to spend time with her that's interesting to both of us.
All that said, how can kids help? It seems like kids as young as 18 months can't really do much. However, I've found that not to be true. My daughter has become VERY helpful, actually, and I mean she actually is helping me, not making things take longer! Here is a list of the types of things very young kids may be able to do (keep in mind your own family situation and your child's abilities; these are the things my daughter does at 22 months):
*Empty plastic or metal items from the dishwasher and put them away in low cabinets or drawers
*Put laundry from the washer into the dryer (handed to child by mom or dad)
*Sweep floors (this needs a LOT of guidance or the dirt just goes everywhere)
*Feed pets (watch carefully, show scoop for food)
*Tear lettuce for salad
*Add chopped vegetables to bowls (teach the child to wait until the knife is done and the vegetables are moved to one side)
*Fold laundry (hand to mom to fold)
*Put laundry away in low drawers/closet
*Remove own clothing and put in laundry basket or hamper
*Pick up toys from the floor and put in bins or toy box
*Give a pacifier or toy back to younger child
*Wipe up spills
*Fetch diapers, blankets, etc. for younger child
*Dump pre-measured foods into a bowl (i.e. parent fills measuring cup, child adds)
*Stir cold foods (cake batter, salads, etc.)
*Harvest from the garden in the summer (teach colors, i.e. "pick the red tomatoes")
There are probably many more ways that I can't think of right now, but Bekah has helped do all of these things at one point or another -- sometimes without my knowledge!
The other week I was emptying the dishwasher and feeling rather annoyed and busy. Bekah came over and wanted to help. (She will sign "help" if she wants to help me.) I said "No, mommy is busy, just let me do it." She completely ignored me. She picked up a cutting board (plastic) and opened up the cabinet it goes in and put it away! Recently she's also learned how to tear the salad leaves into bite-sized pieces, instead of just tearing them in half like she used to. The more she helps, the more she learns about how things are done.
Children -- ALL people -- learn best by DOING. Repetition is key, and observation doesn't hurt. As Bekah observes me doing certain likes (like tearing salad leaves smaller), she practices doing it herself and learns to do it "right." She's also learned to pick up a cutting board and push all the food into a bowl instead of grabbing several handfuls. Her skills will be honed as she does more and more. Whenever possible, I try to give her a job to do. It makes her feel included, and it actually staves off a lot of tantrums that would result from being ignored. It's also setting her up for a future of being responsible.
When our children are older, they'll be expected to pick up after themselves. That is, put their dishes in the dishwasher, clothes in the hamper, toys put away, any messes cleaned up. We already make Bekah clean up her own messes whenever possible, or at least help. We'll also teach them to do all different types of chores. Girls will learn to mow the lawn and do hard labor; boys will learn to cook and sew. By including them in all these types of chores now (Bekah enjoys cooking and pretending to sew just as much as tramping through the garden), we're setting them up to continue helping.
How do you teach your children about chores? At what age did they start helping and what types of things did they do?
If you enjoy this blog, subscribe and have it emailed to you everyday!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Candle Making
**We've moved!!**
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
We finally made some candles last weekend! I've been meaning to post on this one for quite awhile, but I kept delaying making the candles. I got everything I needed at the very beginning of October but it took me until Thanksgiving to actually do it. I am HORRIBLE at starting projects, but once I get going I do finish!
So, candles! Have you ever made any at home before? I learned a lot when I started thinking about making mine.
First, types of wax.
Paraffin -- It's the most common and cheapest, but it leaves a lot sooty residue in your home, because it's petroleum based.
Beeswax -- This is better because it's natural wax, but it's expensive, naturally honey-colored, and typically not used for container or scented candles. I wanted both.
Bayberry -- This is the most expensive wax, made from the bayberry bush. It comes naturally dark greenish colored and scented. This didn't suit my purposes.
Soy wax -- This is the newest and cleanest-burning wax. It takes scent well, and color too if you choose. This is the wax I used. It really wasn't too expensive, either!
I wanted to make container candles, so I had to select my containers. I chose 8-oz. mason jars. I'd recommend choosing a wide-mouth variety. I meant to, and mine are sort of wide, but the jars themselves stand up taller than they are wide, and I wish they didn't. I probably also should have gone for 16-oz. jars instead. I wasn't paying much attention and I thought the "big" mason jars were 16 oz. instead of 32-oz. so I picked ones that were smaller than I meant. But, they work just fine.
I chose wicks that said "for container candles," and wicks are marked as to what they should be used for -- what type of wax, what type of container or mold, etc. So, just look at the wax you purchase and decide which wicks will work best. You need some tacky wax to adhere the wick to the bottom of your candle jar, too. So, to sum it up, you need:
*Some type of wax
*Glass containers with lids
*Wicks
*Tacky wax (to adhere wicks)
*Scent (fragrance oil or essential oil)
You can also opt for food coloring if you'd like colored candles; this wasn't important to me so I didn't try.
Before we get to how-to, let's talk scent. Personally, I only use essential oils. They're a lot more expensive, but you don't need nearly as much. One source I found said you need as much as 1 oz. of fragrance oil to 8 oz. of wax, while you need only 1/8 oz. essential oil to 8 oz. of wax. Fragrance oils are also synthetic and typically petroleum-based, and I didn't want that. Plus, the whole reason I decided to make candles was for therapeutic reasons. I figured if I could mix in the oils I wanted (like eucalyptus, which helps congestion), then I could light the candles to make us feel better. So, essential oils were definitely my choice.
The wax I chose said I could microwave it to melt, but I didn't feel like I'd have enough control over it this way. I chose to use a double boiler on the stove (bottom pan filled with water) to melt the wax:
[Picture of wax melting in double boiler]
It took 1 - 2 cups of loosely packed wax pieces to fill each 8 oz. candle. When the wax was completely melted, I poured it into the jars, which were prepared with the wicks stuck to the bottom. Then, I added 20 - 30 drops of essential oils, depending on how strong each was. I stirred gently with the wick. These will be fairly mildly-scented candles, I think; I probably could have used more.
We use a clothespin to hold each wick in the center while the candles dried, like this:
[Picture of the clothespins on top of the jars]
When the was was mostly cool, I used a toothpick to poke holes in the top, to see if there were any air bubbles or open spots. In some candles, there were. For these, we melted more wax and poured it into the holes.
Now our candles are done!
[Picture of finished candles]
Here are the scent combinations I used:
*Peppermint (calming, relaxing, anti-nausea)
*Peppermint-lemon (calming, relaxing, anti-nausea)
*Eucalyptus-lavender (relaxing, eases stuffiness)
*Lavender-lemon (fresh, relaxing)
*Lavender (relaxing)
*Clove (helps headaches)
I have several more essential oils coming soon, and I'll try more scents, and play with the amount of scent. But, that's the basic procedure for container candles!
EDIT: Thanks to "Anonymous" for reminding me to add some more information here. I was able to buy most of these supplies at Joann Fabrics and Crafts (wax, wicks), jars at Meijer, and I ordered the essential oils online through my coops. I imagine any craft store would have the wax and wicks, any general store would have mason jars, and any health food store should have essential oils (but they'll be a LOT more expensive).
Some general do's and don't's:
DO:
Use a double boiler for melting your wax
Keep young children away from this process!
Use pot holders if you have to move your glass jars soon after filling
Pour your wax carefully and leave 1/2" of space at the top of the jar
Check your candles when they're firm but still warm to see if they will need extra filling
Start with LESS fragrance (20 - 30 drops of essential oil) and add more to later candles if necessary (some wax simply can't handle large amounts of fragrance)
Read the instructions that come with the wax you choose thoroughly before beginning
DON'T:
Melt your wax directly on the stove -- it could burn!
Overheat your wax (there should be a temperature on the box of wax, but once it's fully melted it's done, don't let it sit)
Let your hands touch the hot wax, especially while pouring (you can adjust the wick once the wax is poured, you don't need to hold it in place)
Trim the wicks until the wax is completely cooled
Add too much fragrance (more than 1/8 oz. per 8 oz. of wax, or whatever it says on your wax container) at once, or your candles may not set
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!
Have you ever made candles? If so, how did you do it? Are you interested in candles or other crafts? If you are interested in other crafts, please post which ones!
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
We finally made some candles last weekend! I've been meaning to post on this one for quite awhile, but I kept delaying making the candles. I got everything I needed at the very beginning of October but it took me until Thanksgiving to actually do it. I am HORRIBLE at starting projects, but once I get going I do finish!
So, candles! Have you ever made any at home before? I learned a lot when I started thinking about making mine.
First, types of wax.
Paraffin -- It's the most common and cheapest, but it leaves a lot sooty residue in your home, because it's petroleum based.
Beeswax -- This is better because it's natural wax, but it's expensive, naturally honey-colored, and typically not used for container or scented candles. I wanted both.
Bayberry -- This is the most expensive wax, made from the bayberry bush. It comes naturally dark greenish colored and scented. This didn't suit my purposes.
Soy wax -- This is the newest and cleanest-burning wax. It takes scent well, and color too if you choose. This is the wax I used. It really wasn't too expensive, either!
I wanted to make container candles, so I had to select my containers. I chose 8-oz. mason jars. I'd recommend choosing a wide-mouth variety. I meant to, and mine are sort of wide, but the jars themselves stand up taller than they are wide, and I wish they didn't. I probably also should have gone for 16-oz. jars instead. I wasn't paying much attention and I thought the "big" mason jars were 16 oz. instead of 32-oz. so I picked ones that were smaller than I meant. But, they work just fine.
I chose wicks that said "for container candles," and wicks are marked as to what they should be used for -- what type of wax, what type of container or mold, etc. So, just look at the wax you purchase and decide which wicks will work best. You need some tacky wax to adhere the wick to the bottom of your candle jar, too. So, to sum it up, you need:
*Some type of wax
*Glass containers with lids
*Wicks
*Tacky wax (to adhere wicks)
*Scent (fragrance oil or essential oil)
You can also opt for food coloring if you'd like colored candles; this wasn't important to me so I didn't try.
Before we get to how-to, let's talk scent. Personally, I only use essential oils. They're a lot more expensive, but you don't need nearly as much. One source I found said you need as much as 1 oz. of fragrance oil to 8 oz. of wax, while you need only 1/8 oz. essential oil to 8 oz. of wax. Fragrance oils are also synthetic and typically petroleum-based, and I didn't want that. Plus, the whole reason I decided to make candles was for therapeutic reasons. I figured if I could mix in the oils I wanted (like eucalyptus, which helps congestion), then I could light the candles to make us feel better. So, essential oils were definitely my choice.
The wax I chose said I could microwave it to melt, but I didn't feel like I'd have enough control over it this way. I chose to use a double boiler on the stove (bottom pan filled with water) to melt the wax:
[Picture of wax melting in double boiler]
It took 1 - 2 cups of loosely packed wax pieces to fill each 8 oz. candle. When the wax was completely melted, I poured it into the jars, which were prepared with the wicks stuck to the bottom. Then, I added 20 - 30 drops of essential oils, depending on how strong each was. I stirred gently with the wick. These will be fairly mildly-scented candles, I think; I probably could have used more.
We use a clothespin to hold each wick in the center while the candles dried, like this:
[Picture of the clothespins on top of the jars]
When the was was mostly cool, I used a toothpick to poke holes in the top, to see if there were any air bubbles or open spots. In some candles, there were. For these, we melted more wax and poured it into the holes.
Now our candles are done!
[Picture of finished candles]
Here are the scent combinations I used:
*Peppermint (calming, relaxing, anti-nausea)
*Peppermint-lemon (calming, relaxing, anti-nausea)
*Eucalyptus-lavender (relaxing, eases stuffiness)
*Lavender-lemon (fresh, relaxing)
*Lavender (relaxing)
*Clove (helps headaches)
I have several more essential oils coming soon, and I'll try more scents, and play with the amount of scent. But, that's the basic procedure for container candles!
EDIT: Thanks to "Anonymous" for reminding me to add some more information here. I was able to buy most of these supplies at Joann Fabrics and Crafts (wax, wicks), jars at Meijer, and I ordered the essential oils online through my coops. I imagine any craft store would have the wax and wicks, any general store would have mason jars, and any health food store should have essential oils (but they'll be a LOT more expensive).
Some general do's and don't's:
DO:
Use a double boiler for melting your wax
Keep young children away from this process!
Use pot holders if you have to move your glass jars soon after filling
Pour your wax carefully and leave 1/2" of space at the top of the jar
Check your candles when they're firm but still warm to see if they will need extra filling
Start with LESS fragrance (20 - 30 drops of essential oil) and add more to later candles if necessary (some wax simply can't handle large amounts of fragrance)
Read the instructions that come with the wax you choose thoroughly before beginning
DON'T:
Melt your wax directly on the stove -- it could burn!
Overheat your wax (there should be a temperature on the box of wax, but once it's fully melted it's done, don't let it sit)
Let your hands touch the hot wax, especially while pouring (you can adjust the wick once the wax is poured, you don't need to hold it in place)
Trim the wicks until the wax is completely cooled
Add too much fragrance (more than 1/8 oz. per 8 oz. of wax, or whatever it says on your wax container) at once, or your candles may not set
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!
Have you ever made candles? If so, how did you do it? Are you interested in candles or other crafts? If you are interested in other crafts, please post which ones!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Buying in Bulk and through Coops
**We've moved!!**
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
I've written posts in the past about how to save money, and mentioned bulk and coop buys. Now I'm going to get specific about exactly what and how I buy this way.
Most people are familiar with buying in bulk: clubs like Sam's (we're members), Costco and others are popular these days. It's possible to get a large amount of food or other products for a low price. We can get a 20-lb. bag of Iams cat food for only $24, or a month (or two)'s supply of toilet paper for $15. These are a couple of the items that we continue to buy in bulk, even as we switch to more and more organic foods. Clubs like these are great for paper goods or large items, like beds, furniture, even jewelry (basically any non-food item). As more and more people begin to demand organics, these clubs will begin to supply it, and will become good sources of food, too (or...if you're not all organic, they are currently a good supply of bananas, flour, coffee, etc.).
Whole Foods and other health food stores, though, also have bulk deals. Most offer 10% off if you buy a whole case of something. This is a great way to save on your favorite items. Some also offer 25-lb. sacks of rice, grains, beans, etc. We haven't taken advantage of this yet, but for families who have a place to store this, it's a great way to save. Someday we hope to have a very large pantry (and of course, a very large family to feed too!) and we'll buy our rice, etc. in large sacks like these.
Amazon has some pretty good deals, too, including their "subscribe and save" program. This program offers cases of products shipped to you every 1, 2, 3, or 6 months automatically. You can cancel any particular shipment without canceling the program, or request a shipment sooner if you're running out. You receive 15% off the retail price plus free shipping. I don't get anything for mentioning this, I just really love using this! I got my organic pregnancy tea from Traditional Medicinals this way when I was pregnant with Daniel.
Bulk buying really is fairly obvious as long as you know where to look. Coop buying, on the other hand, is new to a lot of people. There are different kinds of coops out there.
There are farming coops, like this one at the Flying J Farm (where we buy our grass-fed beef). The idea is that for a seasonal price and time spent working on the farm, each individual or family will take home a certain amount of produce each week. Typically it's a mixed bag of whatever's been harvested that week. There are health food stores that work like this, too. Every person takes turns working at the store and gets a share in what's brought to the store. This is a great way to obtain fresh, seasonal, often organic produce. We haven't participated in one yet, usually because we're busy or I'm pregnant, but we may in the future (at least until we can buy our farm!).
Another type is the online coop, which I use quite a lot. These are technically pre-buy groups, where the leader plans to buy an item or group of items in a very large quantity, and members of that group order so that as a whole, minimums can be met. This allows the group to order their items at wholesale prices. Most of the leaders run small businesses, so doing this offsets their ordering costs some, as well. They typically charge a small fee for doing this, because the leaders have to find the sources, keep up with group orders, put in the large orders and follow up if something's delayed, separate and package and ship the product (and in some cases, like fabric, cut). The fees, though, are minimal compared to the amount of work they do.
This type of coop is how I get a lot of my great stuff, including:
*Essential oils
*Shea butter/cocoa butter
*Burt's Bees products
*PUL fabric for diapers (Polyurethane laminate)
*Other fabrics (birdseye cotton, bamboo velour)
*Klean Kanteens
*Soapnuts
I'm sure I've bought more than that but that's what comes to mind right now. Typically prices are 40% off retail this way, though sometimes they are 50% or more. I recently got a canister of RLR laundry treatment for $5.75, when they sell for $20 or more on ebay. I could not afford to buy all the nice things that I do if I couldn't get them at such great prices.
Here are my two favorite coops (you have to apply to join):
Comfy Creations
Lovin Bundles
There are many others, but these have great coop leaders and typically have the items that I want to purchase. They also take suggestions, so if I find something great that I'd like to have, I can mention it on the group and if enough other people want it, they'll open a coop for it! That is how I got my shea butter. :)
Have you ever considered coop or bulk buying for saving money? Are you interested in these groups? Let me know if you join!
If you like these posts, subscribe and see them everyday!
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
I've written posts in the past about how to save money, and mentioned bulk and coop buys. Now I'm going to get specific about exactly what and how I buy this way.
Most people are familiar with buying in bulk: clubs like Sam's (we're members), Costco and others are popular these days. It's possible to get a large amount of food or other products for a low price. We can get a 20-lb. bag of Iams cat food for only $24, or a month (or two)'s supply of toilet paper for $15. These are a couple of the items that we continue to buy in bulk, even as we switch to more and more organic foods. Clubs like these are great for paper goods or large items, like beds, furniture, even jewelry (basically any non-food item). As more and more people begin to demand organics, these clubs will begin to supply it, and will become good sources of food, too (or...if you're not all organic, they are currently a good supply of bananas, flour, coffee, etc.).
Whole Foods and other health food stores, though, also have bulk deals. Most offer 10% off if you buy a whole case of something. This is a great way to save on your favorite items. Some also offer 25-lb. sacks of rice, grains, beans, etc. We haven't taken advantage of this yet, but for families who have a place to store this, it's a great way to save. Someday we hope to have a very large pantry (and of course, a very large family to feed too!) and we'll buy our rice, etc. in large sacks like these.
Amazon has some pretty good deals, too, including their "subscribe and save" program. This program offers cases of products shipped to you every 1, 2, 3, or 6 months automatically. You can cancel any particular shipment without canceling the program, or request a shipment sooner if you're running out. You receive 15% off the retail price plus free shipping. I don't get anything for mentioning this, I just really love using this! I got my organic pregnancy tea from Traditional Medicinals this way when I was pregnant with Daniel.
Bulk buying really is fairly obvious as long as you know where to look. Coop buying, on the other hand, is new to a lot of people. There are different kinds of coops out there.
There are farming coops, like this one at the Flying J Farm (where we buy our grass-fed beef). The idea is that for a seasonal price and time spent working on the farm, each individual or family will take home a certain amount of produce each week. Typically it's a mixed bag of whatever's been harvested that week. There are health food stores that work like this, too. Every person takes turns working at the store and gets a share in what's brought to the store. This is a great way to obtain fresh, seasonal, often organic produce. We haven't participated in one yet, usually because we're busy or I'm pregnant, but we may in the future (at least until we can buy our farm!).
Another type is the online coop, which I use quite a lot. These are technically pre-buy groups, where the leader plans to buy an item or group of items in a very large quantity, and members of that group order so that as a whole, minimums can be met. This allows the group to order their items at wholesale prices. Most of the leaders run small businesses, so doing this offsets their ordering costs some, as well. They typically charge a small fee for doing this, because the leaders have to find the sources, keep up with group orders, put in the large orders and follow up if something's delayed, separate and package and ship the product (and in some cases, like fabric, cut). The fees, though, are minimal compared to the amount of work they do.
This type of coop is how I get a lot of my great stuff, including:
*Essential oils
*Shea butter/cocoa butter
*Burt's Bees products
*PUL fabric for diapers (Polyurethane laminate)
*Other fabrics (birdseye cotton, bamboo velour)
*Klean Kanteens
*Soapnuts
I'm sure I've bought more than that but that's what comes to mind right now. Typically prices are 40% off retail this way, though sometimes they are 50% or more. I recently got a canister of RLR laundry treatment for $5.75, when they sell for $20 or more on ebay. I could not afford to buy all the nice things that I do if I couldn't get them at such great prices.
Here are my two favorite coops (you have to apply to join):
Comfy Creations
Lovin Bundles
There are many others, but these have great coop leaders and typically have the items that I want to purchase. They also take suggestions, so if I find something great that I'd like to have, I can mention it on the group and if enough other people want it, they'll open a coop for it! That is how I got my shea butter. :)
Have you ever considered coop or bulk buying for saving money? Are you interested in these groups? Let me know if you join!
If you like these posts, subscribe and see them everyday!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread, and Surprise!
**We've moved!!**
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
**This was entered at Life as a Mom's holiday sweets carnival, and Keeper of the Home's Holidays Eats and Sweets carnival!**
Who doesn't love pumpkin bread in the fall? It's a great holiday treat. I made this bread today for Thanksgiving (it's evening and most people have gone home now) and it was SO good that my mom wanted the recipe and some of the bread to take to work to share with her coworkers. She said, "I'm not usually into all the healthy cooking you do, but this bread is great!" Can't even tell it's gluten-free. :) Dairy free, too, unless you add cream cheese frosting! We didn't, so I don't have a recipe for that, but it's really great just by itself.
The original version of this recipe can be found at Gluten-Free Goddess' blog but I made several changes so I'll post mine here.
Ingredients:
1 cup - 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar (I just eyeballed it and used a bit less than a cup)
1/4 cup raw honey
2 free-range eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon juice (I just used 1/8 wedge and squeezed, I didn't measure)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1.5 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cardamom
Directions:
Mix together sugar, honey and oils. Add egg, lemon juice, and pumpkin. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (flours, baking soda, spices) and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold gently until combined. Bake at 325 for 60 - 75 minutes. Serve warm plain, or with whipped cream, butter, or cream cheese frosting if you are not dairy free!
And...you get a bonus recipe this week! Dairy-free fudge! It is sooooo rich and creamy, I love it, but I can only eat a couple pieces.
Coconut Milk Fudge
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
**This was entered at Life as a Mom's holiday sweets carnival, and Keeper of the Home's Holidays Eats and Sweets carnival!**
Who doesn't love pumpkin bread in the fall? It's a great holiday treat. I made this bread today for Thanksgiving (it's evening and most people have gone home now) and it was SO good that my mom wanted the recipe and some of the bread to take to work to share with her coworkers. She said, "I'm not usually into all the healthy cooking you do, but this bread is great!" Can't even tell it's gluten-free. :) Dairy free, too, unless you add cream cheese frosting! We didn't, so I don't have a recipe for that, but it's really great just by itself.
The original version of this recipe can be found at Gluten-Free Goddess' blog but I made several changes so I'll post mine here.
Ingredients:
1 cup - 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar (I just eyeballed it and used a bit less than a cup)
1/4 cup raw honey
2 free-range eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. lemon juice (I just used 1/8 wedge and squeezed, I didn't measure)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1.5 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cardamom
Directions:
Mix together sugar, honey and oils. Add egg, lemon juice, and pumpkin. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (flours, baking soda, spices) and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold gently until combined. Bake at 325 for 60 - 75 minutes. Serve warm plain, or with whipped cream, butter, or cream cheese frosting if you are not dairy free!
And...you get a bonus recipe this week! Dairy-free fudge! It is sooooo rich and creamy, I love it, but I can only eat a couple pieces.
Coconut Milk Fudge
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups turbinado sugar (or a little less)
4 oz. bittersweet baking chocolate (mine was 99% pure cacao)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil
Directions:
Mix together coconut milk and sugar in a large sauce pan. Stir occasionally over medium heat until it boils. Let it continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, chopped into small chunks. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Put the pan back on the heat and let it cook without stirring until it reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Place the pan in a sink full of cold water to stop the cooking and add the vanilla and coconut oil; DO NOT STIR. When it is cooled to 110 degrees, stir vigorously until the oil is incorporated and the mixture is thick. You can add 1/2 cup of nuts or other add-ins at this point if you want. Pour mixture into a prepared pan (8x8) and allow to cool. It will solidify at room temperature but I put it in the fridge after it was mostly solid and I had cut it, it keeps longer in the fridge.
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups turbinado sugar (or a little less)
4 oz. bittersweet baking chocolate (mine was 99% pure cacao)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil
Directions:
Mix together coconut milk and sugar in a large sauce pan. Stir occasionally over medium heat until it boils. Let it continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, chopped into small chunks. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Put the pan back on the heat and let it cook without stirring until it reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Place the pan in a sink full of cold water to stop the cooking and add the vanilla and coconut oil; DO NOT STIR. When it is cooled to 110 degrees, stir vigorously until the oil is incorporated and the mixture is thick. You can add 1/2 cup of nuts or other add-ins at this point if you want. Pour mixture into a prepared pan (8x8) and allow to cool. It will solidify at room temperature but I put it in the fridge after it was mostly solid and I had cut it, it keeps longer in the fridge.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Natural Personal Care Products
**We've moved!!**
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
Personal care products are something we all use daily. Many people use several everyday. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, make up, hair gel, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of personal care products are not very safe for use. They have many chemical detergents and surfactants, which make them toxic to our health. The FDA does NOT regulate the personal care industry, so unless a chemical is on the prohibited list, it can be used with no restrictions. The prohibited list is very small, and many chemicals that are commonly used in the U.S.'s personal care products are actually banned in Europe. This is a huge problem because our skin is our largest organ and we absorb these chemicals very readily through our skin. So what are we to do?
There ARE safe options out there! First, you need to know which chemicals are unsafe, so you know which to avoid.
Dangerous Personal Care Chemicals
Read that list, then go look at your shampoo bottles. I guarantee you'll find those chemicals in your shampoo, and probably a lot more. Just an FYI, propylene glycol, on this list as something that should be avoided, is a primary ingredient in food coloring.
Unfortunately, replacing your personal care products with something safe isn't as simple as going to the store and picking out something labeled "natural" or even "organic." These products, since they aren't regulated, can still contain the ingredients listed above. On my trips to the health food stores, I typically find only a couple of brands that are actually acceptable, and many that aren't. If a product contains several organic plant oils, but also sodium laureth sulfate, it can still label itself as organic.
Here are a few products I do like:
Burt's Bees (especially the baby products)
Dr. Bronner's
South of France
Desert Essence
There are other companies whose names I honestly can't remember at this point. I will say that most all-purpose soaps (like Dr. Bronner's or any castile soaps) or bar soaps are safe. The hardest category is deodorant. Almost all contain parabens and/or aluminum. I may have found ONE type that works, but I really think you're better off using plain baking soda or even nothing...just take a shower.
You can also make your own personal care products. Here are some really great recipes:
Hair Gel
Shampoo
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Coconut oil (for lotion, make up remover, etc.)
Raw shea butter
Now, here is a really novel suggestion: for the most part, don't use personal care products. It isn't necessary to wash your hair EVERYDAY, or put deodorant on all the time. We only bathe our babies about once a week, and use soap weekly or less often and then only on hair (as both have long/thick hair) and diaper area. For myself, I bathe only 2 - 3 times per week and rarely use soap, or only on specific regions, plus I wash my hair. But I don't feel the need to use, say, conditioner on a regular basis, I don't wear make up, I don't use hair products. This may sound a little weird or even gross at first, but you know, our society tells us we should be super clean and take daily showers. But why?
If you slowly start to shower less...say, skip a day then shower two days, then eventually skip every other day, etc., you will find you do not need to shower so often. Every time you shower, you strip your bodies of natural oils. Most people then add synethetic oils by using hair conditioner, leave-in conditioner, body creams and lotions, etc. If you suddenly start skipping a bunch of showers, your body will over-produce natural oil because it is still used to you washing it away daily. But if you slowly cut down on your showering, your oil production will match and you won't look oily or gross at all. By the way, if you suffer from eczema or severely dry skin, showering less often is a GREAT treatment (and so is raw shea butter or coconut oil, if you need a boost).
Making sure your personal care products are safe (and that those you use on your baby and kids are safe) is one step towards real personal responsibility! The FDA and other government agencies cannot and should not protect you. You must be aware of what's going on and protect yourself. Hopefully this blog entry will help along that path!
Resources:
Environmental Working Group (chemicals in baby products and more)
What's your take on personal care products? Which ones do you use? Does anything here surprise you? Are you willing to take a no-shower challenge?!
If you enjoy this post, subscribe and see new posts everyday!
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
Personal care products are something we all use daily. Many people use several everyday. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, make up, hair gel, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of personal care products are not very safe for use. They have many chemical detergents and surfactants, which make them toxic to our health. The FDA does NOT regulate the personal care industry, so unless a chemical is on the prohibited list, it can be used with no restrictions. The prohibited list is very small, and many chemicals that are commonly used in the U.S.'s personal care products are actually banned in Europe. This is a huge problem because our skin is our largest organ and we absorb these chemicals very readily through our skin. So what are we to do?
There ARE safe options out there! First, you need to know which chemicals are unsafe, so you know which to avoid.
Dangerous Personal Care Chemicals
Read that list, then go look at your shampoo bottles. I guarantee you'll find those chemicals in your shampoo, and probably a lot more. Just an FYI, propylene glycol, on this list as something that should be avoided, is a primary ingredient in food coloring.
Unfortunately, replacing your personal care products with something safe isn't as simple as going to the store and picking out something labeled "natural" or even "organic." These products, since they aren't regulated, can still contain the ingredients listed above. On my trips to the health food stores, I typically find only a couple of brands that are actually acceptable, and many that aren't. If a product contains several organic plant oils, but also sodium laureth sulfate, it can still label itself as organic.
Here are a few products I do like:
Burt's Bees (especially the baby products)
Dr. Bronner's
South of France
Desert Essence
There are other companies whose names I honestly can't remember at this point. I will say that most all-purpose soaps (like Dr. Bronner's or any castile soaps) or bar soaps are safe. The hardest category is deodorant. Almost all contain parabens and/or aluminum. I may have found ONE type that works, but I really think you're better off using plain baking soda or even nothing...just take a shower.
You can also make your own personal care products. Here are some really great recipes:
Hair Gel
Shampoo
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Coconut oil (for lotion, make up remover, etc.)
Raw shea butter
Now, here is a really novel suggestion: for the most part, don't use personal care products. It isn't necessary to wash your hair EVERYDAY, or put deodorant on all the time. We only bathe our babies about once a week, and use soap weekly or less often and then only on hair (as both have long/thick hair) and diaper area. For myself, I bathe only 2 - 3 times per week and rarely use soap, or only on specific regions, plus I wash my hair. But I don't feel the need to use, say, conditioner on a regular basis, I don't wear make up, I don't use hair products. This may sound a little weird or even gross at first, but you know, our society tells us we should be super clean and take daily showers. But why?
If you slowly start to shower less...say, skip a day then shower two days, then eventually skip every other day, etc., you will find you do not need to shower so often. Every time you shower, you strip your bodies of natural oils. Most people then add synethetic oils by using hair conditioner, leave-in conditioner, body creams and lotions, etc. If you suddenly start skipping a bunch of showers, your body will over-produce natural oil because it is still used to you washing it away daily. But if you slowly cut down on your showering, your oil production will match and you won't look oily or gross at all. By the way, if you suffer from eczema or severely dry skin, showering less often is a GREAT treatment (and so is raw shea butter or coconut oil, if you need a boost).
Making sure your personal care products are safe (and that those you use on your baby and kids are safe) is one step towards real personal responsibility! The FDA and other government agencies cannot and should not protect you. You must be aware of what's going on and protect yourself. Hopefully this blog entry will help along that path!
Resources:
Environmental Working Group (chemicals in baby products and more)
What's your take on personal care products? Which ones do you use? Does anything here surprise you? Are you willing to take a no-shower challenge?!
If you enjoy this post, subscribe and see new posts everyday!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Health News: Flu shots, IQ tests, and Senate Health Bill
**We've moved!!**
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
Health news Tuesday!
Current Flu Vaccine Tactics
Why you don't need a flu shot and what the government is doing to make you think you do.
Omega-3 Oils Benefit Baby's Brain and Eyes
How these oils help baby's development and why many babies are deficient.
Why a High IQ Doesn't Mean You're Intelligent
New research into IQ tests and the actual skills needed to be "smart" in life, and how nutrition can help.
Senate Begins Debate on Health Bill
Yesterday, the Senate began debate on the new health bill. There is still time to act against this!
Cost of Treating Diabetes will Triple by 2034
Now, more than ever it is time to take personal responsibility for your health and avoid type II diabetes.
Toxic Effects of Chemotherapy
The long term side effects of chemotherapy.
Scientific Fraud Climate Gate Scandal
Some emails have been leaked showing that a group of scientists have been committing fraud by manipulating and hiding data to prove their theories right.
If you like this blog, subscribe and get it emailed to you daily!
Please visit our new site, ModernAlternativeMama.com.
Comments on this post have been locked and updates are no longer being made to this page. Please click here to view this article on the new site.
Health news Tuesday!
Current Flu Vaccine Tactics
Why you don't need a flu shot and what the government is doing to make you think you do.
Omega-3 Oils Benefit Baby's Brain and Eyes
How these oils help baby's development and why many babies are deficient.
Why a High IQ Doesn't Mean You're Intelligent
New research into IQ tests and the actual skills needed to be "smart" in life, and how nutrition can help.
Senate Begins Debate on Health Bill
Yesterday, the Senate began debate on the new health bill. There is still time to act against this!
Cost of Treating Diabetes will Triple by 2034
Now, more than ever it is time to take personal responsibility for your health and avoid type II diabetes.
Toxic Effects of Chemotherapy
The long term side effects of chemotherapy.
Scientific Fraud Climate Gate Scandal
Some emails have been leaked showing that a group of scientists have been committing fraud by manipulating and hiding data to prove their theories right.
If you like this blog, subscribe and get it emailed to you daily!
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