Karissa Tunis

How Can You Take Care of Your Family’s Health?

How can you take care of your family’s health?

There’s no doubt that it’s not always easy to stay healthy. In fact, staying healthy can often be a serious challenge. This is true for everyone but even more so for people who have a family to look after. A lot of people fall into the trap of being so concerned with the health and well-being of their kids and their family that they end up almost entirely neglecting their own health. This is, quite obviously, a pretty bad idea. However, it’s not something that comes from not caring about their health. Rather, it’s often a result of simply feeling too busy to worry about it.

People decide that they have to spend so much of their time worrying about everyone else that they forget to take the time to look after themselves. However, if you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re never going to be able to take care of anyone else. If you want to make sure that both you and your family have your health taken care of, one of the best things that you can do is to make sure that you all get your health taken care of together. With that in mind, here are just some ways that you can stay healthy as a family.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection

Regular check-ups for your family’s health

One of the most remarkable things when it comes to a lot of people’s health is just how long they’re willing to go without actually getting checked out by a doctor. There are a couple of particularly common reasons for this. For one thing, a lot of people simply don’t see the point of going to a doctor if they’re feeling completely fine. They assume that, if they don’t feel unwell, there’s no reason to go to the doctor.

The other reason is that, if something is wrong, a lot of people would rather ignore it than face the possibility that something could be seriously wrong. Whatever the reason, it’s never a good idea to put off going to the doctor. At the very least, it will set your mind at ease to find out that you’re all in tip-top shape. But if there is something wrong then actually going to a doctor means that you’re going to be able to deal with whatever it is as soon as possible. Sure, going to the doctor is hardly a fun family trip but there’s no doubt that it’s one of the most important ways to make sure that you’re all as healthy as possible.

[ Free Printable: Keep Track of Doctor Appointments ]

Dental appointments

Let’s face it, no one wants to go to the dentist. This is especially true if you have kids. Kids and dentists are a pretty terrible match. However, that’s not really an acceptable excuse for avoiding a trip to the dentist. After all, a big smile is something that everyone values. The truth is that, even if there are people in your family who are nervous about going to the dentist, the vast majority of dentists are dedicated to making sure that their patients are as comfortable and happy as possible.

This is especially true for kids. In fact, many dental surgeries specifically try to create the most kid-friendly environment possible. Whether it’s for something like a dental bridge appointment or if you’re all just going for a check-up, there’s no reason to be worried about a trip to the dentist. Most kids are nervous because of the way that they see dentists portrayed in movies and TV but the truth is that you’re pretty unlikely to find any dentist that’s even close to that in real life.

[ Read: A Gentle Approach to Oral Hygiene for Kids ]

Eye tests for the Family

Most people don’t spend much time thinking about their eyesight. After all, even though a huge number of people, adults and children alike, find themselves in need of glasses to see properly, it’s still something that the vast majority of people take for granted. However, actually losing your sight is one of the most frightening things in the world. This is why it’s so important for you and your family to go for regular eye exams as often as you can. After all, a loss of eyesight is the kind of thing that can happen extremely gradually and that means that catching it early can make it far easier to treat or just to help someone get used to needing glasses.

Of course, just because someone has low-sight and needs the help of glasses, that’s hardly the worst thing in the world. It’s something that a lot of people experience. Not only that but there are plenty of different styles of glasses out there and even contact lenses. This is particularly handy when you have older kids who might be particularly worried about the way that they look.

[ Read: Choose Glasses by Face Shape to Help Your Family Find a Pair They Love ]

Home-cooked meals

One of the hardest things for a lot of people is being able to take the time to actually prepare home-cooked meals. There’s something of an expectation that it’s something all parents should be able to do but that’s simply not the case. The truth is that trying to make healthy, home-cooked meals when you’ve got kids running around can be a serious challenge. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth doing. Eating right is one of the most fundamental elements of a healthy lifestyle and that’s even more important for children.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do in order to make cooking meals at home easier and more fun. For one thing, being able to share the kitchen duties between yourself and your partner can be a huge help. That way you both get a break from it from time to time. Not only that but why not get the kids directly involved? Most kids really love cooking and not only is it a great activity but it also helps them understand more about what they’re actually eating. Not only that but it helps them to develop a crucial life skill in the process.

[ Read: The Importance of Family Dinners and How to Make Them Happen ]

Staying active for your Family’s Health

Helping your family stay active can be difficult at the best of times, and with the current situation that we all find ourselves in, it can feel borderline impossible. After all, if you’re all stuck at home then what is there to do but hang out on the sofa all day? Well, it turns out that there are still plenty of great things that you can do in order to help keep yourself and your whole family active, even while you’re stuck at home.

There are a whole lot of great videos on Youtube that you can use to get your family exercising and having fun. Not only that but if you’re in a position where you have a backyard then there are tones of games and activities that you can do together out there that will get your blood pumping. Not only is this a great way to be healthy but it lets you spend some time actually playing together rather than staying cooped up in the house all day long.

[ Watch: YouTube Channels that Get Kids Moving ]

Family Communication

Far too often people only ever focus on the physical side of things when it comes to the health of their family. They end up totally ignoring the fact that their family’s mental health is just as important. We live in extremely stressful times and if families aren’t willing to support each other mentally as well, that can cause serious problems. The best tool that you have for helping to maintain your family’s mental health is communication.

Being able and willing to communicate with one another helps to make a lot of the difficult things in life feel that much easier. There’s no good that can come from bottling things up. Talking to each other and allowing one another to be open about things that are going on is a fantastic way to make sure that you’re able to stay healthy and happy.

[ Read: 100+ Family Conversation Starters ]

Prioritizing Your Family’s Health

There’s no doubt that having a family is going to cause you to have a whole lot more things to worry about than ever before. It’s easy to feel stretched kind of thin and that makes it pretty understandable that a lot of people might prioritize certain things and let others simply fall by the wayside. However, one thing that you should make sure to never allow to fall by the wayside is the health of yourself and your family. That is something that should always be right at the top of your list of priorities.

There are few things in life more important than your family and taking care of their wellbeing is essential. If you’re not taking care of the health of yourself and your family then that could well lead to some serious problems further down the line. Having a family might mean that your life is seriously busy and oftentimes rather stressful. However, one of the most important things that you can do in order to take the best possible care of your family is to truly understand what’s most important and how you can go about taking care of the things that really matter.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection

Monthly Journal for Moms – Free Printable Pages

Get your free printable monthly journal for moms below!

As a mom, the months tend to fly by in one big blur! One moment we’re buying Valentine’s Day cards for a classroom of kids (multiple packs, of course, because they don’t ever sell the amount you actually need), and then the next moment, you’re trying to decide what to pack for a weekend at the beach. Keeping up with a monthly journal can help you to slow down, reflect, and set intentions for moving forward. It is a way to capture favorite memories and special events from each month, while also uncovering your common parenting frustrations.

Simply enter your email address below to receive an instant PDF download of this free printable monthly journal for moms. And then create a new habit of sitting down to journal for a few moments at the end of each month. It can be a great way to reflect, troubleshoot, and move forward with purpose!

Free Printable Monthly Journal for Moms

(12 pages – one for each month of the year)

More Great Resources for Moms

Looking for a better way to organize your schedule while trying to juggling parenting, work, and the household responsibilities? Read this great strategy covering time management for moms!
Trying to stay on top of meal planning for your family? Grab this free weekly meal planning printable.
Struggling to manage it all? Read tips and strategies for when life gets busy!
Need a break and a bit of pampering? Check out 101 self care ideas for busy moms.
Frustrated with your kid’s behavior? Learn practical parenting tips that work for a variety of ages and personalities!

For more on this topic, check out the full Self Care collection, or view more free printables!

How to Keep Your Baby Safe While They Play

Learn how to keep your baby safe while they play!

Babies are incredibly inquisitive, and they grow up outrageously quickly. Within your baby’s first year, they’ll be crawling and walking all over the place. Not to mention all the games they play to keep themselves entertained.

The good thing about this is that babies learn through play, so your child will constantly be developing. You do have one significant concern, and it’s all about safety. You can’t let a child wander around in the house without any safety measures in place. They’re incredibly curious, meaning they can easily put themselves in harm’s way. Not to mention the fact that they won’t be experts at walking just yet, so there’s the danger of falling as well.

You don’t want to restrict your child too much or be overly protective of them. If you do, they can miss out on the freedom to explore and learn. Instead, you need to follow a few simple ideas to keep your baby safe while they play and grow…

For more on this topic, check out the full Baby’s First Year collection

Get a protective mat for the floor

Regular flooring is pretty dangerous for a small child. Even if your child falls over on a piece of carpet, it’s going to hurt. Their bones are softer than ours, and they feel pain a lot more. So, you have to be extra careful that your child is protected against falls. Instead of wrapping them up in cotton wool, you should get a protective mat for the floor. There are loads of different baby mats out there that offers some added cushioning to protect their brittle. The best baby play mat should also be non-toxic, meaning it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals that can be inhaled by your child. Unfortunately, a lot of mats are made with chemicals like this, so be on the lookout.

Now, you can let your baby waddle around as they please, so long as they stay on the mat. If they fall, it won’t hurt them anywhere near as much – or not at all.

Restrict baby’s play areas

When you have a play mat, your only problem is ensuring your baby doesn’t wander off away from it. This is easily managed by restricting their play areas! Effectively, you want to section off an area of the room for them to play in. Give them enough room to walk around and be inquisitive, but ensure that don’t stray from their protective flooring. The easiest way to do this is by building a playpen that acts as a fence for your child. By doing this, you also give yourself a bit of respite from looking over them the whole time. If you’re busy making dinner or trying to do something else, you can feel confident that your child is safe on their protective mat in the playpen. They won’t be able to walk or crawl to any potentially dangerous areas!

You can buy a playpen, but I prefer to make one as it lets you be a bit more creative. You can also make it bigger than most playpens for sale, giving your child more freedom.

Seal off dangerous rooms

Okay, so, what if your child isn’t necessarily playing, but they’re just crawling or walking around? This can happen if they’re following you and trying to get your attention, or they may have woken up before you and found their way out of their room. There’s even the slight chance they climbed out of your playpen, but that’s rare! Either way, they’re at risk of finding themselves in dangerous situations. Thankfully, the solution to this is similar to the previous one; you restrict where they can go.

No, this doesn’t mean you create a permanent playpen to keep around your child at all times. Sometimes, you probably wish you could, but there’s an easier way. All you have to do is seal off the dangerous rooms and areas with childproof gates. This means they can’t walk into the kitchen or go up and down the stairs – or even enter the bathroom. It might be worth having gates on almost every door just to be safe!

Store hazardous things at high levels

Next, consider all the things your baby could pick up to play with. They will grab just about anything and everything they see. If it’s in front of them, they’ll have it in their hands and will be playing with it. Most of the time this isn’t a problem as they pick up toys or harmless items. It only becomes problematic if they grab things that could cause harm – like a set of keys, cutlery, etc.

Here, you have to keep all of these things away from your child at all costs. It sounds hard, but there’s an effortless way to do it; keep them up high. A disadvantage of being a baby is that you’re tiny and can’t reach things. So, if you store hazardous things at high levels, your child will never be able to reach them. Thus, you don’t have to worry about them hurting themselves – it’s a simple way to keep your baby safe!

Play with your baby

Last but not least, play with your baby! I love this idea as it means you can keep an eye on them while also bonding at the same time. It’s easy to let your child play while you go off and do something else. If you have things to do, that’s fine! Still, I think it makes sense to play with your baby at every opportunity. It’s a great way to grow your bond and also see how well they’re developing. Plus, as mentioned, it’s the best way to ensure that you can keep your baby safe.

There’s actually a really good video full of ideas to entertain and play with your baby. I’ve linked it above, and it is mainly suitable for babies aged 6 months and up.

Babies need to play to learn new things and develop key skills. But, you can’t let them have free reign of your house or they will get hurt. Put their safety as the number one priority by trying out all of the ideas listed above.

For more on this topic, check out the full Baby’s First Year collection

What Messages Are We Sending About Kids and Money?

Children need to learn at a young age how to have a healthy understanding and appreciation for money. What messages are we sending our kids about our own relationship with money? Will our children’s observations help them develop a healthy, well-balanced, respect for money? Or is “money” a bad word that is only whispered in front of the children? How is our relationship with money affecting our children, and why does it matter?

This article is written by Amy Collins, M.S Ed.
For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Kids and Money

As much as we may not want to admit it, having a healthy relationship with money is important to us, and it will be just as important for our children. Their observations of us will undoubtedly affect how they earn, spend, save, and donate money when they are older. It may even affect the career they pursue, the friends they hang out with, and where they ultimately live. We need to be aware of what we’re teaching them, and how our own actions influence them.

First, let’s consider – How did your parents relate to money? How did their handling of money define your own relationship with it? What common phrases did they use regarding money; are they similar to the ones you use with your own children? Did you inherit that relationship? If so, does it work with you in your current life?

Money Talk from our Childhood

Did you hear phases like, “money doesn’t grow on trees.” or “money is a means to an end”? So many of us were also guided by the famous line from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” My husband’s Mom always said, “It doesn’t matter what you make; it’s what you do with what you make.” That statement spoke volumes and has made a lasting impression on him.

Take a moment and reflect on what phrases shaped your attitude towards money when you were a child, and if that same attitude remains with you today? Is it helpful? What phrases are your children learning from you? “Money” shouldn’t be a bad word, rather it ought to generate the same emotional reaction as the word “fire”: it should instill a sense of respect, healthy appreciation and the recognition that it is a necessity.

Money Questions

Some other questions you might want to ask yourself:

Are your children learning that money needs to be earned and not handed-out freely? Money and work ethic are inextricably linked.

Is money a cause of stress or arguments in your life? If so, remember our children pick up on everything.

Do your children understand the distinction between “needs” vs “wants”? Learning this difference at a young age is a valuable lesson.

Once we recognize how we were influenced by money growing up, then we can better determine if that attitude was beneficial for us, or if we need to develop a new one? What is most important is that we have a healthy relationship with money that works well for us throughout our life.

After considering this reflection, think about how your children are interpreting your daily messages and actions about money. What are you saying and doing that is and will continue to influence them regarding how they earn, spend, save, and donate their own money someday. The most effective way we can teach them is to live by example.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Featured Contributor: Amy Collins, M.S Ed.

Amy Collins, founder of Create Clarity, offers workshops to help women clarify who they are, re-awaken their intuition and make a transformational shift to live a more vibrant life. Learning practical tools to become more mindful is empowering. Once learned, these tools last forever. Amy is a Mindful Living Instructor and a certified Creative Insight Journey Instructor.

Painless Ways to Save Money and Maximize Your Budget

Back in 2010, I quit my full time job to stay home with my son. It was an adjustment in many ways – especially financially. I had to get creative with ways to save money so that I could avoid going back to work. And while it wasn’t always easy, there are many ways to save money without it feeling like a sacrifice!…

7 Ways to Avoid Food Waste and Save Money

Learn how to avoid food waste and save money!

Have you peeked into your kitchen trash can today? I’m serious. Take a peek. You might be surprised to discover that most of it is actually food waste.

Do you know what that means? (Other than “Time to take out the trash?”) It means wasted money.

I heard a statistic recently: On average, Americans waste 40% of the food they buy.

Whaaat?

That’s hard to swallow (pun intended)! Almost half of the food you buy is ending up in your kitchen trash can! So if you usually spend $500 each month on groceries, that’s $200 every month that you’re throwing away! I bet you could find some pretty fun ways to spend an extra $200 each month, right?

But let’s just say that stat is inaccurate. Let’s pretend that, on average, Americans only waste 25% of the food they buy. So, on your usual $500/month grocery budget, you’re “only” wasting $125. Is that more comfortable?

Not for me. An extra $125 each month could give me and the hubby a pretty decent date night out!

This article is written by Lindsey Cover
For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Why Care About Food Waste?

If you’re struggling to stick to a food budget each month, or just simply want to get the most bang for your buck when feeding your family, you’ve got to consider what you waste. (Additionally, food waste negatively impacts the environment.)

Here are some practical ways you can avoid wasting food. You may already be doing some of them! If not, and it overwhelms you to think of starting all of them at once, choose just one or two ways to implement at first, and then gradually take on more. You’re already on your way to saving more money and wasting less!

7 Ways to Avoid Food Waste:

Do some meal prep work.

One of the easiest ways to avoid waste (and save money) before you even hit the grocery store is to go prepared. Make a list and stick to it. Sounds simple, right? But most people neglect to take a few minutes to write a plan for their shopping.

The end result? You know it—impulse buying! Basically, adding anything to your cart you didn’t have on your list. This is so easy to do, and will lead to buying more than what you’ll consume before your next trip.

Additionally, going shopping unprepared may cause you to buy items you already have at home. Take a quick inventory of pantry staples before shopping (and see #6!).

Buy food with a purpose.

In addition to preparing your list before shopping so you know what to buy, you should also know why you’re buying it.

“It was on sale!”

“I had a coupon!”

I’ve said these phrases a lot, emphasizing how I’ve saved money and “beat the system.” However, I usually haven’t thought about how I will use the item that caught my eye and became impossible to leave on the shelf.

Every item you purchase should have a purpose. It should be one of two things:

1. An ingredient to a meal you’ve planned (for the week or month).

2. A pantry or household staple (that you’ll consume within the month).

If you pick up an item to add to your cart that isn’t one of those two categories, put it back on the shelf!

Pay attention to perishable foods.

Research the best way to store fresh produce, dairy, meat and herbs to extend shelf life. Some vegetables do best when stored separately from other vegetables (such as potatoes and onions). Learn where to keep eggs in the refrigerator (in the back vs. on the door).

When you plan meals, prioritize eating perishable foods in the order which they will go bad, and consider freezing any unused ingredients. For example, if a recipe calls for half a bell pepper, slice or dice the remaining half and freeze for another use.

Plan to eat leftover meals.

When you think about which meals you’ll make for the week (or month), intentionally schedule a few nights to eat leftovers for dinner.

This could literally be reheating a previous dinner as-is, or re-purposing extra ingredients into a different form (such as turning leftover cooked rotisserie chicken into a topping for salads, wraps, or pizza).

Planning to eat leftovers will also simplify your cooking! For example, you might try cooking only four dinners each week, schedule one or two nights to reheat leftover food (or make breakfast for dinner), and once a week dine out or have a date night.

Track food scraps.

Consider taking notes on the food you throw away every day for a full week, and evaluate your findings for any trends.

Does the same child throw away a large portion of food from their plate? Try serving them less. Are you tossing vegetable scraps that could be re-purposed? Carrot tops and peels, celery stalks, and onion ends are great for saving in a freezer bag to have on hand for healthy homemade broth.

Fresh produce ripening too fast to eat? Flash freeze individually or blend into a smoothie. Try blending a combination of fruits and veggies into a puree for babies or kids (or adults!) and freeze in reusable pouches to thaw for a refreshing snack later.

Take a family pantry challenge.

Knowing what kinds of food (and how much of it) you already have at home will remind you what is not necessary to purchase when you go to the store. Try taking a pantry challenge (or freezer challenge) to eat as much of the food you currently have at home before purchasing new ingredients.

A challenge like this can be a fun and creative activity for the whole family, and it’s sure to make you appreciate the availability of food at your disposal!

Know your weaknesses.

Possibly the best way to combat wasting food is to know yourself and understand where you’ll struggle.

Do you buy lots of fresh produce with good intentions, only to let it turn to mush in the fridge? Do you ignore leftover food all week and then toss it into the trash?

Remember, to Avoid Food Waste –

Think about how to adjust your habits, but realize that change doesn’t happen overnight. However, knowing where you are likely to fall short can help you set up a plan to succeed.

Food waste is a common problem in many of our kitchens and homes today. However, it doesn’t need to be! A little bit of awareness, planning, and intentionality can go a long way in preventing valuable food (and money) from going down the drain.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Featured Contributor: Lindsey Cover

Lindsey Cover is a work-at-home wife and mom of two young boys, Jadon and Owen. She blogs about affordable healthy living, money-saving methods, simple recipes, and more at SimpleSaverWife.com

Facebook: @SimpleSaverWife
Instagram: @SimpleSaverWife
Pinterest: @SimpleSaverWife

What to Do When Your Kid Loses Their Backpack (again)

What to Do When Your Kid Loses Their Backpack

I saw a commercial that went something like this… Again? He lost his backpack again? And he expects mom to replace it with another one because… he’s cute, he has that plaintive little boy tone in his voice, because he exists? The fact is he’s going to get a new backpack because this is a commercial for a company that pays you a rebate for all your online purchases. Mom is getting rebates and has money to burn, sort of.

This article is written by Fern Weis
For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Parenting Challenges

Here are some parenting challenges that came up for me as I watched:

enabling
not taking responsibility for self and possessions
entitlement
over-consumption
inability to set limits
fear of child’s reaction
the value of money and hard work
making assumptions

This one line said all of that. Admittedly, it pushed my buttons because he said “again”. But let’s face it, it isn’t just about a backpack. It’s about attitudes, expectations, fears and values. It’s what I write about, and what I teach. So let’s dive in.

8 Reasons Why Not to Always or Immediately Replace Your Kid’s Backpack

1. Enabling (parents)

Whose problem is it when the child loses his backpack, again? His, of course. It’s time for mom to step back and let him experience the inconvenience of not having one. It’s also time to put some conditions on how he gets another one.

2. Taking responsibility for yourself and your possessions (kids)

(See #1) – Knowing that someone will replace a lost or damaged item means you never have to worry about taking care of it, or living without it. That doesn’t bode well for this child’s future.

3. Entitlement (kids)

It’s an attitude that says, “I am, therefore I deserve.” When you indulge that, you feed the attitude and starve the growth of your children.

4. Over-consumption (kids and parents)

As a society, we are accustomed to replacing things, whether it is warranted or not. Obsolescence, carelessness, or instant gratification, we do it. We also complain about finances, so there is a real disconnect here.

5. Inability to set and enforce limits (parents)

You know kids need limits because a) the experts and research tell us so and b) you see and experience what happens when there are no limits. It’s not pretty. So what keeps you from putting limits in place? See #6.

6. Fear of your kids’ reactions (parents)

Fear is the greatest motivator for, or hindrance to, doing what needs to be done. Perhaps you fear your child’s anger, a tantrum or explosion, or the dreaded “I hate you!” In other areas of your life you may be fearless, but feel vulnerable within your family. Tap into that courage and use it where it counts the most, with your children. Remember, “I hate you” is a strategic maneuver on their part. And, unpleasant as it is, you will both live through the tantrum.

7. The value of money and hard work (kids and parents)

You work hard for your money. Many of you remember working for what you had as kids, that things weren’t just handed to you. My parents provided what I needed. Sometimes what I wanted just wasn’t in the cards. So what’s different now? Is it really as simple as buying for your kids because you can afford it? You can’t guarantee their financial future, and they need to be prepared to make choices. Start preparing them now.

8. Making assumptions (kids and parents)

In this commercial, the son has assumed (understandably) that mom will replace the lost backpack. Mom has also made some assumptions: that this is normal and how it’s going to be, that her son is incapable of functioning without the backpack, that he’s not competent, and that she has to jump in and fix it for him.

On a Personal Note

I’ve been the fixer, too. My son set me straight: when I lowered expectations (or asked to have them lowered for him at one time), what he heard was that I didn’t believe he was capable of achieving on his own. Instead of building self-esteem, I contributed towards lowering it. Some of you know what I’m talking about. Please, spend some time with this idea. Do it for your kids.

The Replace Takeaway

It’s only a commercial. However, if you look below the surface, it’s a ‘teachable moment.’ There are so many messages we unknowingly send our children. Some are inspiring; others not so much. What messages are you sending?

Look at the list again. What resonates with you? Which one makes you uncomfortable? Pay special attention to the one that makes you uncomfortable. This is the one you most need to look at. Do it for your kids.

I sign off on my messages with “Be well, be strong, be a courageous parent.” If you need some help with that, you know how to find me.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Featured Contributor: Fern Weis

Fern Weis is a Parent Coach and Family Recovery Coach. She helps parents of tweens, teens, and young adults who are going through difficult situations – from homework battles to addiction recovery – and all points in between. Fern works with parents to nurture the parent-child relationship, improve communication, and set firm and loving boundaries. Parents learn to confidently prepare their children to reach their potential and be successful through life’s challenges. Fern is regularly interviewed on Change Your Attitude…Change Your Life (WOR710 NYC), and is a contributor to Huffington Post and Ridgewood Moms.

Website: fernweis.com
Facebook: @YourFamilyMattersCoach
Instagram: @Fern.Weis

9 Ways to Afford Organic Food

Easy Ways to Afford Organic Food

You want to eat healthier and buy more organic food and products, but you’re worried about the cost?

I get that. I’ve been there! (I’m still there!)

When we decided to eat real food as a one-income family with an already tight budget, it was hard to justify spending more money on healthier food (especially while trying to pay off tens of thousands of dollars in school loan debt!).

But as we began making changes and choosing more high-quality foods, including many organics. We’ve been able to keep our grocery spending between $300-$350 each month for our family of 4. It’s not always easy, but realizing that it was actually possible for our family encouraged us to tell others that they can do the same!

This article is written by Lindsey Cover
For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

How Can I Afford to Buy Organic?

As long as our family is living off of just one income, it will be a stretch to buy all organic food. However, we currently try to do the best we can to get the most for our money and health.

Here are my best tips for making organic foods more affordable:

1. Limit meat.

Meat is expensive, especially organic meat, and we often assume it needs to take center stage in every meal. Instead, try stretching it further by serving meat topped on a salad, mixed into a soup or chili, or even serve a meatless meal once or twice each week. If you do want to eat more meat, consider buying less expensive cuts (ground beef vs. steak; whole chicken vs. boneless chicken breast).

Some of our favorite meatless dishes are:

•Veggie Stir Fry (an easy way to toss together leftover veggies and rice)

•Baked Potato Bar (affordable and toppings to please everyone)

•Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (fast, fresh and versatile)

Tip: Get the most out of a whole organic chicken by making an easy and delicious Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken. Leftover shredded chicken is great to use in a variety of casseroles, or as a pizza or salad toppings. Save the bones and throw them back into the slow cooker for homemade broth!

2. Buy in bulk.

Purchasing meat in larger quantities cuts the price per pound and only requires a few minutes to separate into smaller amounts and freeze for later. I like to divide bulk raw meat into 1-pound portions and freeze in quart-sized freezer bags. Alternatively, I cook the bulk meat (plain or seasoned for tacos, etc.) and then divide it and freeze. Bag holders with clips are helpful to hold the freezer bags open for you!

Check if your local farms offer the share of an animal, such as a quarter or half cow. If you have a deep freezer, this is an easy way to buy quality meat at a great rate and you’ll be stocked for nearly an entire year!

Other companies, such as Zaycon Fresh, bring high-quality meat to a pickup location in your community at low prices. Currently, my area has chicken breast for $1.69/lb, ground turkey for $2.19/lb, etc.).

Note: Zaycon meats are not certified organic, but they are high quality meats sourced from humanely raised animals and processed in the U.S.

3. Buy local and in season.

Farmer’s markets and local farm stands usually have competitive prices on extremely fresh, in-season organic produce. Even if the produce they sell isn’t labeled or advertised as organic, talk to the farmer to learn about their farming practices. Small farms may not be able to afford the expensive process to become “certified organic,” but they may still utilize organic food practices, at least use less pesticides than larger farms.

If you don’t have many local options, choosing in-season fruits and veggies at the supermarket will still be your best bet.

4. Don’t ignore frozen.

Organic fruits and vegetables from the freezer section are often less expensive than some fresh options, and are just as nutritious. Frozen produce is processed immediately during peak ripeness, unlike the “fresh” items in the produce section, which are often picked before ripened, shipped around the country, and then sit in the supermarket until they are purchased.

5. Cut out processed food.

This may surprise you, but convenient packaged foods like snacks, drinks, energy bars and cereals are more expensive than eating “real” food from the source. Decreasing the amount of boxed, bagged, and pre-made foods you eat will free up extra cash you can use toward healthier options. To keep grab-and-go snacks available, try making a large batch of homemade granola bars, muffins, popcorn, or other family favorites.

6. Join a CSA.

A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) offers you a share of what a local farm grows each month, which is often organic food. Sometimes they also offer shares of flower fields, or a share of cattle. But most often, you’ll get fresh, local produce for a great price. Receiving a variety of vegetables and fruits may force you to try new foods and ways of cooking, which can be fun for the whole family.

7. Pick your own.

Visit a local farm to pick your own berries, apples, pumpkins, and more for an affordable price. Except winter, every season will have different seasonal favorites to try. It’s also an inexpensive and fun family activity!

To make your savings last throughout the year, learn how to freeze fresh summer berries so you can enjoy the ripe flavor of fresh-picked fruit even after the peak season.

8. Grow your own.

Plant as much or as little as you want; even a small garden can reap large rewards. If you don’t have the space for a garden, try a few potted herbs and vegetables instead. Growing your own food means no pesticides and extremely fresh, convenient, organic food that is only a few steps away.

9. Shop smart.

ALDI: In recent years, ALDI stores have expanded the number of organic products they carry, and these items almost always cost less than everywhere else (even without coupons!). Our family’s staples include these organics: peanut butter, coconut oil, quinoa, brown rice, plain yogurt, whole wheat pasta, pasta sauce, salsa, tortilla chips, and fresh fruits and vegetables. We also like to buy these non-organic items: old-fashioned oats, unsweetened applesauce, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, etc.

Thrive Market: This online retailer offers natural and organic products at wholesale prices . Think Costco meets Whole Foods (with the convenience of Amazon!). You’ll find pantry staples, personal care and household products, vitamins, baby care, and more. There is an annual membership fee, but they also have a Saving Guarantee: If you don’t make your membership fee back in savings by the end of the year, they’ll automatically credit you the difference.

Amazon: It’s hard to compete with the perks of Amazon Prime membership! There are certain items we love to buy on Amazon, especially Subscribe & Save items like toilet paper, diapers and wipes, dishwasher tabs, and even snacks.

Organic Food

Eating more organic food will most likely be a gradual—not instant—change for your family. But don’t let the excuse that eating any organic food is out of reach. No matter your budget, it certainly IS possible!

Find ways to start small and incorporate just a few organic foods into your weekly meals. By buying some organics, you’re “voting” with your money and creating more demand for those items over the conventional alternatives.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Featured Contributor: Lindsey Cover

Lindsey Cover is a work-at-home wife and mom of two young boys, Jadon and Owen. She blogs about affordable healthy living, money-saving methods, simple recipes, and more at SimpleSaverWife.com

Facebook: @SimpleSaverWife
Instagram: @SimpleSaverWife
Pinterest: @SimpleSaverWife

Achieve Success as a Woman and Be Heard in a Noisy World

Achieve Success as a Woman and Be Heard in a Noisy World

Over 4 billion Facebook messages are posted each day. Now do you understand why your Facebook page engagement is down? There is so much competition; and more and more content gets created every minute of every day. People cannot possibly consume every piece of content that might be relevant to them, but that doesn’t mean that we should just simply give up and just toss in the towel. Continue reading below to find out how to be heard and achieve success.

There are many ways to still be heard and have an online presence. There are many ways to find and engage with your audience. And there are many ways to be successful despite all of the competition.

But before I dive into those tips, I want to give you a quick reminder… Your content doesn’t need to be viewed by millions of people to be successful. Your content doesn’t need to be shared around the world. It only needs to encourage your audience to take action.

For more on this topic, check out the full Work Life Balance collection

How to Be Heard and Achieve Success as a Woman

Start.

You don’t need a perfect plan to get started. You don’t need the best equipment. And you don’t need a huge team. Just get started. If you want to reach a new audience, start creating content; and then you will be able to gauge what resonates with them, and what misses the mark. There is no reason to theorize and agonize over “best practices” because by the time you establish that plan, it will be irrelevant.

The more you put yourself out there, the better chance you have of being seen and achieving success

Practice.

We all want to be noticed and build a following as quickly as possible, but be careful what you wish for… Because a lot of times, our work at the beginning is not all that great. It can be a good thing to practice your craft before people start taking notice. You will start to uncover your voice and play to your strengths so that people can start viewing you as an expert in your field.

Having patience, continue learning, and keep practicing so that you can be polished when people start to take notice.

Network & Collaborate.

Once you have gotten into the swing of things and are ready to showcase your work to a larger audience, networking and collaboration can be wonderful tools. See if you can guest blog, be a podcast guest, or contribute to someone else’s work. Many content creators are very open to this, and if you bring value to their audience, they are happy to make the introduction.

Find other content creators that compliment your niche, and collaborate with them to build your audience and help you achieve success.

[ Read: How to Win at Networking ]

Build.

Nothing happens overnight, and it is always a challenge to remain patient, grow steadily, and find that perfect balance. However, this is a very good way to grow. You can establish a loyal audience, you can improve as you grow, and you can maintain the workload without any sudden booms. Sometimes it only takes one post to get noticed, but even that isn’t a guarantee that people will remember you tomorrow.

Continue to put out valuable content and maintain realistic expectations.

To be heard you need to remember…

The bottom line is this – If what you are creating is getting you closer to your goals, then it is worth your time. You need to invest your time before you can expect anything to come from it.

For more on this topic, check out the full Work Life Balance collection

Work Life Balance Q&A with eHarmony CEO, Grant Langston

Grant Langston is the CEO of eHarmony, is an Americana Music artist, has many hobbies, and has a young family! In other words, he is a very busy man trying to find his own work life balance just like the rest of us! I had the opportunity to ask Grant a few questions about the topic of work life balance, and I am excited to share his answers and insight with you!…