Whether you just don’t have time, or you just don’t want to spend it in the kitchen, these time-saving hacks will help you feel good without stress. You’re going to be surprised by #2 and #3, they’re traditionally ‘not crunchy’ but they can save lots of time and effort. Go for the quick wins first, and you’ll see results with less stress.
1. Soup for breakfast.
Making a big batch of soup doesn’t take any longer than making a small batch of soup, especially if you use pre-cut veggies. Heat and go, and yes, go ahead and use the microwave to heat it up. Don’t want soup for breakfast? Deal with it. (You know I love you, right?) Soup is packed with everything you need to heal, and is super easy to take on the run. See a bunch of recipes here.
2. Get over the microwave pride.
I got rid of our microwave out of pride for a few years. You know what? I like the microwave. It’s not good for cooking but it’s fantastic for heating up leftovers, melting butter or coconut oil, and warming liquids. When I don’t have to saute everything in a pan, or steam it in the Instant Pot, we end up actually eating those little bits of leftovers that seem to accumulate from everyone’s plate.
3. Oh and the plastic guilt…
I love using glass, metal, and stoneware during my actual cooking since it’s so nice to work with and makes the job easier- but for storage and transport plastic often wins out. Whether it’s plastic meal prep containers that stack easily in the fridge, or tossing a triple batch of Greek Turkey Burgers into the freezer for easy, flavorful, and healthy dinners- if plastic is easier and faster, I use plastic. The alternative? A stressed out mama who is picking up grocery-store take-out pizza again (which, ahem, comes wrapped in plastic) and having everyone’s health suffer because of it.
4. Add collagen.
To coffee, herbal tea, smoothies, sauces, soup, even oatmeal- collagen is an easily digestable protein supplement that nearly everyone’s body can efficiently use to repair and heal their gut. Unlike gelatin, which clumps and needs to be heated, collagen is simple to add to any liquid- it easily dissolves. Make sure you purchase grassfed collagen- I buy mine here.
5. Buy pre-made.
As money allows, stock your pantry with pre-made bone broth, pre-peeled hard boiled eggs, pre-made avocado oil mayonnaise, organic string cheese, Epic bars, pre-cut butternut squash and cauliflower, frozen veggies, and more. Your health food store likely has Bubbies brand fermented vegetables, if you put a few of those in your fridge and then eat them daily, your gut flora will thank you!
Yes, I know fermented vegetables are much cheaper to make yourself– but if you’re not actually making them then you’re not consuming them and your health is suffering. So do what you need to do right now.
6. Fire up the gas grill.
This was a game changer for me! I was intimidated by grilling for way too long, and I was raised to believe that the only way to grill is with charcoal (sorry dad!). Charcoal is fantastic sometimes, but it’s finicky, time consuming, and hard to use when you have little ones around. A gas grill keeps the mess outside, is ready in 10 minutes, and is a great excuse to get some fresh air.
The hot even heat is nearly fool proof to cook with, and grilling lends itself to protein and produce- just what most of us need to be consuming more of. I just purchased this gas grill in preparation of our freezer-to-grill Freezer Cooking Class unit, and I fell in love the first time I used it.
7. Use your Instant Pot.
Seriously, there are weeks that I don’t even use my stove or oven- everything is done on the gas grill and Instant Pot. The pressure makes everything cook fast and even, the flavor all stays in the food, and since it’s self contained, you can set it and then walk away. You can read more about the Instant Pot, and why I consider it to be perfectly safe, here.
8. Make sure your supplements are high quality.
That box of supplements in your cabinet has the potential to heal or harm you, and can either be a super easy way to boost your health or a super easy way to drain your bank account. Please throw out anything with folic acid (click here to read why) right away. You can also toss a handful of epsom salts or dead sea salts in the tub when you shower- just plug the tub and you’ll get a dose of needed magnesium and sulfur right through your skin. Click here to see gut-healing supplements that I recommend.
9. Eliminate toxins passively.
Sunscreen- switch to a natural version, and use hats as much as possible. Replacing your mattress? Natural latex is the way to go. Filter your water. Dress your baby in cotton rather than polyester (fleece is polyester). All of these are passive ways to reduce your toxic load without having to actually do any more work yourself.
10. Get everything delivered that you can.
We have local beef that delivers every 2 months (you can do this anywhere in the US with ButcherBox), CSAs (community supported agriculture) will often drop fresh produce right at your door during spring and summer, and Amazon Subscribe and Save keeps you stocked with staples.
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I truly love your down to earth and knowledgeable approach. One of the very few blogs I still read since we started changing our diet and lifestyle about 8yrs ago.
Thanks Charlotte, so glad to have you here.
Wow, thank you for this post. I already had to start doing many of these things already but I still have the guilt sometimes. I have 5 children 5 and under and I homeschool and we moved last year. Before we moved, I always made homemade yogurt and bone broth etc but I haven’t accomplished it once since we moved and I always feel guilty. We can afford the store bought right now. So it’s nice to know other healthy caring mom’s doing the same sometimes. I’ve really enjoyed your blog over the years. Thank you for what you do. Oh, and I also just bought a microwave after not having one for several years too but my husband never seemed to get a hot meal since he comes home much later and even though I usually heat his meal on stove or oven there always seems to be some interruption and tired of it cold. The microwave makes me feel most guilty but it is nice having hot food occasionally. Does everyone with babies know what I’m talking about. You sit down with your food in front of you and there is an urgent diaper change or nursing situation that needs your attention. Anyways, thank you.
Jenny, I’m so glad this was helpful! Yes, please use store bought and the microwave without guilt at all- a happy stress-free mom will lower everyone’s cortisol level and that is helpful for gut healing too.
This is GREAT!!! I don’t have any children yet (I’m concentrating on healing and preparing before I do) but I had seriously bad gut dysbiosis (and an autism diagnosis) most of my life, until I read the GAPS Protocol book at 16 – and changed my life; cooking bone broth in the shed (my mother is a finicky veggie), persuading the Parental Evils to purchase the really good probiotics, joining (and now leaving) a Naturopathic college.
It’s a long way, and a long road (I’m 19 now) but I’m eternally glad, and now I’m only shy rather than really socially awkward, so hooray!
What a fantastic story! I’m so glad you stuck with it :)
Check out Dr. Jennifer Daniels webinar on Autism and bentonite baths or body wraps.