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Practical tips and guides that make shopping for real food a simple, easy task.

where to find local food

Where to Find Food When the Grocery Store Runs Out

by Kristin Marr

Healthy Food Swaps

9 Healthy Food Swaps to Help You Ditch Processed Food

by Kristin Marr

How to Read Ingredients Lists

How to Read Ingredient Lists (and Find Real Food)

by Kristin Marr

Simplify Real Food with a Capsule Pantry

Simplify Real Food with a Capsule Pantry

by Kristin Marr

Community Supported Agriculture 101

Community Supported Agriculture 101: The Local Way to Source Real Food

by Kristin Marr

Real Food Dairy 101

Real Food Dairy 101: My Guide to Healthier Dairy

by Kristin Marr

Real Food Oils And Cooking Fats 101

Real Food Oils And Cooking Fats 101: My Guide to Healthier Fat

by Kristin Marr

Real Food (Gluten-Free) Flour 101

Real Food Gluten-Free Flour 101: My Guide To Gluten-Free Baking

by Kristin Marr

Real Food Flour 101: An in-depth look at healthy, real food flour

Real Food Flour 101: My Guide to Healthier Baking

by Kristin Marr

A Week of Real Food Shopping

A Week of Real Food Shopping: Video Guide

by Kristin Marr

16 Food Products and Labels to Avoid Eating

16 Food Products and Labels to Avoid Eating

by Kristin Marr

Shopping for real food at ALDI

Shopping for Real Food at Aldi: My Top Picks + Printable Shopping Guide

by Kristin Marr

livesimplymom

Being a Florida gal, I crave humidity and moisture

Being a Florida gal, I crave humidity and moisture! Once the cooler temps arrive, along with less humid days (like 70% humidity versus 100%, lol #floridaproblems), my lips feel SOOO dry.
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Enter lip balm...
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It's the one thing I can't live without in my bag.
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Making homemade lip balm is really easy to do. In about 20 minutes, I can make enough lip balm to last me the entire year, too!
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There's a recipe on the blog (Google, Live Simply lip balm) that I'll share below...
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HOMEMADE LIP BALM
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✨2 TB body butter such as: unrefined shea butter (24g), mango butter (24g), or cocoa butter (16g)
✨2 TB nourishing oil such as: olive oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, or virgin coconut oil
✨2-3 tsp beeswax pellets 7g-10g
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I buy both the body butter and beeswax pellets on Amazon--they last forever.
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1️⃣In a glass bowl, combine the butter of your choice, oil of your choice, and beeswax pellets.
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2️⃣Place the glass bowl on top of a saucepan partially filled with water over medium heat. Heat until the beeswax and butter are melted, stirring occasionally.
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3️⃣Turn off the heat and remove the bowl from the pot.
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4️⃣As the mixture cools, the lip balm will set. If you want a scent, now is the time to add one. I love a few drops of peppermint essential oil.
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5️⃣Pour the mixture into lip balm containers (tubes or cases--you can find these on Amazon too), and allow the balm to sit for a few minutes until formed.
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The lip balm will last for the life of the ingredients, generally 6-12 months.

Farmers market week 8 (follow along #livesimplyfar

This week, I released a brand new digital cookbook

Did you know that you can make homemade candles in

Did you know that you can make homemade candles in your SLOW COOKER? I know...🤯
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Why make your own candles?
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Most conventional candles are made with paraffin, which is a petroleum based product that can give off toxic fumes. Homemade candles are made with either soy or beeswax.
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Along with the paraffin, the other concern is fragrance. I’ve shared about the dangers of fragrance in the past. Most candles are scented which means that many different chemicals may be used to create that “one” scent and make it strong and long-lasting.
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As the Environmental Working Group shares, “…fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top 5 known allergens and can trigger asthma attacks. The same kinds of chemicals are often used for fragrances in cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners.”
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I’m not here to preach perfection. I get lash extensions and paint my fingernails. I’m also aware and intentional about reducing our overall toxic chemical load.
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Making candles (or buying them from sources that don’t use paraffin wax and use essential oils for the scent) is one way for us to lower the overall toxic load in our home.
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Here's what you need to make candles in the slow cooker...
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1st, gather a slow cooker and 4-4 ounce mason jars
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Per 4-Ounce Mason Jar:
✨1 1/2 cups wax soy (180g) or beeswax (120g), divided
✨ boiling water
✨ cotton or hemp wicks
✨ 1 tsp coconut oil melted, optional
✨ 50 drops essential oil optional
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Google "Live Simply slow cooker candles" and the recipe will pop right up with all the directions!
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Have you made your own candles? They're the best homemade gifts, too!

(Recipe below ☕️) When I read this message yes

Lunch on Monday usually means pulling in some brea

Lunch on Monday usually means pulling in some breakfast food for snack or lunch. Pancakes, muffins, and waffles make for a fun lunch or snack.
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For pancakes and waffles, we usually make sammies--nut or seed butter or cream cheese and jam.
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For muffins, I like to make some mini muffins which pair perfectly with yogurt, soup, or just about any lunchbox main. They also make for a great snack with some cheese or apple slices.
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Do you have a a go-to lunch for Monday morning?

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