July 2017 Moms

July EcoFriendly Mama's

24

Re: July EcoFriendly Mama's

  • I love reading everyone's posts- there are so many great resources in this thread.

    I was a vegetarian for almost a decade. I started introducing meat into my diet due to really low iron levels and lack of protein. Basically, I ate a bunch of sides for every meal instead of properly managing my diet to make sure I was meeting my nutritional needs. This coupled with a very vigorous running regime didn't pair well. We eat meat but try to make at least two dinners a week that are vegetarian. I love Deborah Madison's cookbook 'Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.' Even if you aren't vegetarian, it a great resource for prepping and cooking almost every type of vegetable. We do our best to buy mostly organic produce and meat although we exclusively buy organic milk, lettuce, and any other fruit or vegetable that doesn't have a peel on it. 

    I also am committed to reducing my energy consumption. We bought all new appliances when we bought our house, in large part so we could get the most energy efficient models available. We also installed a nest thermostat and consciously try not to run our ac unless it is necessary. (Full disclosure- this will likely change when I am 9 months pregnant in New Orleans in July.) I drive a Prius and DH has a small compact car to capitalize on fuel efficiency.

    DH is prepping our backyard for a small vegetable garden. I can't wait to show him @SpongeWorthy's garden boxes. They would be perfect for our space. Thanks for sharing!
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  • @yellow1daisy ah your like my dream come true! I will look into those products thanks for listing them out! I actually private messaged you I wonder if you ever got to see it! 

    So so true about the like minded part, I'm so so so glad this thread was made because I was honestly worried I could never ask these questions after my previous episode. 
  • @yellow1daisy I switched from cloth diapers to Bambo nature when DS was 15 months old - love them! no weird smells, no leaks.  Try them!
  • Thanks @caribbeanmama I know Amazon has them on subscribe and save so I've been debating taking the plunge. Nice to hear a good review though so thanks I think I will try them out! 
    BFP May 2013 - MMC at 8 weeks
    BFP September 2013 - MMC at 12 weeks
    BFP February 2014 - early loss/CP at 4.5 weeks
    BFP May 2014 - MMC/ complete molar pregnancy at 11 weeks
    BFP December 2015 - DD born 8/18/2015
    BFP November 2016 - pending...



  • I cloth diapered DS2 but ended up having so many issues with the diapers, including a never ending ammonia smell and recurring yeast infections for him. I finally gave up on them after a year because I could not stop the yeast infections. I switched the Naty diapers (from Amazon) and they were fantastic!! I am super hesitant to cloth this baby because of all the issues I had last time. I have all my cloth diapers still....so I may do it....I don't know. I need encourgament! 

    I have a vegetable garden that I LOVE! Last year I planted brussel sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, a blueberry bush, carrots, Swiss chard, lettuce, peppers (green, red and chili), and zucchini. We ate so.much.zuchini last summer, it was so awesome!! The only thing that didn't produce were the brussel sprouts, I got some bugs that just destroyed the crop completely, the the chipmunks ate every single strawberry (and there were so many!!) no matter the wires or netting I used to try and keep them out. I was so pissed at those damn chipmunks, and will have to figure out how to better protect my strawberries this year. I can't wait to plan my garden this spring! i absolutely love gardening and I spend a lot of time planting flowers and taking care of my vegetable garden. 

    Here is a picture of my garden last year! 
  • @yellow1daisy I know you said you were switching from Seventh Generation diapers, but is it just because the other brand is more eco-friendly? I'm using cloth diapers, but I thought in the first week or two I would use disposables to make my life easier, especially for tracking those really small pees and because that meconium is going to be impossible to get out (I'm also buying paper plates, etc. just because I know the first week or so with a newborn for the first time is really hard, and I don't need extra crap to worry about). I also plan on using them for any crazy long trips (when we move across the country and if we visit family in NC or NJ and stay a few nights). Are they good otherwise? I'm going to use them so infrequently that I haven't done much research. I love the brand and they're the best diapers at the grocery store I go to, so I was just going to use them. Wondered how good they were. 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • @supermom83 Your garden looks great!  I love the fencing!  I did brussel sprouts in 2015 and I got cabbage aphids :( It was so disappointing since they took so long to grow.  I managed to save some but still it wasn't great.  I did zucchini last year and it was so successful.  Like if I didn't eat a zucchini a day, I was behind lol.  Thankfully I was able to freeze a lot of it.  This is going to be my first year with strawberries and you reminded me that I need to figure out how to keep the chipmunks and birds out!  The chipmunks also love my tomatoes for some reason??  Like there will be one bite taken out of every tomato - so frustrating!
    Me: 31 DH: 31
      <3 DS born 6/2017, became a heart angel 8/2018 <3
    CP 3/2019
  • Can anyone recommend a good eco dishwasher detergent?  We have tried a couple and were dissapointed so moved back to our regular brand.  Its one of the few things left to switch for us.  
  • edited January 2017
    Thanks @caribbeanmama I know Amazon has them on subscribe and save so I've been debating taking the plunge. Nice to hear a good review though so thanks I think I will try them out! 
    @yellow1daisy Yes I have a subscription with amazon - sometimes it is a little cheaper without the subscription though for the size I buy (size 4), so I do regular orders too with Prime.  

    @kerils Seventh generation diapers are not any more natural, sustainable, or recyclable than conventional diapers (their website does not conceal this).  Bambo diapers use a good portion of biodegradable starch in the absorbent core making them more ecofriendly in comparison.

    Edit: grammar
  • abmommy15 said:
    Can anyone recommend a good eco dishwasher detergent?  We have tried a couple and were dissapointed so moved back to our regular brand.  Its one of the few things left to switch for us.  
    Currently using Method and I don't have any issues although I haven't done a ton of research on it's eco-friendliness.   
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • @abmommy15 I use Seventh Generation 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • @caribbeanmama Thanks! Like I said I did zero research. I'm looking at Bambo's now. 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • @GreenBean My township doesn't compost but DH and I do.  Most because we live in the country and plan to do our own gardens so it will come in handy.  Last year, sans garden, we just dug a hole in the lawn and emptied it. This year it will all go to good use though.  

    @caribbeanmama I know that rabbit hole you are talking about.  It's sooooo time consuming my goodness! LOL :P Chemical-free and natural cribs are so freaking expensive (minus the IKEA sniglar which just isn't my style) and although I will use one for multiple kids I still couldn't justify the cost considering what I'm spending on the crib mattress (Naturepedic)  I was able to find a used, solid wood crib (no varnish or anything) off a buy/sell site for $150!  In mint condition too!  I am heading to a store this weekend to buy a specialized, completely chemical-free paint to turn it white.  I like the IKEA Kallaz series (cube storage) but of course all of their stuff is made from particle/fiberboard and glues.  So I'm gonna snap a pic and get someone local to build one for me from solid wood and I will just paint it white as well.  My struggle is the glider for the nursery.  My Grandma buys one for all of the Granddaughter's when we have our first babies.  She spends a nice chunk but not enough to get me a chemical-free one.  I don't know what to do!  I briefly mentioned once that we were going chemical-free and she didn't side-eye me.  She actually had some great ideas for telling people and how to make it easier on guests for the registry.  (She really is an amazing woman!)  I know if I just asked her for the money so that I could save some extra to get what I wanted she would be cool with that.  But she always just gives us money (bday's & xmas).  I know she would like to actually give me a solid gift for once haha!        
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • Naty diapers are a good eco brand. We used Honest for a while, too, in the US. I felt weird though - very conspicuous.

    Zulily has water wipes on sale now, FYI.
  • tuxielove93tuxielove93 member
    edited January 2017
    @caribbeanmama and @stokesm21 Here's where the "within reason" part of my philosophy comes in. I would love to have all super eco-friendly baby furniture, but I am really relying on baby shower gifts to get what we need for this kiddo. (unplanned and a little early for our financial timeline) No one in my family or my DH's would even know what I was talking about if I started going off about the really good baby furniture, and I can't really have more than one or two places for the baby registry. Plus I had to have at least one that was an actual store due to the age of some of our relatives. So I gave in and just let them buy the regular stuff (Graco, Halo, etc.) Baby clothes I'm registered for organic, diapers are organic, planet wise bags are on the list, and towels and sheets, except the PnP are organic, but the furniture wasn't feasible with the current situation. If I was buying everything myself I probably would have invested though. I'm really hoping that people actually buy off of my registry and don't just buy whatever they feel like, but I'm guessing that I am going to get at least some stuff that is not so eco-friendly, and I'm going to have to just live with it. 

    Edit: just to add this point

    Thank you all for understanding what we are clearly talking about when we say "chemical free". My own husband does the same thing as a lot of other people do and it drives me batty. Yes, water is a chemical, but within context it's pretty clear what we're referring to. Ok, mini rant over. UO Thursday has apparently got me going. 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • stokesm21stokesm21 member
    edited January 2017
    Just going to throw some recommendations out there.  I have done extensive research on these products and feel confident in recommending them.  
    • Clothing, receiving blankets, sheets, washcloths, towels, blankets, muslin's, sleep sacks, bibs etc:  Cotton is okay but 100% organic cotton is best.  Possibly bamboo but I personally haven't done any research on it.  Absolutely NO polyester, microfiber etc.  Wool is good for area rugs.  Aden & Anais organic line.    
    • Shampoo and body wash:  Earth Mama Angel Baby, stupid expensive but worth it.  I also have their nipple butter and booby tubes.  You will find this brand recommended again and again on all the chemical-free, organic etc. blogs that Mom's have out there  
    • Bottles:  Glass is always better.  Plastic bottles, even BPA free ones, still leach chemicals over time. Silicone nipples. Personally I've purchased Born Free but there's lots of options out there

    • Soothers, teethers etc:  Hevea.  As long as they are either wood or 100% natural rubber.  Silicone is okay but rubber is better

    • Crib Mattress:  I have done extensive research on this and nothing compares to the Naturepedic Organic mattresses.  They do come in waterproof.  Polyethylene is normally a chemical issue but Naturepedic's are made with a grade that is safe enough to eat!  They also make bassinet mattresses and change pads

    • Infant Car Seat:  Sticker shock is an understatement when it comes to this.  Apparently Britax has the lowest chemical readings however, Uppababy is coming out with the MESA Henry in March (note: They already have MESA but the Henry is new) which will be 100% chemical-free!  Yay!  I'm excited!  It's expensive, although cheaper in the U.S so I am very jealous of y'all.  It can attach to the Versa or Cruz strollers which are stupid, stupid expensive.  I don't mind forking out the $ for the car seat but I'm having a really, really hard time justifying the cost of the stroller.  Hoping to find that used.

    • Infant Carriers:  Moby Wrap Organic, ERGO Organic, Lillebaby Organic.  ERGO and Lillebaby are a bit sneaky in that while everything else is organic, the padding is made from EVA foam which has ethylene.  I have been unable to find a carrier that doesn't have this so these are still the best options.

    • Wipes:  I personally have decided to buy Jackson Reece but I have heard nothing but good things about WaterWipes.  Making your own is always a great option as well!   
     ETA:  I lean more towards the checmical-free side of things so these items are based on that rather than their eco-friendliness etc. 
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • BusyZeeBusyZee member
    edited January 2017
    @stokesm21 thankyou sooo much for that! I was just going to ask you which furniture were you considering if suppose you did have the budget and could buy because I love looking at things regardless if I can buy them or not lol.

    added: can you list out some blogs aswell? Thankyou!
  • stokesm21stokesm21 member
    edited January 2017
    @kerilstotally get it.  The sticker shock has me freaking out.  $1200 for a crib, $450 for a mattress, $400 for a car seat, $700 for the stroller that the car seat attaches to and let's not even talk about the chemical-free glider/rockers.  I think those will set you back another $1200.  It's a LOT and I'll have to compromise somewhere. (I got a solid wood crib used for $150, I can also find the stroller used for about $550. The mattress and car seat I will have to go brand new though) I'm not sure how my registry is going to go.  I'm pretty avid about this stuff.  I use myregistry.com because you can link from multiple websites although I get what you're saying about age of relatives.  My great-Aunt's are always invited to these sorts of things and some of them don't use the internet.  What I've done is put a nice blurb at the top just touching on the chemical-free and how we know it's hard.  I put some medium ticket items on there and said to cost share.  (That sounds like I'm ordering them to but I'm not haha! Playpen, sun shade, baby monitor etc.)  Or asked them just to contribute financially to our baby fund for those big items mentioned above.  I really want to get all the small stuff myself and already have quite the stash.  
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • yellow1daisyyellow1daisy member
    edited January 2017
    @abmommy I use ecover tabs and I've been happiest with their results than any other green detergent I've used. 

    @virginiaunicorn11 we started off using Naty diapers (or tried to anyway) but their NB/size 1 (apparently the same for their company?) fit my daughter weirdly and we ended up with tons of blow outs. We tried a larger size when she was older and that worked out nicely but I've had the least trouble with seventh generation. I've also bought honest, earths best, babyganics, and found them all to be similar. But yeah none are nearly as environmentally friendly as bambo. 

    That's a great list @stokesm21 ! My daughter LOVED the hevea panda! We started out using lifefactory glass bottles that we got as a gift but we dealt with some serious bottle rejection issues for a little while and como tomo bottles really helped with that (silicone bottles). Although she rejected those at times as well. 

    We bought our crib from Green Cradle. We got our mattress (also naturepedic), Moses basket and stand, sheets, changing pad, wool mattress top (for pee leaks) from them too. They are SO EXPENSIVE. I don't want to spend that much on a crib again although we'll probably need another one.

    Baby Bjorn also makes an organic cotton bouncy seat that we got tons of use out of.

    Burt's bee clothing is probably the most affordable of the organic cotton clothing out there. My daughters wardrobe is 100% organic except for whatever gift clothes we've gotten from people who didn't know our preference (or disregarded it lol)---those clothes still got used just not as often. I've enjoyed lovedbaby brand sleepers (Amazon) which are also on the more affordable side of the organic cotton clothing. I've bought some handmade stuff from etsy too (priciest). Hannah Anderson has some really cute organic cotton pjs that are amazing quality. I've also bought things from Finn and Emma (they have a really cool wooden arch thing for hanging toys), and my favorite pieces were from naturebaby which is a NZ dealer that is super expensive but the clothes have all turned out sooooo cute on my daughter. 

    I would also recommend the corki-mat for a playmat! We got a ton of use out of it back in our tummy time days! 


    BFP May 2013 - MMC at 8 weeks
    BFP September 2013 - MMC at 12 weeks
    BFP February 2014 - early loss/CP at 4.5 weeks
    BFP May 2014 - MMC/ complete molar pregnancy at 11 weeks
    BFP December 2015 - DD born 8/18/2015
    BFP November 2016 - pending...



  • stokesm21stokesm21 member
    edited January 2017
    oheliza44  I really need something like that to broaden my veggie palate.  I like vegetables but my list is; peppers, onions (LOVE!), mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, green/yellow beans, peas, asparagus, bean sprouts, cucumbers (my fav!) and corn.  I think that's it.  Zucchini I only really like in greasy, deep-friend zucchini stick form. There's so much other stuff at the grocery store and I'm like hmmm, I wonder what that tastes like?!  We don't eat peas a lot because DH doesn't care for them so I only really put them in stews.  He likes broccoli but I don't so we never eat it because I'm the one that cooks lol!  (If it evens the score, I never get to eat ham because he doesn't like it)  I don't not like brussel sprouts but I don't care for them enough to buy them.  Maybe the right recipe would change my mind.     

    I'm really curious about this Nest thermostat that y'all keep mentioning.  How is it different from a programmable?  I have mine set to lower the temp (winter) and keep it higher (summer) when I'm not at home.  About a half hour before I arrive, it's set to start ramping up.  I have functions for Wake up, Leave, Return, and Sleep.  I have it set to go up/down when we sleep as well.  I will definitely open my windows instead of using the AC when I can although I have a lot of environmental allergies and live in the country so it can be difficult if the pollen and rag weed is bad.  Then it just blankets a thin layer in my entire house.  I don't hang dry my clothes for the same reason.  It's just not an option for me so I've always dryer dried my clothes.  Our house is new though so everything is energy-efficient.  I don't have LED's yet but considering that it all just went in, I don't plan on changing it anytime soon.  We have dimmers in the entire house and never leave a light on where we aren't hanging out.  We have outdoor lights that make the house look beautiful but we never turn them on.  What's the point? Haha.  Unless someone is coming to our house because we don't have any street lights so it's kind of necessary.      

    Edit to add
    Then edited to remove the bit about our hydro.  Off topic. LOL 
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • stokesm21stokesm21 member
    edited January 2017
    @yellow1daisy Thank you for your list as well! I hadn't got to playmats yet so that's great.  I also have the Baby Bjorn on my registry. Forgot to mention it!  And thanks for the tips on the organic clothing.  I've been struggling with that one.  

    Edit to add:  All of this is still a struggle.  So much available in the U.S and not here.  While I have ordered a lot of stuff from the U.S in the past, with our dollar being so bad it doesn't make sense at the moment.  
    2nd Edit:  Apparently I can't get Burt's Bee's Clothing in Canada at all :( 
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • Does anyone have recommendations for a chemical-free (or as close to) highchair or chair-top?  We have a bar table so it's making things increasingly difficult.  I have found many wonderful non-toxic highchairs but they don't extend to bar-table height.  I've also seen those new clamp-on ones but they won't work either due to the style of our table.  I guess basically I will need a chair-top one.  
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • GreenBean said:
    @caribbeanmama How do you make shampoo and moisturizer? I've done olive oil as a deep conditioner. I'd love to learn some new tricks. 
    @GreenBean I love trying new things too!  Olive oil is a good deep conditioner - I normally mix mine with avocado :) and jojoba oil.  Sometimes I warm the oil first or use a hot towel to wrap.  My husband is always side eyeing me because deep conditioning means I'm grabbing stuff from the kitchen lol!

    The shampoo is a DIY version of Terressentials organic shampoo.  It is based on rhassoul clay (sometimes called Moroccan clay) - like what you would use for a face mask if you got a facial.  The base is: 0.5 oz Rhassoul clay (cosmetic grade), 4 oz aloe vera juice (lily of the desert), 1 tbsp rosehip seed oil, 3 ml nettle oil (or extract), 1 ml linden flower oil (or extract), and a couple drops ylang ylang essential oil or other smell that you like (get a high quality brand).  Shake in a bottle (mason jar or color applicator bottle for easy dispensing) and apply - I make it fresh every week (I wash hair once a week).

    Moisturizer - I use an electric mixer for this until I get the consistency I want.  Unfortunately, I just eyeball the ratios so I don't have exact amounts.  I use: pure ivory shea butter (1/3) : (~ 2/3) coconut oil, couple drops rosehip seed oil and mix until has the consistency of whipped butter.

  • @caribbeanmama Awesome thanks! Ok now for a possibly stupid question - where do you buy all that? I wouldn't know where to begin. 
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @stokesm21 I was so frustrated with the crib debacle the last time my husband actually took it up on himself to find a carpenter because I was literally worked up about it for weeks and practically in tears!  @yellow1daisy mentioned green cradle - that was in our top 2.  In the end, I gave up whomp whomp - I got a greenguard gold certified crib from restoration hardware.  I called and asked them a bunch of questions and went with that - lower bar for sure.  We use the naturepedic mattress too and baby bjorn bouncer (we have 2) and baby bjorn bassinet.

    DS had extremely sensitive skin so he was always dressed in 100% cotton: white, navy blue, and grey a la Burts Bees.  We wash baby's clothes with Charlie's soap (not charlie banana).  Also, cosigning on coconut oil for everything - our first nanny used to say DS and our house smelled like a pina colada lol!

    @stokesm21 do you like indian food or thai food?  It may be an easy way to try new veggie options.
  • @stokesm21 The main difference between a Nest and a programmable thermostat (in terms of how we use it) is that you can control it from a smartphone. So, for example if you're out of town and you forgot to tell the thermostat you were away, you can turn down the heat remotely. Honestly, if we had had a good programmable thermostat we probably would have just kept it but ours was hard to use and DH loves gadgets. 
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @caribbeanmama I'm not a fan of overly spicy so I mean I've tried your typical curried chicken but nothing else.  I have never tried Thai *gasp* lol!  But I am definitely open to it.  I'll try everything once.  Does Vietnamese have a lot of veggies?  My struggle is that I live in a small town and very seldom go into the city.  I mean, I commute there for work but my work is also kind of on the outskirts and I never go past that exit on the highway haha!  We have a lot of great restaurants in our town so I don't really have a reason to go outside of it.  BUT we do have a new Vietnamese place which I hear is really good so I should definitely try it.  I believe I had eggplant on the most delicious dish I've ever eaten in my entire life (no joke, it's my #1 haha!) in the Dominican Republic and since it was so amazing I'd like to think that I enjoyed the eggplant.  :P
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • @GreenBean I'm going to guess at some sort of natural food store?  In my experience they sell all sorts of this kind of stuff, not just food.
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • @stokesm21 To be honest, Indian is the only Asian food that I find to have any distinction from the rest, and I have had my fair share of thai/chinese/japanese/veitnamese and even some korean. Thai food tends to have a lot of sauce. That's the end of me being able to tell the difference. Granted, maybe the places I'm going aren't 100% thoroughly authentic or something. Oh, and most places you can get the spice toned down if you ask for. I was NOT raised on a ethnically varied diet (think Irish/American/Italian). Like not even Mexican food until I had it in school in like third grade and I started to make it myself at home. So my tolerance for spice is very low. The more I eat the more tolerance I have for it. My husband was raised on a really varied diet so he loves the stuff and he has slowly introduced me to the wonders of the wide food world. And yes, all of them tend to have LOTS of veggies. I say check out the new place if they have good reviews, I've always found the food to be delicious. 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • @kerils Thanks!  I am much like you.  Aside from the odd Chinese food, which I'm sure doesn't even actually taste like the food you get in China lol, we didn't really branch out as a family when I was a kid.  I started to eat different stuff when I was about 13 and pretty much haven't stopped. Like I said, I very much have that "try everything once" mentality now and will do the same with my kids.  My nephew is taught the same and he's an amazing eater.  He eats stuff that even I don't eat!  They are very versatile in that house.  With us gone, even my parents have broadened their palate as well.  I was at least raised with home-cooked, non-processed meals but DH, not so much.  There's a lot of stuff he won't eat because of childhood memories.  I don't ever recall hating anything that my Mom made or being forced to eat something I didn't like, while he did.  He loves spicy food though and is much the same as me, willing to try anything.  So it works out well!  I will have to check that new place out.  :)        
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • stokesm21 said:
    oheliza44  I really need something like that to broaden my veggie palate.  I like vegetables but my list is; peppers, onions (LOVE!), mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, green/yellow beans, peas, asparagus, bean sprouts, cucumbers (my fav!) and corn.  I think that's it.  Zucchini I only really like in greasy, deep-friend zucchini stick form. There's so much other stuff at the grocery store and I'm like hmmm, I wonder what that tastes like?!  We don't eat peas a lot because DH doesn't care for them so I only really put them in stews.  He likes broccoli but I don't so we never eat it because I'm the one that cooks lol!  (If it evens the score, I never get to eat ham because he doesn't like it)  I don't not like brussel sprouts but I don't care for them enough to buy them.  Maybe the right recipe would change my mind.     

    I'm really curious about this Nest thermostat that y'all keep mentioning.  How is it different from a programmable?  I have mine set to lower the temp (winter) and keep it higher (summer) when I'm not at home.  About a half hour before I arrive, it's set to start ramping up.  I have functions for Wake up, Leave, Return, and Sleep.  I have it set to go up/down when we sleep as well.  I will definitely open my windows instead of using the AC when I can although I have a lot of environmental allergies and live in the country so it can be difficult if the pollen and rag weed is bad.  Then it just blankets a thin layer in my entire house.  I don't hang dry my clothes for the same reason.  It's just not an option for me so I've always dryer dried my clothes.  Our house is new though so everything is energy-efficient.  I don't have LED's yet but considering that it all just went in, I don't plan on changing it anytime soon.  We have dimmers in the entire house and never leave a light on where we aren't hanging out.  We have outdoor lights that make the house look beautiful but we never turn them on.  What's the point? Haha.  Unless someone is coming to our house because we don't have any street lights so it's kind of necessary.      

    Edit to add
    Then edited to remove the bit about our hydro.  Off topic. LOL 
    Like I said in my original post, the Deborah Madison cookbook is amazing! DH likes vegetables but is one of those people who thinks a meal is incomplete unless a meat based protein is the focus of the dish. We went to a vegetarian thanksgiving hosted by friends and the meal was cooked exclusively with recipes from that cookbook and it changed his mind. We bought it the next day. It's great for telling you how to shop for, prep, any vegetable or vegetarian staple like lentils, chick peas, etc. Then it will have a bunch of recipes in the corresponding section that highlight the ingredient. @kerils it also has a bunch of vegan options or substitutes to make any dish vegan friendly.

    As for the Nest, it seems like your thermostat is comparable. The one nice thing about the Nest (or another home automation thermostat) is you can manipulate it remotely with via an app on your phone. This isn't necessary very often and doesn't really feed into the "eco friendly" argument, but it has been useful for us. We live in the southern part of the US so our winters are very mild. However, we got a really bad cold spell and were worried about our pipes freezing when we were away on a trip. We could remotely set our heat to run to negate any freezing worries, and then put the temp back down after the front had moved.
  • @stokesm21 My DH actually eats some stuff ONLY because he is emotionally attached to it from growing up with it. He also was forced not to eat more than he was given (like he couldn't get seconds) at least at his dad's. I was semi-forced to eat some stuff (like veggies which I now LOVE) but I was such a stubborn strong willed kid that I think my parents eventually gave up on it. 
    Hubby and Me
    Friends since 2008
    Started dating: July 1st, 2013
    Engaged: July 1st, 2014
    Married: July 1st, 2016
    R born: July 8th, 2017
    N born: June 30th, 2019
    Baby #3 Due: July 7th, 2022
    (maybe I only ovulate in October XD)
  • edited January 2017
    @greenbean everything from amazon! 
    @stokesm21 Indian restaurants will have lots of vegetarian options.  Is it that you don't like spice as in chile powder or spice as in food that has 22 spice ingredients?  You can ask for the food to be mild or make it yourself or if you pick up already prepared food from wholefoods in the frozen section it is typically not spicy at all.  Given that according to my husband I like the feel of fire in my mouth - I'm not the best judge of how 'hot' something is though.  Anyways, with Indian food they have: an okra dish (bindhi masala), baby eggplant dish (much much different from regular eggplant and different from Thai long skinny eggplant), they have curry cauliflower and peppers dish, different kinds of lentils - yellow, red etc (dhal makhani), a spinach dish (saag paneer), chickpea dish, kidney bean dish etc.  The only thing is you do have to watch out for the calories.  Thai places will do the squash curries and use bean sprouts and baby corn and water chestnuts etc.  

    So if you like to cook, you could try a couple options then recreate it at home :) Were you saying that your town does have an Indian place too?  For Vietnamese food, I tend to get lots of 'noodle' heavy dishes.

    Honestly, as a vegetarian Indian food was the only reliable place to get a full meal and not just a bunch of sides or big mess of starch.
  • Oh man now I'm really craving Indian food. I see a lunch buffet in my future...
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @caribbeanmama I don't like the fire in my mouth haha!  I like a bit of spice.  My favourite dish at a local restaurant is a chicken and shrimp cajun crepe.  Sometimes I've had it and it's been mild and other times, hot, but not enough to make me not enjoy it.  What I call "hot" my husband would probably call mild lol!  He's the guy who eats wings so hot they make him sweat.  I just don't like spice to the point where I can barely taste the dish because my mouth is burning off.  No Indian restaurant here though.  I'm inbetween 2 towns so I'm not sure if the other one has an Indian restaurant.  I should look into that.  

    We do have a WholeFoods, it just opened but it's so far into the city I just would never go there.  It's like a minimum, 45 minute drive.  :(  There's only 12 in Canada so far.

    Thanks for the advice/knowledge!  
    Me: 29 DH: 31 SS: 12
    Met: 08/2001 Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
    TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
    Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
  • BusyZeeBusyZee member
    edited January 2017
    I feel like iv just been gathering info and not been giving back anything. my focus has generally always been good so it's really helpful to read about all these products (cleaning,furniture,baby supplies) etc. since we are on the topic of food I thought I'd share some of my must have grocery items! 

    I did have a phase phase where I almost made everything myself but I find that hectic and sometimes not feasible so iv narrowed it down to some snacks and some products 

    1. Daves killer bread (the thinly sliced 60 calories one) it's also available on amazon fresh in my area 

    2. Eden Foods Bpa can food. Chickpeas,kidney beans, all beans. This is for emergencies. Can food isn't the best option but Eden foods is quite good, the sodium content isn't crazy and there's nothing extra in it and it's bpa free.

    2. Eden Foods Pumpkin seeds. These right here is what made my nausea and my random hunger pangs stay in control. 

    3. Eziekiel Burger Buns. They aren't the tastiest but they have nothing but good stuff in them and they have really helped my burger cravings. 

    4.  Les Pain des Fleur crispbread. All of them are great 

    5. Collagen! Vital proteins and Great Lakes. I also have the gelatin and made myself lemon gummies and marshmallows for my nieces and nephews. 

    6. If I haven't made my own nut butters il buy Once Again brand ones 

    7. Three trees almond milk. 

    8. One degree cereals and their spelt flour. 

    9. For baking I mostly buy Einkorn flour by Jovial Foods. 

    10. Theo Chocolate for baking mostly. 

    11. Woodstock farms figs, Karen Naturals dried fruit. 

    12. If I really want crisps il buy boulder canyons organic ones. 

  • My knuckles are cracking from the cold. In the past, Aquaphor was the only thing that could heal this for me. I don't use petrolatum or mineral oil, if I can help it at all. I have very very dry skin - most lotions (even those with lots of chemicals and formulated for dry skin) don't do anything for me.

    Any tips?
  • @virginiaunicorn11 I don't know if it's even available in Germany but nothing helps my dry skin better than Egyptian Magic. Not even the mystical coconut oil helps me there. But Egyptian magic does a moisturizing deal like nothing else. I'd give it a try if you can somehow get your hands on it. 
    BFP May 2013 - MMC at 8 weeks
    BFP September 2013 - MMC at 12 weeks
    BFP February 2014 - early loss/CP at 4.5 weeks
    BFP May 2014 - MMC/ complete molar pregnancy at 11 weeks
    BFP December 2015 - DD born 8/18/2015
    BFP November 2016 - pending...



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