Wholefoodfor7

FOUR BUDGET WHOLE30 DRESSINGS/SAUCES FOR LESS THAN $2.50 PER BOTTLE – A great sauce can go a long way in making food delicious. There are more and more Whole30 compatible (GF/DF, ingredients you can get behind) dressings available at common stores like @walmart. But they are still at least $4-5 a bottle, if not quite a bit more. If you want an easy & delicious budget-friendly option – DIY! Making mayo sounded so out there before I stepped into this Whole30 world, not gonna lie, but it’s so easy if you have an immersion blender (they are fairly affordable for $10-15 at major retailers and on Amazon). I literally call it my 5 Minute Mayo and it’s so easy my 9 year old can make it! I have three amazing dressings/sauces that are mayo based and, if you learn how to make mayo, can be less than $2.50 per 8 oz. Or you can make them with store bought mayo, you do you. These sauces are Paleo, Keto, GF/DF, kid-approved, a fantastic source of healthy fats, and a staple in our house: WHOLE30 CILANTRO LIME RANCH – This @caferio copycat is darn well drinkable. We put it on alllll the Mexican food – taco salad, my burrito bowls, tostones sliders, my new plantain breakfast hash. WHOLE30 RANCH - This stuff my local Whole30 participants used to beg me to bottle and sell! 6 ingredients and so delicious. WHOLE30 DATE MUSTARD – This is the sauce I can’t live without. We have it in my fridge at ALL times. It’s perfect for dipping chicken strips or crispy potatoes, but also does well as a neutral salad dressing. WHOLE30 MAYO - Easy, quick, affordable. I break it down with lots of tips to make sure yours turns out a success. Tag a friend who needs an affordable healthy sauce in their lives! What’s your go-to sauces? https://wholefoodfor7.com/category/sauces-dressings/

PALEO CHOCOLATE FRUIT BOARD - A perfect snack board for any gathering or party! I love making snack boards and my 8 year old helped me make this one. There’s no science to it and it’s such a fun option for a party, special event, or just a fun addition to a weeknight dinner. It looks amazing but is so easy. We loaded it up with lots of fresh fruit and a batch of my Paleo Graham Crackers. The dip is my Paleo Chocolate Pudding with hidden veggies. Make sure to use the coconut cream and throw it in the ice cream maker for an extra thick texture (see last video). My kids devour this stuff! If you haven’t tried a snack board, now is the time! https://wholefoodfor7.com/chocolate-paleo-pudding-fruit-dip/

We are struggling with device use with our boys. I actually banned devices from this trip for a 6 day break. I mean THIS, exploring in nature is what I *want* them to do. 2020 did a number on us, device-usage wise. My boys had never been allowed to have devices in their rooms, but needed to to have “classroom” space. My littles had never texted their friends but suddenly a device was all they had to stay connected. And then there was all that excessive time at home, parents struggling under the weight of pandemic anxiety, and parental guilt for all the things our kids were missing out on. We were on devices a lot in 2020. I have set limits - they only game on weekdays in the summer for 2 hours, after they’ve done their summer schedule. They have limits for apps I set in my family screen time section of my phone, or through @qustodiohq for my son’s desktop. And also, it’s hard when my son just wants to draw or connect with friends and is asking to do so on a device. I am weary of being a consistent parent with screens. It’s exhausting. Anyone else? I mean, we didn’t have the internet until I was 13 and my own device until I was 17. I don’t have answers, but I see you. We are going to have a family council on it when we get home. Drop anything that’s working for you in the comments!

EASY GF/DF TRAVEL FOOD - Including some Whole30 & Paleo options too! This mama is running around with her head cut off before this trip 😜, so not making a lot of food from scratch this trip. Here’s some highlights of what we are bringing. All items are GF/DF, those that are also Whole30 (W30) and/or Paleo (P) are indicated. From @traderjoes - • @chomps meat sticks (W30, P) • Dried and freeze dried fruit, with the dried mango (no sugar added) and pineapple as faves! (W30, P) • Nuts (W30, P) • @rxbar (W30, P) • Mochi rice nuggets (a boy favorite!) • Shelf stable @almondbreeze almond milk (unsweetened is W30, P) • Sparkling watermelon juice (W30, P) • Chocolate honey mints (P) - love that these are only sweetened with honey 👏🏻 and new dye-free taffy • The softest GF buns for an easy GF swap at nana’s grill From @sprouts @walmart @wholefoods (second photo) - • @naturesbakery GF fig bars (Walmart) • @sunmaid sour raisins - I don’t love raisins, but these are 😍 and whole fruit based, no sweeteners. Got from Walmart.com and love these flavors (P) • @drinkolipop orange cream soda I’m not sharing 😉 • @threewishes cereal from Sprouts my boys already love • @larabar cereal - I’m undecided on these and will share more if we like them • @thenewprimal beef thins (gifted) - THE most delicious jerky (W30, P) • @smartsweets - a wide variety of these as road trips snacks and to swap out for other treats • Hard boiled eggs for fast easy protein (W30, P) Also, these are travel foods - some of them are just fun and not necessarily nutritious (like bunny crackers or chocolate mints 😉). What are some of your current travel faves? My ultimate travel food blog linked in bio for more ideas! https://wholefoodfor7.com/ten-day-roadtrip-food/

CRISPY PALEO PATRIOTIC WAFFLES – GF/DF, nut-free, delicious and one of our favorite July 4th traditions. I make a double batch of my Paleo Waffles (linked), we top them with my easy homemade coconut whipped cream, and then decorate with berries to make a flag. Bookmark to make this fun festive breakfast this weekend! 🇺🇸 https://wholefoodfor7.com/paleo_waffles/

PALEO BROWNIE ICE CREAM CAKE - GF/DF, nut-free. An amazing summer dessert option, perfect for the 4th of July holiday! Layers consist of: • My Paleo Brownies - use extra light olive oil instead of coconut oil, so it won’t be solid in the freezer. Cooled before topping with ice cream. • Topped with a double batch layer of my Mint Chip Ice cream - frozen 2 hours until solid. • Topped as desired with things like: my paleo magic shell, coconut whipped topping, crushed GF Oreos, or DF chocolate chips. Keep in freezer until ready to eat. Run knife under hot water to cut more easily. I will link this recipe to my dessert page that has the recipes for my Paleo Brownies and Ice Creams. Curious: when it’s a recipe that is a combination of existing recipes (like this), would you still want a separate recipe blog for it? https://wholefoodfor7.com/category/sweet-treats-recipes/

PEANUT BUTTER CUP ICE CREAM - Dairy-free, gluten-free, 5-ingredient = EASY! Chocolate and peanut butter is an all-time favorite combination in our household. This ice cream is so simple to make and an instant hit with our family. I love that it's sweetened only with honey. Can’t do peanuts? It’s also delicious with cashew butter or check out my other ice cream flavors linked on my website. We will never go back to store-bought ice cream with this super creamy, whole-food based solution! Where’s my peanut butter cup lovers at?? 🙋🏻‍♀️ https://wholefoodfor7.com/peanut-butter-cup-dairy-free-ice-cream/

CHICKEN ZUCCHINI NUGGETS – Whole30, Paleo, Keto, gluten-free, dairy-free. This kid-friendly handheld protein-veggie combo is a protein source that kids of all ages can enjoy! The ingredients are simple and inexpensive and this can be cooked in a pan on the stove or your airfryer. 5-ingredients (not counting salt & pepper), budget-friendly, and they freeze fantastically, so double batch and freeze the extras for a busy or unmotivated night. Bookmark this easy recipe and tag a friend who needs an easy dinner win too! https://wholefoodfor7.com/chicken-zucchini-nuggets/

CHOCOLATE FUDGE DATE BALLS - These Whole30, Paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free with nut-free option balls are a delicious and easy snack! I don't really love date & nut bars any more, but the chocolate fudginess of these really converted me. These are an awesome easy summer snack or travel and hiking option. My kids do *not* enjoy date-based things usually, but I had kiddos asking for seconds. Fast and easy to make and freeze great. It's flexible too - use whatever combination of chopped nuts or seeds works for you or you need to use up in your pantry. No added sugar or sweeteners make these a win all around! Bookmark to make this week! https://wholefoodfor7.com/chocolate-fudge-date-balls/ NOTE: If you are on Whole30, these technically compliant BUT are recommended as emergency and travel food, not your Whole30 "dessert." They are compliant just as most date/nut RxBars and Lara bars are compliant, but you need to take some personal responsibility to determine if they are a wise choice for your Whole30. I encourage you to read #melissaexplainsrxbars on the topic.

PALEO “BUTTERMILK” PANCAKES & BERRY SAUCE – Nothing like a tall stack of buttermilk pancakes, except if you have an amazing sauce to put on it! This rocked the Father’s Day breakfast table this morning, as my hubby adores pancakes. He prefers to eat Keto, see the notes how to make these Keto friendly! My hubby hates attention, so no long shout out here but know he is one incredible dad who brings the fun and adventures into our home. We adore him! 😘 These pancakes use 3 flours to make them nutrient dense and full of healthy fats (ie keeps my boys full!), but there is a nut-free and single-flour option in the notes if that's what you need. The blueberry sauce is super easy to make from fresh or frozen fruit and also works well with raspberries, peaches, or mixed berries. And as these reviews suggest “People, MAKE the sauce!”👏🏻 Bonus – these FREEZE fantastically. I always make a double batch and then stick some in the freezer for GIY (get it yourself) breakfasts or easy afterschool snack. Make sure to bookmark this one and tag a friend who needs a delicious GF/DF pancake in their lives! https://wholefoodfor7.com/paleo-buttermilk-pancakes-with-blueberry-sauce/

This weekend we became a *family* of backpackers. It was far from perfect - one kid forgot a second pair of socks and underwear, we probably shouldn’t have packed two 35 lb inflatable paddle boards in, and the littles struggled at first with their packs (see my youngest’s face in second photo 😂). But we spent the weekend with each other, away from screens, making memories, and slowing down. Despite being a lot of work, it was a win 💛⛰. Lots of details and nature being disgustingly beautiful in my stories.

OUR GF/DF TWO DAY BACKPACKING FOOD - We are off on our very first *family* backpacking trip today! Easing into it with a short trip so the boys will want to do it again 😉. The first photo is lunches and snacks, the second is freeze dried dinner (1) and breakfast (1). The last photo is the food my sister and I took for 2 days 2 nights a few years ago, for more ideas. For snacks and lunches (everything with a * next to it is Whole30, the rest is just GF/DF) : • Protein: @chomps original sticks*, @tillamook honey glazed jerky and homemade ham sticks • Fats: @rockit_snacks pumpkin seeds* (also a good source of protein), salted almonds* (not pictured) • Fruit: @sunmaid sour raisins, fruit leathers* • Bars: @rxbar bars*, @enjoylifefoods cocoa loco bars, @naturesbakery GF fig bars (everyone picked 2 bars to bring - one for each day) - Snacky stuff: @quinnsnacks GF PB pretzels, @lesserevilsnacks Paleo puffs, @traderjoes mochi rice nuggets, @angiesboomchickapop kettle corn, @smartsweets candy and NEW suckers, and homemade cookies. Can you tell we are traveling with kids?! 😂 I also combined @vitalproteins chocolate collagen powder with dried coconut milk powder 1:1 to mix with hot water for hot cocoa and an added protein boost 😍. For hot meals we brought mostly @mtnhouse GF meals, as they are more kid friendly. The mashed potato one is not DF. We also have one from @alpineaire and @goodtogofoods . When my sister and I went we took more @wildzorafoods paleo meals, but my kids don’t like those as much. And I can NOT recommend the @goodtogofoods chili (last photo) - that one my sister heroically forced down 😜. Yes, @elementsmeals are Whole30 compatible freeze dried meals if you need that, but we don’t love them. Here’s to a weekend of adventures and no screens! 💛

BLACKENED CHICKEN - A 20-minute Whole30/Keto meal that costs around $3 – fast, budget-friendly and some of our faves, this Whole30 meal really packs a punch! The blackened chicken is #nutfree #eggfree and is a simple rub that grills (or stove top cooks) up so tasty. The brussel sprouts are microwave steamed, tossed with oil and seasoning, then airfried. Add a little cauliflower rice on the side + a healthy fat (I recommend crushed salted cashews on the caulirice or my date mustard as a dipping sauce for the chicken) and you’ve got a Whole30 compliant meal in less than 20 minutes. Woot! Price breakdown (I purchased all of these @walmart) - Chicken: $2/lb, .4 lbs per serving = .80/serving - Brussel sprouts: $2.97 for bag, 3 servings = .99/serving - Caulirice: $2.58 per bag, 3 servings = .86/serving - Oil & cost of spices used (not the price of the entire bottle) = .15/serving - 2 tablespoons date mustard = .25 Total = $3.05 Easy delicious blacked chicken recipe linked in profile. Swipe left to see just how EASY this simple but flavorful chicken is! Double tap if you love easy affordable healthy meal ideas and recipes! https://wholefoodfor7.com/blackened-chicken/

The most delicious GF/DF birthday cake I’ve had in a looong time 😍. My baby turned 9 yesterday 😭. He loves chocolate like his mama and wanted a chocolate cake. We used two packages of @missjonesbakes chocolate cake mixes and two tubs of their vanilla frosting for a 2 layer cake. I also always just slightly underbake my baked goods to keep them moist. Cool your cakes on the counter for 5 minutes, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. This is an easy way to hold in the moisture for a really moist cake that is then easy to frost. To add a hint of my sons favorite fruit (raspberries), I also made a raspberry sauce like my blueberry sauce on my blog and blended it into one of the cans of frosting for the middle raspberry filling. Oh goodness it was 🔥👌🏻. Topped with crushed GF/DF Oreos and chocolate drizzle because cakes should be extra. 😉. I love that @missjonesbakes frostings are only 5-6 ingredients and the best tasting DF frostings out there IMO, and are also soy and nut free 🙌🏻. Be sure to stir them really good before frosting. I have enjoyed this brand enough I did something I never do - became an affiliate. I tell you that so you know I love it. But I will also tell you the most affordable place to buy it is @walmart not my code 😉😘. More to come, but link in bio if you can’t find this cake mix in store. What’s your favorite packaged GF/DF dessert mix or item? https://pixelfy.me/wholefoodfor7 #desserts #baking #recipes #recipe #organic #natural #betterwithmissjones #bakersgonnabake

EASY GF/DF TRAVEL BREAKFAST YOU CAN BUY THERE - Sometimes you just need an easy travel breakfast you didn’t bring with you. Though I usually travel with my own food as a family of 7 to save $$, I don’t when I travel for work. I didn’t have a car, so I made a quick trip to Whole Foods on the way home from the airport. I grabbed: • @culina - amazing paleo yogurt loaded with healthy fats and only sweetened with maple syrup • berries • @kindbar - for a crunch, could do paleo granola here too for a grain-free option • @vitalproteins single serve packets for protein and satiety Stir the @vitalproteins right into your yogurt until smooth. Then top with berries and crumbled granola bar. Fast, no cooking, and has healthy fats and protein 🙌🏻. Want to bring your food to save $$? See my ultimate Whole30/paleo/GFDF blog linked in profile! What’s your easy healthy travel breakfast? https://wholefoodfor7.com/ten-day-roadtrip-food/