Happy Sunday!

OK October came and went in a flash which means in What feels like about a week it'll be the new year! LOL … I do apologize for how late this post is coming out. Halloween beat me up and it's just been a slowwww day!

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are  our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Monday:  meat and potato skillet

Hear me out here; this recipe is an inspiration. I basically want to do a simplified version of this. That means : Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut 4 large potatoes into very thin slices. Chop  up 1/3 onion and garlic and cook them with avocado oil. When onions are translucent, add the ground meat with a little bit of tomato sauce and salt. how much tomato sauce? You're not making a tomato soup it's just to give it a little bit of moisture.. cook meat. Push the meat mixture to one side of the skillet and layer potatoes on the bottom of the skillet. Move meat to cover the potatoes and layer the slices on the opposite side so the entire bottom of the pan is covered. Pour 2 cups milk over the skillet, then add cheese over the top of the potatoes. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Tent the top with foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and potatoes are fork tender.

Tuesday: Salmon bowls

I found a new wild salmon provider at my local farmers market so I purchased some salmon fillets for this week. I'm very excited for this bowl- everyone in my family loves salmon!

Wednesday: black bean sweet potato bowls

this is a very easy vegetarian meal that is particularly yummy on a cold day... you can use already made black beans just make sure they come from glass containers like the ones jovial sells. I use white rice, brown because brown rice has higher levels of arsenic.  i will add avocado on top

Thursday: chicken, rice, and broccoli with parsley date gremolata

we make this every so often at home and it's always very tasty almost like a risotto without the work

Friday: pasta!

we have a school function of Friday so dinner has to be super simple.... likely just pasta with cheese . I like to cook up some fresh garlic garlic with olive oil oil to add the Parmesan. Just make it extra tasty

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday it's really simple with pasta. this week I'm adding some shrimp to add a little bit of protein to it, but you could also just serve normal pesto, premade!

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: left over meat with fresh quinoa

WEDNESDAY: pasta with green beans and butter

THURSDAY: homemade avocado sushi roll

FRIDAY: bento grazing lunch:  carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

I hope it helps make your week a little bit simpler and healthier! Have a great week! XX

Happy Sunday! I am still in Chicago but my Family is back home, and we still have to eat this week, so I still had to do my meal planning :)

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are  our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

Dinner

Monday:  chicken parmesan meatballs

These have surprising taste, and are truly delicious and liked by all of us. You could serve it with pasta, with rice, mashed potatoes or tons of veggies

Tuesday: Feijoada (Lean Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

I skip pork and change the brown rice for white, but you can even make in slow cooker ( I take out the ham and the pork, just to make it a little bit lighter.)

Wednesday: quinoa kibbeh

My mother-in-law is in town, and she always makes traditional kibbeh,  but last year we tried this gluten-free version, and it was delicious so making that one for the whole family to enjoy!

Thursday: Krispy chicken rice bowls

My kids love rice bowls - mainly because you can kind of decide how many ingredients are healthy ingredients You want to add. This is a super recipe, which is super tasty. If I have anyone of the families adverse to the spicy mayo, Leave it on the side.

Friday: Lasagna

We are going to make a lasagna, and usually when I do this, I will make a smaller gluten-free one for my son and myself. if you need a shortcut, you can totally use tomato sauce that is store-bought. I would just encourage you to choose one that is organic and comes in a glass container to avoid Bisphenol exposure ( Also check the ingredients because often sugar is added, and it totally unnecessary)

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday really simple with pasta. This week I'm choosing lasagna because week because it's hearty and I can also give it to the kids before trick-or-treating on Saturday if needed!

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: left over meatballs

WEDNESDAY: pasta with pesti

THURSDAY: bento grazing lunch:  carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

FRIDAY: left over kibbeh

Happy Halloween!!

xx

Aida

Happy Sunday!

This week feels like the last week before the busy pre holiday and holiday season begins… so its actually one of my favorite weeks of the year. If the weather cooperates, it will feel a bit like Fall in Los Angeles too :-)

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

DINNER

Monday: Green lentils with sausage (sausage is optional) with grilled cheese on the side

My husband has a company dinner on Monday night, so I feel like this is easy to make and easy to cleanup for solo parenting! If you want to incorporate one vegetarian meal a week skip the sausage! Even on its own these lentils are hearty. For my older athlete boys I will make grilled cheese with chunky sourdough loaf slices.

Tuesday: Teriyaki chicken bowl

I skip the sugar and use Tamari (gluten free soy sauce). This time I am going to serve it with this edamame ginger rice (https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-edamameginger-rice-recipes-from-the-kitchn-215777 ) but you can totally serve with plain rice or sushi rice . Will add avocado and sprinkle furikake on top

Wednesday: (Veal Piccata)

For a gluten free alternative use almond flour or quinoa flour. You can also use chicken instead of veal!

Thursday: Slow cooker beef

Slow cooker meals once a week are something I look forward to because…. It just almost cooks itself!

Friday: pasta! Butter sage gnocci

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday it’s really simple with pasta. This week we will do gnocci with a simple butter sage sauce…. you can make your own gnocci if you have some extra time- its really fun for kids to help out too! (I will buy frozen!)

SHOP

• Stainless steel meat tenderizer:

• Slow cooker : stainless steel interior (discount: AIDASPICKS)

Rice Maker: I use my stainless steel pots for making rice but if you want a rice cooker (which, I get it, makes rice to perfection every single time with little supervision needed) you want to make sure you get a stainless steel one……. This is a good one:

Our Place has a new aesthetically pleasing one that is making the rounds on social media as “ non toxic”. But they don’t disclose what is in their coating so I don’t recommend it.

Another more affordable option would be an instant pot with the stainless steel insert:

• Bamboo sushi rolling mat: If you want tomato homemade sushi for school lunch or dinners this is a must have

• our fav ss lunch box (their leak resistant design is a game changer for sending real food)

SCHOOL LUNCH

MONDAY: homemade avocado sushi: this seems more complicated than it is! Start with sushi rice and a larger nori (seaweed) and just add avocado (or anything else!)

TUEDAY: left over lentils

WEDNESDAY: quesadillas

THURSDAY: pasta with green beans and parmesan

FRIDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

Have a great week!

If you find these meal plans helpful please make sure to subscribe and/or share with someone who could find them helpful too (and who could use some easy tips on lowering toxin exposures at home!!)

Need more help?

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Whether you're bracing for a soggy " Super El Niño" winter or just gearing up for snow days, a lot of you have told me you're shopping for rain and winter gear for your kids right now. Strong El Niño years tend to make wetter conditions more likely across the southern U.S., including here in California.

What does that mean for parents?  Our kiddos need good outerwear so that they can still go outside but stay ( mostly) dry!

The concern: outerwear is where PFAS, "forever chemicals," have historically shown up most. They're used to make fabrics repel water, stains, and grease, which is exactly what we want from a rain jacket or snow suit. ... but this is changing!

The good news? New laws have changed things a lot and the trend is positive and moving away from PFAS chemicals, but we still can't give a blanket statement saying that “PFAS chemicals are no longer an issue in children's outerwear”.

The reason? Well, to understand we need to look at the laws… so: Here's what the new laws  cover, where the gaps still are, and how to shop with confidence this season.

Subscribe

The good news: real progress

Over the past few years, a growing number of states have passed serious laws restricting PFAS in children's products and clothing. California and New York kicked things off in 2025 with bans on intentionally added PFAS in most everyday apparel. States from Maine to Minnesota have followed with their own rules. Big brands generally don't want to make separate product lines for each state, so these laws are pushing many companies to reformulate across the board.

The fine print: "regulated" isn't the same as "PFAS-free"

Even if you live in one of these states, you can still run into kids' clothing and gear made with PFAS. Here's where the gaps are:

• "Intentionally added" is the standard, not zero. Most laws ban PFAS that a manufacturer deliberately adds. California sets its limit by total organic fluorine: 100 ppm today, and that will drop to 50 ppm in January 2027. Trace contamination below those levels is still legal.

• The rain and snow gear carve-out. Most states treat "outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions" as its own category. It's narrow: extreme, extended-use gear designed for outdoor experts. Most everyday kids' rain jackets fall under the regular apparel rules, but technical ski and snow gear can be a gray area. In California, Colorado, and several other states, this category can still contain PFAS until 2028 or later, as long as it carries a "Made with PFAS chemicals" disclosure.

• Staggered timelines and sell-through. Several states' bans don't start until 2027 or 2028. Washington's apparel restriction, for example, exempts items made before January 1, 2027, so older stock can stay on shelves.

• Secondhand is often exempt. Minnesota and Rhode Island explicitly exempt secondhand products. Hand-me-downs and resale gear may also predate these laws entirely.

• Online and out-of-state sellers. Enforcement relies largely on testing and manufacturer certifications. In New York, for example, retailers can rely in good faith on a manufacturer's written assurance that its products comply.

• No federal ban. Outside the states below, there's no clothing-specific PFAS ban at all.

State-by-state update (as of October 2026)

California

• Children's products with intentionally added PFAS at 100 ppm or more have been banned since January 2023.

• Most textiles and apparel above 100 ppm total organic fluorine have been banned since January 2025. The limit drops to 50 ppm on January 1, 2027.

• Outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions is allowed until January 1, 2028, but must be labeled "Made with PFAS chemicals."

New York

• New apparel with intentionally added PFAS has been banned since January 2025. The law explicitly covers kids' staples like onesies, bibs, and diapers.

• The ban on outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions takes effect January 1, 2028.

Colorado

• Juvenile products with intentionally added PFAS have been banned since January 2024.

• Severe-wet outdoor apparel has had to carry a PFAS disclosure label since 2025.

• All textile articles, plus severe-wet outdoor apparel, will be banned starting January 1, 2028.

Maine

• Most textiles with intentionally added PFAS have been banned since January 2026.

• Outdoor wet-weather apparel has until 2029, with disclosure requirements in the meantime.

Minnesota (Amara's Law)

• Juvenile products (for kids under 12) with intentionally added PFAS have been banned since January 2025. Compliance guidance indicates this extends to children's clothing.

• A broader ban on nonessential PFAS in other products, including adult apparel, is scheduled for 2032.

Vermont

• Juvenile products and textiles with intentionally added PFAS have been banned since January 2026.

• Outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions follows in 2028.

Connecticut

• Since July 2026, apparel and children's products with intentionally added PFAS must carry a label.

• A full ban on these categories begins January 1, 2028.

Washington

• Apparel and accessories with intentionally added PFAS will be banned starting January 1, 2027. Items made before that date are exempt.

• Extreme-use outdoor apparel faces reporting requirements rather than a ban.

• The state will presume PFAS were intentionally added when total fluorine is 50 ppm or more.

Illinois

• Clothing with intentionally added PFAS will be banned starting January 2027.

Rhode Island

• Juvenile products and textile articles, including apparel, with intentionally added PFAS will be banned starting January 1, 2027.

• Severe-wet outdoor apparel will be banned in 2029 unless labeled.

Everywhere else

• There's no state-level clothing ban yet. You may still benefit from national brands reformulating, but it's worth checking labels and brand policies.

How to make sure what your buying is PFAS free

• Look for an explicit "PFAS-free" or "PFC-free" claim, ideally backed by third-party testing or a certification whose current criteria restrict PFAS ( Oeko Tex 100, GOTS, Bluesign)

• Be wary of "PFOA-free." PFOA is just one PFAS among thousands, so this claim tells you very little.

• Check the hang tag and care label for a "Made with PFAS chemicals" disclosure, especially on ski and snow gear.

• If you don’t know- ask or google it. I Recently came across a kids jacket. That mentioned they used a special technology for waterproofing, which I had never heard of before. I simply googled does.xxx Technology contain PFA chemicals, and got an answer pretty quickly

• Buying secondhand? Usually, I would encourage this, however, for rain and snow gear, do not buy before checking the brand's PFAS policy and the item's age.

The bottom line

This is one of those areas where advocacy and legislation are actually working. Kids' clothing is meaningfully safer than it was just a few years ago, and the rules keep tightening. But "regulated" still doesn't mean "guaranteed PFAS-free," especially for rain and snow gear. A few minutes of label-reading goes a long way.

To make it easier, I've rounded up my favorite PFAS-free rain (winter coming soon!) gear for kids,

Shop my PFAS-free rain gear picks here

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support this work.

Sources

• NOAA Climate Prediction Center, ENSO Diagnostic Discussion

• California AB 1817 summary (SGS)

• New York DEC, PFAS in Apparel Law

• Colorado SB24-081 (Brownstein)

• State PFAS roundup incl. Maine and Vermont (Arnold & Porter)

• Minnesota Amara's Law, juvenile products

• Connecticut SB 292 (ChemRadar)

• Washington Cycle 1.5 rule (Bureau Veritas)

• 2026 state PFAS laws incl. Illinois (Specialty Fabrics Review)

• Rhode Island Consumer PFAS Ban Act (SGS)

Happy Sunday!

It finally feels a tiny bit like Fall here in Los Angeles (its not in the 90’s!) so I am all in on comfort food and Halloween decor! This week we have some comfort food reflecting that change in season :-)

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

Dinners

Monday: One pan garlic safe chicken thighs and rice

I love that this is a one pan recipe (easy to clean) and it looks super yummy! Will be making this on my deeper cast iron (linked below)

Tuesday: Ground orange chicken

My oldest son wanted to order orange chicken yesterday and we decided against it- honestly its fine to order once in a while but restaurant orange chicken I find is so heavy and filled with sugar… and you can make it at home without any sugar but will all the taste! Because we ate rice on Monday I will be serving on green for me and my husband and offering lettuce wraps and quinoa for the kids

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff (healthier!)

My husband who grew up in Brazil loves stroganoff: he insists it is eaten so often in Brazil that it’s considered almost an official dish! This is a healthier version ( but tastes just as good)

Thursday: Slow cooker turkey chili

simple and kid friendly and comes together with minimal effort because... slow cooker! I will serve with avocado and cheese

Friday: pasta!

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday it’s really simple with pasta. This week we are going to make a little garlic and olive oil sauce with broccoli and mushroom … these are two veggies all the kids like and its easy to make!

shop this week’s menu

1. Deeper cast iron (we have the No 11)

2. Stainless steel slow cooker (discount code: AIDASPICKS)

3. Large solid wood cutting board

4. our fav ss lunch box (their leak resistant design is a game changer for sending real food)

   School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: asian noodles with soy sauce, shredded carrots and edamame

WEDNESDAY: left over orange chicken with quinoa

THURSDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

FRIDAY: left over turkey chili

I did not grow up in a board game playing family BUT I did grow up playing some very classic Cuban games (my family is Cuban). Every afternoon after school during preschool through 2 grade I would go to my grandparent’s house and every day I would either play dominoes with my grandfather or Parchese with my grandfather and grandmother.

My husband, however, did grow up in a family that played traditional board games and to this day LOVES THEM. It is mostly thanks to him that our family plays as much board games as we do…. And honestly: it is a GREAT family activity. From the time the kids are young to the time they are teens (and beyond) boardgames offer cross generational, screen free diversion… and THAT is valuable in this day and age.

Until my husband taught me otherwise, I always thought board games were limited to Life and Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit and the like… and (no shade to the classics) I kind of thought they were boring and never really wanted to play….. BUT today there are genuinely great board games that are fun and challenging and actually liked by 8 year olds AND 15 year olds and 40 year olds and beyond!

In terms of ages…. I find that kids can often start playing at a younger age than the game declares. Maybe start having little ones play with you on a team and they will pick it up. My 4 1/2 year old right now enjoys: Dominoes, Parchese, Dog Bingo, Sorry, Uno, Karuba (with help) and Ticket to Ride (with a lot of help)

Our boys started playing and loving : Risk, 7 wonders, Splendor and Catan at ages 6 and 9….. and still play them today (ages 13 and 16)

These are our favorites board games. I had my 13 year old son review them for you since he is, in every sense of the word, a gamer. Yes he plays video games, but he also loves board games…..anything written in italics was added by me.

Dog Bingo:

Recommended age: 3+

Federico says: 3+

Dog Bingo is a game that I started playing when I was tiny (3) . It’s the same as bingo, so it’s very easy to learn, but it’s about dogs! It’s always been a fun game to play with family and friends, and is always a great gift since; who doesn’t like dogs.

Aida says: I love the illustrations in this game and how its easy to include little ones in playing. They have bird, cat and bug version too! For travel or younger kids there is a cute Eric Carle “ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Bingo and Matching Game” that my then 2 year old started playing during a trip to Europe

Dominoes (kids version here)

Recommended age: 3/4

Federico says: 3/4

Dominoes was probably one of the first games I learned to play. I play this game with everyone everywhere, with my parents, siblings and grandparents and friends. What’s so great about this game, is that when I say I’ve played it everywhere I mean everywhere, like over the Atlantic ocean on a plane, on train in Spain, at the beach and at the mountains and of course at home. Basically you can take this game everywhere and still feel like you are at home.

Aida says: As I mentioned I started playing this game with my grandfather when I was 3….. I loved it and have some of the best memories thanks to this game. As Federico says I do love its versatility and how it an be fun for all ages from preschoolers to grandparents.Shoutout to all the new kid- focused versions that make it extra fun for kids

Game of Life Jr.

Recommended age: 5+

Aida says: 4+

It’s not the funnest, nor does it require a lot of strategy, but its a great game to get younger kids used to playing a game. I like that siblings can play together and its simple enough where they can set it up and play alone without an adult.

Sorry:

Recommended age: 6+

Aida says: 4+

Sorry was one of the first games that I learned to play. It’s a super simple and quick game that I usually play with my grandparents or during classes such as tutoring or speech therapy. This is probably a top 10 game of mine since I can play with anyone (young or old) and it will still be a super fun experience.

I think it is one of the easiest games to start with for younger kids. Depending on the child a 4 year old can already play on their own

Karuba:

Recommended Age:8+

Federico says: 6/7+

I started playing Karuba when I was seven years old, its always had been my moms favorite game and when I tried it it became one of my favorite games to play as well. It never takes more then 30 minutes and it is to easy to learn and play. Although you don’t really need a strategy to win, it always give me and my mom a great memory, and a super fun thing to do after school.

Aida says: I personally love this game. Its simple, and fun and doesn’t take forever to play. I also love that its easy enough for younger kids to play as well as grandparent (or really tired/ brain dead parents after a long week)

Rummikub:

Recommended age: 8+

Aida says: 9+ (although there is a Jr version)

This is one of my favorite games (Aida)….. my boy’s will play it but don’t love it. My husband and I will sometimes take it out if we have friends over for dinner, the grandparents enjoy it too. Definitely not for young kiddos but at some point around 8 they can start playing

Dragonwood

Recommended age: 8+

Federico says: 8/9

Me and my dad like to play many board games, most of them take 30 minutes or more, but Dragonwood is different. It takes no more than 20 minutes to play and it isn’t that hard to learn. When I first started playing I was 9 and I got a hold of it instantly. It’s one of my favorite games because it’s a game where you can play and not think too much about moves and still have a good outcome, or you can play like me and have a specific strategy in place.

Ticket to ride

Recommended age: 8+

Federico says: 7/8

Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite games for many reasons, one of them being it’s a very simple game. We first got it when I was 9, then my grandmother loved it so much that she decided to get it for their house so we can play when we visit. She usually struggles to play a lot of the complex games I love to play, but she quickly understood this one and now she even beats me from time to time.

Aida says: The biggest challenge in this game is to visualize the train route you need to complete. This could be challenging to younger players but beyond that its pretty simple and my 4 1/2 year old plays on my team already! Its fun and relatively quick and as an added perk teaches a bit of geography. They also have versions for different parts of the world

Mahjong (traditional with matching rack set or American)

Recommended age: 8+

Aida says: not sure, likely 12+

This is the only game on this list that my son has not played…. While it is in no way a new game, it is new to us and in fact I only have played once and recently! I wanted to add it here because I know many families who have been playing for a few months and have kids playing with adults and all enjoying it. I like that there is pattern recognition, and a cultural aspect to it.

Carcasone:

Recommended age: 10+

Federico says: 11+

Carcasone is the newest game that i started playing, so far I’ve only played with my dad. This is probably one of the faster games and is super easy to learn and play. There’s not too much strategy needed in this game, but is still a very fun game to play with your family

SevenWonders Duel

Recommended age: 10+

Federico says: 9+

Lately in my family my mom and brother have been slacking off on game playing with me and my dad, so we got SevenWonders Duel. It has the same points and way to win as the normal game, but I like the way that you get those points more in Duel then the normal game, it’s also a quicker game to learn and might require more strategy. I also love how the size is more compact (good to travel with) so you can play anywhere!

Seven Wonders

Recommended age:10+

Federico says: 7+

Seven Wonders has been a family favorite for the past 6 years! My brother doesn’t really like to play many board games, but SevenWonders was different. He loves it. The name of the game kind of gives away the main plot of the game; it’s about the Seven Wonders of the world. This game isn’t as easy as the other games to learn, but it’s like snowboarding, hard to learn but easy to master.

Aida says: I like this game because once you get the hang of it, it moves quickly. It requires a bit of strategy to win BUT you can also play without a strategy for fun and enjoy!

Risk

Recommended age: 10+

Federico says: 6+

Risk is a easy to learn family game that I love to play over the holidays when uncles and grandparents come over. Something that I personally find fun about Risk is that there are 2 different versions to the game; one is a quicker game play that will take about 45 minutes, another (My personal favorite) can take up to two days!

Aida says: I hate risk. LOL but my husband and boys love it and will take it out over the holidays every year and play an epic multi day game

Splendor

Recommended age: 10+

Aida says: 8+

Aida says: I like Splendor. Maybe its the playing with “gems” but its easy to understand, relatively quick to play and I find it quite entertaining. We used to play it at least every 2 months in our old house pre fire and we are definitely getting it for Christmas this year

Catan:

Recommended age: 10+

Federico says: 8+

Out of all the games on this list my favorite game is Catan. I started playing when I was 8 or 9 with my family, and I immediately started loving it. I love how this is a game of mostly strategy, but I find that it’s easy to learn for people that have experience in board games. In my family we get really competitive, so to have a game where you have to think before you act, and you can make alliances and enemies, this is definitely a family favorite.

Lords of Waterdeep

Recommended age: 12 +

Federico says: 11+

I only had Lords of Waterdeep for 1 year, but that one year made this game a top game for me and my dad. My mom didn’t really enjoy this game that much and my brother would play sometimes, but me and my dad would go head to head every weekend. This game is definitely a harder game to learn, it even took me a good amount of time to fully understand it, but once you get the main part it’s pretty easy to play.

Final thoughts:

There are new online games now that we have played on occasion and, while not screen free, are actually fun for families as well as teens. In fact, I find that online games like Boggle and Pictionary that are played on a tv with your phone as a remote, are often liked more by older teens than traditional board games…. And in my book its still better than having them on their phone 1:1.

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: You open there area under the kitchen sink only to find it filled with toxic cleaning chemicals. You know what I talking about: brightly colored dish soap, more brightly colored liquid dishwasher pods, Clorox, Abrasive cleaners, trash bags with strong fragrances, Drano, oven cleaners like Easy off etc.

Here is the thing: it is unnecessary.

Harmful chemical ingredients found in these conventional cleaners are totally unnecessary to clean with AND using them over time can affect your health. These products will actively exposure you to endocrine disruptors, asthmagens (chemicals that can cause asthma in otherwise healthy individuals) hazardous chemical gases and more.

A cornerstone in a truly non-toxic house is a non-toxic cleaning routine. Today, I am sharing what is under my kitchen sink to show you what we use at home and to hopefully inspire you to take a better look under your sink and start making changes asap.

What is Under my kitchen sink?

• Water Filter: GE 5-Stage Premium RO

• Distilled Vinegar: all purpose cleaner (50% vinegar and 50% water)

• Baking Soda : produce washer recipe: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 2 cups of water (or about 2 teaspoons per quart/liter of water) in a clean bowl, rub the produce and allow to soak in water for 15 minutes (this is for hard produce like apples) and then rinse

• Natural rubber gloves: avoid phthalates in pvc

• Lower tox dish sponges: avoid fragrance, microplastics, endocrine disruptors in antibacterial treatments

• Koala Eco Stainless steel cleaner : avoid aerosol propellants, fragrances and QUATS, among other chemicals often found in conventional stainless steel cleaners

• Branch Basics All purpose cleaner. Amazon Or their website with discount (15% off with: AIDASPICKS)

• Blue Land dish washer tablets.

• Hydrogen peroxide to disinfect or kill bacteria if needed

• Fragrance free Garbage bags

• Silicone under sink mat: create a water proof barrier to prevent mold growth from an unknown water issue/leak

Need more help with lower tox cleaning around the house? I created a guide! In in you will learn how to:

1. Clean your whole home without second-guessing every label. This is a room-by-room guide covering the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, floors, glass, and more, built from the products and DIY recipes I’ve personally tested over 17 years of environmental health research.

2. Learn to spot what to skip and see through “green” marketing. It includes a short list of ingredients to look out for and a decoder for unregulated label claims like “natural” and “eco-friendly,” so you can shop with confidence.

3. Get simple swaps that actually work, plus exclusive discounts. That means easy recipes using pantry staples like baking soda, vinegar, and castile soap, along with my vetted brand picks and reader-only discount codes.

This guide is for my Substack paid subscribers, however if you have downloaded the TOXWISE APP : all of this information is always available there too!

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The bi annual (or is it 3 x a year now?) Amazon Prime Day event is here. I am sure you already know this because it is likely being talked about everywhere in your inbox and/or Instagram….. Before I share my top low tox living deals, I do find it important to mention a few things.

Amazon has a bad reputation because of fostering overconsumption (among other things) . I can’t say that I disagree. I really try to only buy what my family needs and when possible shop local but, the reality is, I do shop on Amazon a lot and I do take advantage of Prime Day sales….. and I DO think that when Amazon Prime Days can go hand in hand with the concept of mindful shopping … it ultimately depends on YOU.

What does that mean? Well: dont let yourself be convinced by anyone (even me!) that you NEED SOMETHING unless you really do need it. Chances are, if you didnt know it existed 10 minutes ago, you probably don’t need it. It also means planning ahead and focusing on what you need to buy : basically go into Prime Day with a plan!

What do I get on prime day? In my latest Instagram post I get into how I have 4 categories for things to buy during Amazon Day

• baby essentials (key word being essentials) you need to buy anyway: best to buy on sale (obv only for people expecting a baby)

• kitchen items: the transition to a lower tox kitchen usually takes long and thats ok. Replacing items slowly and taking advantage of sales is great…. :Last year I got a Vitamix mixer and this year I hope to get the stainless steel insert if it goes on sale. Last prime day I purchased a new set of glass food storage containers

• Vacuums: this is a big ticket item that can reduce your indoor contaminant exposure significantly IF you have a vacuum with a HEPA filter and good suction… and they usually go on sale on Prime Day

• other things you really need or use : here I include toilet paper and soaps and ladry detergent I use anyway so might as well stock up with a sale. Also holiday gifts I will have to make . Last Prime Day I purchased a second dehumidifier etc

My list will likely look different from yours, but hopefully this is helpful

Among items I am excited to see are on sale this year:

• plastic free coffee maker

• Carepod stainless steel humidifier

• my dehumidifier

• GOTS organic blankets

• GOTS organic mens underwear

• Coyuchi organic towels

• BRanch BAsics

• My Miele vacuum

• Field Company cast iron pans (and Lodge)

• Some of the water filters I reviewed last week

• tons of baby stuff

To view all the lower tox items on sale today and tomorro, please visit this link … and check back because I will add more items as the day goes on!

Finally one non Amazon sale I just found out about. Function Health’s price just dropped from $365 to $295 for 2 days only …. Function HEalth is a membership that tests for 100+ biomarkers and tracks your results over time. It is THE gift (for your loved one or yourself) for a fuller/ deeper picture of your health… much more than beyond a standard physical . I first gifted it to my husband (who does not work with a Functional Health Doctor) and was so impressed that I became a member last year. Even though I work with a top Functional Health doctor I found that FH gave me information I wasnt aware about and that was not on my doctor’s radar for testing. Again, I liked it so much that I signed up again for this year and have my appointment for my first blood draw next week!

Dinner

Happy Sunday!

Even though we are in October here in Southern California, we are going through one of the worst heat waves in memory. So I apologize for anyone experiencing the start of cozy chilly Fall- I can only handle easy Lights recipes this week with this heat!!

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

Monday: 5 Minute miso salmon

The key with this recipe is to remember to marinade and not cook on foil, instead use parchment paper and You can serve is cucumber salad and avocado and maybe rice

Tuesday: GREEK CHICKEN & SWEET POTATO BOWL

I found this recipe on Instagram ( I cannot remember where so sadly cannot give credit but it is not mine!) and comes together quick and easy (Approx. 480 kcal | 51g )protein

125g chicken

150g sweet potato

½ cucumber

80g cherry tomatoes

20g feta

4–5 olives

50g Greek yoghurt

Lemon + garlic + oregano

arugula or rice

Method: Air-fry the sweet potato. Mix the yoghurt with lemon juice, garlic and oregano to make the dressing, then add everything to a bowl.

Wednesday: Beef burritos

If the putting in the tortilla is too difficult you could serve like a taco on corn tortilla or even make rice bowls

Thursday: Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

Friday: pasta!

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday it’s really simple with pasta. This week I’m just going to serve with tomato sauce… I usually make the tomato sauce fresh with grape tomatos and a lot of garlic and olive oil and let it cook for however long it takes for the tomatos to become soft flavorful balls. For the kids we mix it up into a sauce but I love eating it without blending!

shop this week’s menu

1. Glass casserole dish

2. Stainless steel Blender (insert) the base is on sale $150 off for Amazon PRime week)

3. great stainless steel hand grater

4. Stainless steel cups for when little friends come over

5. cast iron pan ( not the one I have but its on sale for Amazon Prime week)

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: pasta with butter and organic green beans

WEDNESDAY: left over chicken and sweet potatos

THURSDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

FRIDAY: avocado sushi rolls (make the rice the night before)

Choosing a water filter can feel overwhelming. Every brand promises to remove “hundreds” of contaminants, and throw claims around left and right. After days of digging through certification databases, lab reports, and more, I learned the most important question isn’t what a filter claims to remove, it’s what it’s certified to remove. I think about it as certifications being what independently vouches that a filter actually does what the manufacturer says it does, vs just taking the manufacturer’s word for it.The good news: a great filter doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are excellent certified options at nearly every price point. My focus here was PFAS, along with overall contaminant reduction.

1. Why a water filter is worth having

At this point, I believe every home can benefit from a good drinking water filter. EWG’s analysis of water data from nearly 50,000 water systems identified 324 contaminants across the country, and almost every community water system had at least one detectable contaminant. PFAS are among the most widespread. According to EWG’s analysis of the latest EPA testing, about 176 million Americans drink tap water from systems contaminated with PFAS, and contamination has been found at 9,728 sites across all 50 states. PFAS are just one piece of the picture; federal protections may also be weakening. In May 2026, under the Trump administration, EPA proposed rescinding drinking water limits for 4 PFAS chemicals and giving water utilities until 2031, two extra years, to meet limits for PFOA and PFOS. With federal safeguards in flux, filtering your own water is one of the most reliable ways to protect your household. The empowering part is that this is one of the easiest exposures to reduce: a certified filter can meaningfully cut PFAS and many other contaminants at home. If you don’t have a filter for your drinking water yet, now is a great time to get one.

Curious what’s in your water? EWG’s Tap Water Database lets you search your ZIP code for the latest data on PFAS and other contaminants in your local water. TapScore (AIDASPICKS for $10 off) lets you test your water at home and send it in to their laboratory , giving you results within a week or two

2. Certified vs. lab tested: why it matters

Many companies boast about their lab tests that they claim show removal of contaminants. The problem is that, unless these tests are part of a broader certification process, you don’t have a way of confirming their accuracy throughout the lifespan of the filter (for example: what was in the water in the first place? Maybe there was no arsenic to start with , so it doesn’t mean the filter removed the arsenic…..)

Lab tested means:

• The company chooses the lab, picks the sample, and decides which results to publish.

• It’s usually a one-time test.

• If the water didn’t contain a contaminant to begin with, a “non-detect” result after filtering doesn’t prove much. This is common with PFAS.

Certified means:

• An independent organization (NSF, IAPMO, or WQA) sets the rules and runs the testing.

• The filter is tested over its full lifespan, not just when it’s new.

• The factory is inspected to confirm the product being sold matches the one tested.

• The filter is retested periodically, and it can lose certification if it stops passing.

• A public listing lets anyone verify the claims.

Lab testing is still valuable, especially when it’s done by a reputable lab, but certification is far stronger proof. Unfortunately, many companies don’t have certifications to back up all their claims.

A note on AquaTru: Due to recent allegations involving AquaTru’s owner, I’ve decided not to include their filters on this list. It’s a hard call, because their filters hold some of the most rigorous third-party certifications on the market. But until those allegations are resolved, I no longer recommend them.

Below are the filters I’ve researched and approve of.

If I had to rank all of these from best to less (by the way none are BAD they are all good- just some are better- or at least have certifications that vouch for what they say they do!! There were about 5 others I looked into that did not even make the cut. ) ONLY in terms of total contaminant reduction and PFAS reduction, it is no surprise that, for the most part , RO filters come out on the very top (the technology is just the best) but what IS surprising is that a PITCHER actually would come out in the top 5!

Also, certifications here are weighing heavily on these rankings: while we know that RO tends to be great at filtering- I am giving more weight to the filters that actually have independent certification because of the reasons mentioned above at the start of this post….. Even if an influencer says they lab tested x filter it is not the same as a proper certification

(if you prefer to shop on Amazon, some of the filters are available there too. Click here to see which ones

1. GE 5-Stage Premium RO (under-sink RO): about $249–260

2. Aquasana SmartFlow RO (under-sink RO): about $399.99 without a faucet

3. Waterdrop G3 P800 (under-sink RO): about $539–999, depending on the retailer

4. Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage (under-sink 3 stage): about $170–260

5. Culligan ZeroWater pitcher (available in 40 cup glass dispenser and plastic: 32 cup dispenser, 12 cup pitcher, 10 cup pitcher and 7 cup pitcher: from $24.99

6. Culligan MaxClear (countertop gravity): from $229.99

7. Rorra (countertop gravity): $399 with a filter subscription. *note: they are working on certifications. Once those are official I will see what they are certified for and this ranking might go up)

8. Clearly Filtered under-sink: about $495–550

9. Cloud RO (under-sink): about $599

10. Dreo RO (countertop): From $153

11. Clearly Filtered pitcher: about $90

12. Pure Effect ULTRA-UC-DISINFECT (under-sink): $725, plus $475 for the UV option

Below, for my subscribers, I run through each of the filters and spell out the pros and cons of each one, but, In general terms, the main takeaways from this deep dive for me were:

1. You don’t have to spend a lot for a great filter. Two of the top five are among the most affordable options on the list. The Aquasana Claryum (#4) costs about $170–$260 and is certified for 78 contaminants, including PFAS. The Culligan ZeroWater pitcher (#5) starts at about $25 and is certified for the full range of PFAS. Meanwhile, some of the priciest filters, like Pure Effect at $725 or more, rank near the bottom.

2. Certification matters more than marketing. Certified filters have been independently verified, and certifiers keep checking them over time. Many popular brands rely on their own lab reports instead. Look for a certification from NSF, IAPMO, or WQA, and be cautious of phrases like “tested to” or “meets standards.” That likely means the company has paid a lab to test their filter once

3. RO is the most thorough option, but it isn’t the only good one. Reverse osmosis systems hold the top three spots because they cover the widest range of contaminants, including fluoride. But today’s certified carbon filters, pitchers, and gravity filters also reduce PFAS well, and they’re often cheaper and easier to use.

4. Maintenance is part of the deal. Even the best filter stops working if you don’t change it on time. Before you buy, factor in replacement filter costs and how often you’ll need them. Some, like ZeroWater and Rorra, need frequent changes that add up.

5. When researching a water filtration system, the single most useful question to ask is:

“Can you send me the certification listing and the Performance Data Sheet for this exact model, showing which contaminants are certified and by which certifier?”

Lab reports are great to have but not the same as certifications

Most of my posts are available free of charge but subscribers help support my work and so I offer deeper dives into different topics for them. Please consider becoming a paid subscriper: your support means a great deal and allows me to continue with this work

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Happy Sunday!

This might have been the fastest September ever- which I am not mad about because I really like October… its like the calm before the craziness of the Holidays. But before we get too ahead of ourselves…. Lets enjoy the last few days of September!!

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

DINNER

Monday: Korean Meatball Rice Bowl.

My kids love anything in a bowl format, but you could of course make these meatballs on their own and serve with quinoa, just rice, veggies etc!

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Lentil Chicken

Tuesday will be a busy afternoon so perfect opportunity to talk out my slow cooker! I have one made of 100% stainless steel which I love (see blow in the SHOP section). If you want a vegetarian meal of course you can skip the chicken!

Wednesday: Basil Chicken Stir Fry

I won’t lie: I have not made this recipe before and I am not 100% sure certain picky eaters in my house will like the green basil all over their chicken…. But I feel like the taste will be great so here is hoping I don’t end up having to pick out the green basil from their chicken!

Thursday: Black Bean Cilantro Lime Rice Bowls (vegetarian)

I find it hard to find a simple recipe for Cuban black beans - but I have been making them for years and it can be so so easy. The key: Soaking dried organic black beans for ~8+ hours. When you are ready to cook, rinse and drain the beans, add the black beans to your pot and add fresh filtered water (you want to more than double , add salt and boil on the stovetop till tender. You do need to be watching it as you might have to add more waters the time passes (one of the first times I made this recipe years ago I just left it cooking and it dried out and almost caused a fire. The smoke smell lingered for days!). This can take between and hour and an hour and a half. When you are coming the the end of this time make a “sofrito” (cut up small pieces of onions, garlic and maybe red pepper if you have it and cook until onion is translucent with olive oil. Add the cooked sofrito to the beans and salt to taste. Simmer for 15-20 more minutes. Also: you can cook with water and chicken stock (I would do the first boil with water and then anything you add can be chicken stock. This adds a little more flavor) ….. if all of this is too much you can use premade beans and just add the sofrito and warm up! I like Jovial black beans which come in glass containers.

Finally, if you are not into the plantains in this recipe, you can roast sweet potatoes instead. The sweetness of the sweet potato works well with the black beans!

Friday: pasta!

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday it’s really simple with pasta. This week we have “Friday Night Lights”. A football game for my oldest son (he is the kicker) so am keeping it simple for a quick early dinner”. Just cooking some broccoli with garlic and olive oil and adding that to linguini and topping it off with parmesan cheese.

shop this week’s menu

1. Stainless steel slow cooker (discount code: AIDASPICKS)

2. Large Stock Pot (discount code: AIDASPICKS)

3. pasta drainer

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: leftover meatballs with freshly made quinoa

WEDNESDAY: left over lentils

THURSDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, pita bread, cucumbers and tomatoes

FRIDAY: freshly made quinoa with corn and green beans ( I buy frozen organic corn and green beans and always have on hand)

Mold can be difficult to uncover because it often grows in hidden areas like behind walls, under carpets, or inside air ducts. It may only become noticeable once there’s a musty odor, visible discoloration or cracking paint, by which time it has already spread. Sometimes ( as was our case years ago) it leaves no visible physical sign as it is growing and it is health issues that start to show up ( allergies, rashes and so many other sometimes vague but sometimes serious symptoms) prompting people to test for mycotoxins and uncover they are being exposed to mold, and then having to find where the mold source is.

Mold does not discriminate it can grow in a multimillion dollar mansion just as easily as we can grow in a small public housing development.

To add to the complexity of mold, some people are extremely sensitive to mold, while others not so much. For those who are, however, mold can wreak havoc on a person’s health for years.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) similarly estimates that between one-third to one-half of all structures in the U.S. have damp conditions that encourage mold growth and according to the CDC 47% of U.S. homes suffer from mold. Many families don’t discover mold or report it so I suspect the actual number is much higher.

All of this to say that: prevention is KEY.

If you want to avoid mold growth it is important to understand Mold growth.

Small leaks, high humidity, or poor ventilation can create perfect conditions for mold to thrive without obvious warning signs.

Humidity: Mold can begin to grow indoors when humidity levels stay above 60%. ⁣

To avoid mold growth, the ideal range is for indoor humidity to stay between 30–50%. ⁣knowing your homes humidity level is thus super important. Many families are surprised to learn that they are humidity levels can be extremely high for some months of the year and extremely low other months (I know I was blown away by the flunctuation in humidity in my home when I started monitoring) so monitoring it and understanding your homes situation is really important.

Water: it doesn’t take a lot of water for mold to start growing. In fact, mold can start growing if humidity is high within 24 hours. Unfortunately, water leaks, can sometimes go unnoticed for days, weeks, even months. This is why it is smart to be proactive to avoid hidden leaks.

Here are 5 things that can help avoid a mold problem

1. Humidity meter ( hygrometer): mold can grow when humidity reaches 60% or more. A humidity meter can tell you if high humidity is a problem in your home. You should have a few in your home (they are inexpensive and portable) and monitor them throughout the year.

2. Dehumidifier: whether it’s a portable unit or one you install in your AC system, if you have high humidity inside your home, it is wise to invest in a dehumidifier to help lower your humidity levels and keep them between 30% - 50%

3. Silicone under sink mats are Another inexpensive tool that can avoid a surprise mold issue. These are placed under sinks and are meant to catch any leaks that might surprise us under sinks behind cabinet doors. Trust me : you can have a tiny leak going on behind cabinet doors for days or weeks and not be aware of it (again I speak from personal experience! Had I installed one in my guest bathroom a few years ago I would have saved myself $5000 in remediation and construction costs when I found some water that had led to mold…. and had I not realized it when I did that $5k could have been much higher had the mold had time to grow and spread) Ideally place one of these mats under every single sink in your home.

4. Thermal imaging : A thermal imaging device can help prevent mold problems by detecting hidden moisture behind walls, ceilings, or floors that you wouldn’t see with the naked eye. Since mold thrives in damp conditions, spotting these “cold spots” early allows you to fix leaks or improve insulation before mold has a chance to grow.

5. House wide leak alert system: These systems use sensors placed near vulnerable areas like sinks, appliances, basements, or water heaters to immediately alert you to excess moisture. By catching leaks early and allowing for quick cleanup and repair, the system prevents lingering dampness that could otherwise lead to mold growth. Some of these have auto shut off features which shut off the water source and can be a huge help if you are away from home when leak is detected.

6. Condensate Float Switch: The last place you want mold to grow is your HVAC system…. once its in there, mold spores can spread around you entire home and that is the ultimate nightmare situation… not to mention the fact that cleaning an HVAc is very difficult and costly. This small safety switch attaches to your air handler's drain pan. It automatically turns off your AC unit if the main drain line clogs, which stops the pan from overflowing and flooding your floor or ceiling. I never owned this but when we eventually buy again I will definitely get one.

Do you need all of this? IF you are vigilant probably not but these are tools that I know would have saved me thousands of dollors in remediation and repair.

Will all of these assure you will never have mold? Sadly no…. you can still have mold in your crawlspace (make sure you have proper drainage around your home helps a lot!!) and other areas but these tools DEFiNeTLY aid in avoiding or at least catching it in time!

A note on leaks:

Some leaks are very obvious and we see them and for these leaks it’s imperative that you fix leaks promptly, thoroughly drying all affected areas. If this requires making a hole in the drywall, removing wet, drywall and replacing it, trust me that expense will be less than if you don’t do this and mold is given more time to grow..

Happy Sunday!

This week it seems we are traveling around the world, with recipes influences from Asia, Morocco, Mexico and Italy lol.... while I do like exposing my kids to different recipes and flavors from around the world I also often get bored with food, so bringing in different and new flavors helps me feel a bit more excited about cooking and eating.

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

Monday: Sesame Soba Noodles And Chicken

My husband and I lived in Singapore for a bit after we were married, and I used to make so many Asian noodle recipes. My older son doesn’t love noodles now, so I’ve stopped making them, but the other kids love them too! So trying to incorporate them a little bit more. Might make some rice on the side for my older son.

Tuesday: Moroccan Chicken Pomegranate Couscous

As I mentioned, I like to expose the kids to plenty of spices from a very early age so that they get used to trying different foods and flavors (note: I don’t go crazy with the spices, sometimes I cut the spice amount so that its not too strong but gives a hint of flavor. We also skip spicy- but say yes to spices - hope that makes sense!) Also, it elevates a plain chicken to something new and different with just things that you have in your spice rack. For this recipe, I will make couscous, and then some quinoa on the side for those of us who are gluten-free.

Wednesday: green chicken enchiladas

I do a slightly easier take on this recipe. (Although I’m sure this recipe is probably tastier) I boil the chicken breast with some salt and shred it. And for the sauce, broil the tomatillos in the oven with a little bit of garlic and salt and I mix it up with a little bit of cilantro in the mixer. And that’s my sauce. I also use corn tortillas instead of flour. I try to make extra chicken because it’s great for sandwiches and salads for lunch the following day.

Thursday: Flank Steak with Corn Salsa

What I love about this corn salsa is that I can use it for lunch and school lunch the next day so make extra! Corn is known for high pesticide levels, so make sure to buy organic. I usually buy Organic and frozen because its readily available.

Friday: Pasta!

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday really simple with pasta. This week I’m adding some shrimp to add a little bit of protein, but you could also just serve normal premade pesto.

shop this week’s menu

1. Stainless Steel cookie sheet (for the tomatillos)

2. blender of your dreams (and stainless steel insert)

3. carbon steel (PFAS FREE!) wok

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: quesadillas

TUESDAY: soba noodles with edamame and carrots

WEDNESDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

THURSDAY: leftover chicken with tomatillo salsa with rice

FRIDAY: corn and tomato salad from the night before with falafels and hummus (as you know i try to avoid processed foods but this is one I have on standby in my freezer and sometimes resort too… Afia falafel ingredients are pretty good although there is some sunflower oil)

98% of the personal-care and cleaning products tested in a new study contained at least one potentially concerning chemical that WASN’T disclosed on the label.

That’s why I’m pretty picky about something I use on my face every day — and that my teens use too.

I want a cleanser that cleans without stripping or irritating the skin.

And I avoid unnecessary fragrance, certain irritating preservatives, and ingredients that can introduce contaminants during manufacturing.

For me, it’s about reducing repeated exposures when there’s an easy alternative.

I’ve tried a LOT of face washes, and this new one has quickly become a favorite.

Primally Pure Jelly to Milk Cleanser. (‘3littleplums” is my discount code)

This is the first Primally Pure cleanser that I love for my skin. It just launched but I have been using it for almost 2 weeks and so far like it a lot. Starts as a jelly and when you add water becomes more of a traditional wash, but still protects your skin’s barrier so no overdrying while still removing makeup!

Ocean Cleansing Milk (Discount code: AIDASPICKS10 )

This one is very gentle. I find its not great at removing makeuyp but is great for tweens and early teens who do not need anything too strong. My 13 year old is now using this one.

Aleavia Face Wash

This is one of my favs for “special” skin…. by special I mean: acne, roseacea, irritated skin etc. It cleanses (and removes makeup) but protects the skin barrier.

Best Skin Ever

If you are looking for an oil cleanser this is my fav. A friend recommended it like 10 years ago and I still go back to it every so often….. you do need an organic towel to wash off (so, nope, my 16 year old would not use)

Ocean Cleansing Mud (Discount code: AIDASPICKS10 )

My 16 year old uses this pretty regularly (sometimes he just washes face in the shower ) it is a deeper cleanse that he likes to use particularly after sports practice (its thick and brown but washes off easily- just fyi!

Earthtonic Cardamom Cream Cleanser

This company is located in Ojai California and thye make all of their products (which are amazing) in house right there. I like a lot of their products but it was their cleanser that first caught my attention. ITs a soft cream that you wash off with a moistened clothes … I am obsessed…. my teen son thought it was too much of a pain to not be able to just wash it off with water.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know there are a LOT of environmental exposures I talk about. But that doesn’t mean I worry about all of them equally—or that I think you should either.

This is the list of the five exposures I’m currently most concerned about for me and my household.

If I were looking at you and your household, your list might look completely different. Where you live, what you eat, the age of your home, where your children spend their time, your occupation, hobbies and dozens of other factors can influence which exposures deserve the most attention.

In fact, making your own list and ranking your biggest concerns can be an incredibly helpful exercise. It can help you figure out which swaps, habits—and even bigger financial investments—are actually worth prioritizing.

So, here are mine right now.

#5 — Pesticide Residues

For most families, food is an important source of pesticide exposure. Depending on where you live, pesticide use around homes, gardens, golf courses, parks, agricultural areas or other heavily treated outdoor spaces can also contribute to exposure.

We buy organic food at home, but we also eat out on weekends and my older kids sometimes eat at school, so pesticide exposure through food is still a reality for us.

We’re also currently renting a home near a golf course, which makes pesticide use in the surrounding environment something I pay attention to.

When possible, we choose restaurants that use organic ingredients—which, thankfully, isn’t terribly difficult where we live in West Los Angeles. At home, we also use high-quality air filtration and take practical steps (shoes off, keeping dust low) to reduce what gets tracked indoors.

But none of these things can eliminate exposure completely.

That’s why pesticides are still #5 on my list.

#4 — Air Pollution

I have excellent air filters in our home, and yet air pollution remains one of my biggest concerns for one simple reason:

I can’t filter the air in my neighborhood—or the air my kids breathe at school, playing sports or simply living their lives.

After experiencing the Palisades fire firsthand, urban wildfire smoke is something I take especially seriously. We were exposed while evacuating, when we returned to see our home after it burned, and during the weeks that followed.

And wildfire smoke doesn’t stay within the boundaries of a fire. It can travel enormous distances and affect communities far from the flames.

One major concern is PM2.5—fine particulate matter small enough to travel deep into the lungs. Exposure to PM2.5 is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular effects, and research has linked particulate pollution with inflammation and increased risk of premature death.

But urban wildfires can present additional concerns because it isn’t only trees and vegetation burning.

Homes, cars, electronics, plastics, furniture and building materials burn too, potentially releasing a complicated mixture of particulate matter, VOCs, metals and other pollutants into the air.

And we’re learning more about what happens after the flames are gone.

Researchers from UCLA, Harvard, UC Davis, UT Austin and other institutions have launched the L.A. Fire HEALTH Study, a long-term effort examining the health consequences of the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Researchers are investigating potential respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive and immune effects, as well as cancer risk.

Research following the LA fires has already raised concerns. UCLA and UC Davis researchers have reported airborne hexavalent chromium nanoparticles—a carcinogenic form of chromium—around fire cleanup zones lingering months after a fire.

The long-term study is important precisely because researchers still need to determine what these incredibly complex urban-wildfire exposures mean for our health years down the road. With wildfires and urban wildfires becoming more common and to an extent larger, the affected area is not only the city where the fire takes place but can be hundreds of miles away.

I’m also concerned about what’s happening at the federal level.

In 2024, the EPA strengthened the annual health-based PM2.5 standard from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter. The current EPA has since announced that it is reconsidering that Biden-era standard and pursuing greater flexibility around its implementation.

At a time when air pollution and increasingly consequential wildfire events are already major concerns, moves to reconsider or weaken stricter federal air-pollution protections concern me too.

#3 — PFAS

If you know anything about PFAS, you’ve probably heard them called “forever chemicals.”

That’s because many PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment, and some can remain in the human body for years.

Exposure is also difficult to eliminate completely. PFAS have been found in water, food, soil, dust and a variety of consumer products.

Research has associated exposure to certain PFAS with increased cholesterol, changes in immune response, reproductive and developmental effects, interference with hormones and increased risk of certain cancers.

And then there’s artificial turf.

Artificial turf and its components can contain a variety of chemicals, and PFAS have been detected in many turf-related materials. Playing sports is important for my children and I won’t stop them from doing that, but I do pay attention to the topic because of how much time they spend on it.

My two oldest boys play sports on artificial turf almost daily—and right now our rental home has artificial turf in the backyard too.

Ugh.

I can’t control every PFAS exposure my family encounters. I can’t control the historical PFAS exposure I definitely had growing up (my parents definitely cooked with Teflon pans) What I can do is filter our drinking water appropriately, avoid unnecessary PFAS-treated products and reduce the exposures that are within my control.

And that’s why PFAS remain high on my list.

#2 — Phthalates

Phthalates have been one of my concerns for years.

They are a large group of chemicals used in plastics and many consumer products, and some phthalates can interfere with endocrine function.

Human research has linked exposure to certain phthalates with reproductive and developmental outcomes, which is one reason I’m particularly interested in reducing exposure during childhood and adolescence.

Even with all the knowledge and tools I have to reduce phthalates at home, they are difficult to avoid completely.

Food can be an important exposure source because phthalates can enter food during processing, packaging and handling. That’s particularly frustrating when we eat outside the home because I have much less control over how food was prepared, processed and stored.

Phthalates and other chemicals have also been measured in materials associated with artificial turf, so given how frequently my boys play on turf, it is another potential exposure I keep on my radar.

At home, we’ve eliminated synthetic fragrance, greatly reduced plastic food contact and made many other changes over the years.

But because phthalates remain so widespread—and because I’m particularly concerned about my children’s reproductive and long-term health—they remain #2 on my list.

#1 — Micro + Nanoplastics

There are a few reasons micro- and nanoplastics are currently #1 for me.

First, plastic isn’t one chemical.

Plastics can contain many different polymers, additives and other chemicals, so microplastics aren’t simply exposing us to one substance.

Second: they’re everywhere.

Microplastics have been detected in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and household dust.

That makes exposure incredibly difficult to avoid completely—especially once we leave the controlled environment of our own homes.

And third, the emerging human health research is becoming increasingly difficult for me to ignore.

One study that particularly concerned me came out of Italy and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024.

Researchers analyzed plaque removed from the carotid arteries of patients undergoing surgery and found micro- and nanoplastics in many of the samples.

Over approximately 34 months of follow-up, 20% of the patients with micro- and nanoplastics detected in their arterial plaque experienced a heart attack, stroke or death, compared with 7.5% of those without detectable micro- and nanoplastics.

After researchers adjusted for other cardiovascular risk factors, the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in arterial plaque was associated with a significantly higher risk of those outcomes. (note: The participants already had carotid artery disease, so we shouldn’t assume these numbers represent the cardiovascular risk of the general population, just perhaps an inference that the micro/nano plastic present could have made a bad situation worse)

But finding these particles inside human arterial plaque—and then seeing such a strong association with subsequent cardiovascular events—is one of the reasons I think the emerging human research deserves serious attention. Particularly with micro and nano plastics being found in major organs, tissues and fluids (brain, blood, liver, heart, kidneys, testes, semen, placenta, breast milk and even meconium - baby’s first stool). Scientists are currently studying potential inflammatory, reproductive, respiratory, gastrointestinal and other systemic effects of micro- and nanoplastic exposure.

There is still a tremendous amount we don’t know about what lifelong exposure will mean for human health.

But for me, “we don’t know everything yet” doesn’t mean “there’s nothing to worry about.”

We know exposure is widespread.

We know these particles can enter the human body.

We know that many of the hundreds of chemicals that make up plastic can be harmful to our health.

We now have human research associating their presence with important health outcomes.

And plastic pollution is a global problem that isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

That combination—ubiquitous exposure, limited ability to control it, the complex chemistry of plastics and increasingly concerning human health research—is why micro- and nanoplastics currently sit at #1 on my list.

So What DIDN’T Make My Top 5?

This part may surprise you.

There are several environmental exposures I talk about regularly that I’m genuinely not very worried about in my own home right now.

Not because they don’t matter.

Because I’ve spent years reducing them.

• Fragrance,

• Formaldehyde and VOCs

• Flame Retardants

• Bisphenols

• Lead

• (a deeper dive into WHY I am no longer concerned with these is below for my Subscriber Community)

Your Top 5 Might Look Nothing Like Mine

And that’s the whole point of this exercise.

Low-tox living isn’t about making an endless list of every chemical that might harm us and trying to eliminate all of them.

That’s impossible—and completely overwhelming.

Instead, I think one of the most useful things we can do is ask:

Where are MY family’s biggest exposures right now?

Then put our time, energy and money toward the changes that can actually make the biggest difference.

Your Top 5 might include lead because you live in a 1920s house.

It might include formaldehyde because you just finished a renovation.

Maybe fragrance is everywhere in your home right now.

Or perhaps your drinking water makes PFAS your #1 concern.

Your list can also change.

Mine certainly has.

And to me, that’s what realistic low-tox living looks like:

Not perfection. Prioritization.

Making your own Top 5 can help you determine the order of the swaps—and even the larger investments—you should be making for your home and family.

This is something we can all work through on our own. But if you’re overwhelmed or simply aren’t sure where your family should start, I also work with families one-on-one to identify likely exposures and create a realistic plan with detailed recommendations.

If you’d like help creating your family’s Top 5 and figuring out what to prioritize first, reach out to me at 3littleplums@gmail.com.

And I’d love to know:

What exposure do you think would be #1 on your family’s list right now?

For Subscribers

A Deeper Dive: Why and How I am no longer as concerned with these chemicals?!

Read more

Happy Sunday

This is the first “normal” week of the school year for us- no holidays, no kids starting school, our back to school nights are done so we are officially in our “normal” Fall schedule. With 3 kids its still quite busy with after school activities and evening sports practices, and this is exactly why having a dinner plan set out is so helpful. There is no staring blankly at the fridge at 5pm wondering what in the world you are going to cook for dinner and deciding to order instead….. this is why I make this list on Sundays! Honestly it has been life changing… I hope it is helpful for you and your family too!

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

Subscribe now

DINNER

• Monday: lentil soup ( I dont really use a recipe but this one I am sharing is similar to what I do)

I love lentil soup. I also love how it comes together like in 20 min. I also love that it’s great for school lunch the next day .

I am going to serve them with tostones- tostones are traditionally twice-fried green plantains that are a key component in most Cuban traditional meals... this recipe ( full disclosure: i have never made this particular recipe) skips the frying and instead air fries... (my air fryer and tostonera in the shop section below)

• Tuesday: taco bowl

Most recipes use taco seasoning, I skip that and just add garlic powder, onion power and some cumin. Kids like these bowls because they can kind of personalize and decide what toppings they want!

• Wednesday:

Italian baked chicken with potatoes, red onions, olives and rosemary

“ you aren’t really cooking you’re just putting things together” but you’re putting things together that taste really good ; tasty with minimal work and cleanup.

• Thursday: Gluten free turkey meatballs

Def make extra for lunch the next day ! Will serve this with broccoli, mushrooms ( cooked with garlic and olive oil) and air fried cauliflower

• Friday: pasta!

If you have been here for a bit, you know that I like to keep Friday really simple with pasta. This week I am buing tons of tomatoes at the Farmer’s Market so if we dont eat them all during the week will use the ones that make it to the end of the week to make fresh tomato sauce with garlic and olive oil (so good).

shop this week’s menu

1. cast iron: Field Company and this No 11 Deep Skillet

2. Pfas-free air fryer

3. tostonera (we rarely make tostones so this basic one works fine for that one time a year they are made in my home…you can also press them with a heavy glass cup and a layer of parchment)

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my Seventh grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

MONDAY: chicken quesadillas

TUESDAY: lentils

WEDNESDAY: pasta “ salad” with halved grape tomatoes and mozzarella cubes

THURSDAY: bento grazing lunch: carrots and hummus, turkey slices, rice crackers, cucumbers and tomatoes

FRIDAY: turkey meatballs, corn and tomato salad

Have a great week!!

Aida

The website Mamavation, working with an EPA-certified laboratory, tested more than 20 popular deodorants — everything from drugstore antiperspirants to boutique tallow balms — for organic fluorine, the marker scientists use to flag PFAS (”forever chemicals”). The result: over 20 products came back with detectable levels, ranging from single digits up to 103 ppm. Both “natural” and conventional formulas were affected, and natural branding didn’t reliably predict a pass or fail.

Below, I’m summarizing what they found, why it matters specifically for a product like deodorant, and the tiered list — highest levels, lower-but-still-detectable levels, and the brands that came back clean. That I recommend

Why this matters for deodorant specifically

A few things make deodorant a different case than, say, a couch or even makeup

• It’s applied daily, directly to skin, and stays on for hours,

• It’s applied right next to breast tissue and the lymphatic system — an area researchers say deserves extra caution given how PFAS are believed to behave in the body.

• Your armpits absorb substances at a significantly higher rates than the rest of your body. In fact, classic dermatology studies show that the underarm (axilla) is 3-4 times more permeable than a baseline area like your forearm

• PFAS are persistent. These compounds don’t break down easily and can build up in the body over years of repeated exposure. Research has linked them to thyroid, fertility, and immune effects, though causal links in humans are still an active area of study. Basically it is always important to reduce your exposure to PFAS, but especially with products you are eating or using on your body daily.

OF NOTE: This is likely unintentional contamination**, not a listed ingredient. Researchers believe it’s coming from manufacturing aids or packaging rather than a deliberate additive — which is exactly why independent, third-party testing like this matters (a recent study from Million Marker Research Institute found that the vast majority of personal care products tested have undisclosed ingredients, including endocrine disruptors, cancer-causing chemicals, and more. If you’d like to read more on that click here. But bottom line: this Mamavation study is another example of why final product testing is so, so important). Brands often don’t know their own products are affected until someone checks.

The findings, tier by tier

Highest levels detected (organic fluorine, ppm):

| Brand | ppm |

| Rustic Maka Fresh Active Luna Bliss | 77 |

| Mineralized Deodorant Powder, Sensitive Unscented | 67 |

| Pittie Pop Midnight Vanilla | 67 |

| Holy Cow Organix Deodorant | 63 |

| Just Ingredients Eucalyptus Mint | 56 |

| Humble Vanilla & Cardamom (baking soda-free) | 50 |

| Doterra Natural Deodorant with Balance | 41 |

| Amallow Natural Deodorant Unscented | 34 |

| Dr. Teal’s Aluminum Free, Magnesium | 34 |

| Lume Whole Body Deodorant | 32 |

Lower — but still detectable — levels:

| Brand | ppm |

| Apotheke DuJardin Tallow, Vanilla & Tea Tree | 27 |

| Godesana Clay & Tea Tree | 25 |

| Kopari Beach | 18 |

| Attitude Leaves Bar, Herbal Musk | 16 |

| milk + honey, Lavender Tea Tree | 16 |

| Hello Sweet Coconut | 14 |

| Hey Humans Sandalwood Cypress | 14 |

| Magsol Magnesium, Jasmine | 14 |

| Each & Every Rose & Vanilla | 12 |

| Secret Lavender 48HR Invisible Solid | 11 |

| Zebra The Deodorant, Wild Lavender Lemon | 5 |

Non-detect — no organic fluorine found: (full list available below for subscribers)

The full list can be found below (you will need to be a subscriber) however, of those that tested “non detect” my personal recommendation are:

• Primally Pure (discount code: 3LITTLEPLUMS)

• Rowe Casa Organics

• ATTITUDE Oatmeal Sensitive Natural, Baking Soda Free

Plenty of brands came back PFAS-free, but PFAS-free is my floor, not my whole standard — I also look at the full ingredient list for other concerns (fragrance transparency, unnecessary synthetics, that kind of thing). These are the ones that meet both bars for me: no detectible PFAS *and* genuinely clean formulations all the way through.

FULL LIST Non-detect — no organic fluorine found:

Read more

Hello September!

Happy Labor Day but… I mean, can we say it’s practically December at this point lol I just feel that the Fall always goes by so quickly, but I’m definitely getting ahead of myself. The Farmers Market is still filled with some summer fruits but Fall staples like those yummy apples are trickling in... all of which to say this weeks menu definitely is a mix of Summer and Fall.

As a reminder, I publish easy, mostly gluten-free weeknight dinner menus on Sunday so that I know exactly what ingredients to buy and exactly what I’m cooking every night, which makes my weeknights so much easier. I also usually post school lunch menus for the week. Beyond making weekdays easier, the idea is that the more we eat and cook at home, the lower our exposure level too many harmful, environmental toxins; particularly hormone disrupting phthalates and PFAS chemicals (eating processed foods and eating out are our main sources of phthalate exposure!)

Per popular request, I included some lower tox alternatives to items that I will use in this week meal making at the end!

DINNER

Monday: Korean barbecue meatball bowls

Serving with quinoa but in theory should be rice (just trying to reduce our arsenic consumption by limiting rice to 1-2 times a week)

Tuesday: apple cider, glazed chicken thighs

Some of you might think it’s too soon but ever since I saw the apples turning up at the Farmer’s Market I’m feeling the need to start Fall recipes ... this I am serving with mashed potatoes

Wednesday: black beans & rice with a side of corn on the cobb

this was a staple in my Cuban household and can be served as a side or as a main plate. I found some corn in the cob at the farmers market, which are probably one of the last of the season, but you can always find organic corn on the cob in the freezer section of most grocery stores

Thursday: healthy, sesame chicken

Most kids like this simple recipe and I’m going to serve it with some soba noodles to try to avoid serving rice again ( rice has arsenic and even though we buy Lundberg rice, which is tested for having much lower arsenic levels there are still some levels so I always try to limit rise to one’s tops twice a week).

Friday: lasagna

This is my favorite recipe, but you can certainly cut corners by buying premade tomato sauce and non-cooked lasagna noodles ( although if you happen to have time to make the sauce, this one’s a good one it just takes a minute). I might make two and freeze one to use on a rainy day in the future.

SCHOOL LUNCH

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my sixth grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

TUESDAY: high protein bento lunch: hard boiled egg, gluten free crackers, mozzarella cheese cubes ( I recently purchased a mozzarella cube from a regenerative farm/ Nourish Food Club and it is super tasty), sliced turkey, and fresh fruit

WEDNESDAY: pasta with green beans and parmesan. (we use Jovial gluten free pasta)

THURSDAY: falafels with carrots and hummus. (I buy falafels at my local Farmer’s Market)

FRIDAY: Greek inspired bento: hummus, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, pita bread and cubes of feta cheese... adding some of Thursday’s sesame chicken

SHOP THIS WEEK’S MENU

1. glass casserole dish for lasagna

2. mashed potato masher

3. glass food storage with glass lids

4. Cast iron pans

   We have the No 10: https://tidd.ly/45BhLfV

   We have the No 11 deep skillet with lid: https://smithey-ironware.pxf.io/LK3QrM

Here are some of my top picks

My Toxwise app!

Special: 20% off!

What: Would you love to be able to ask me low tox living questions all the time? Would you like to finally learn how to identify environmental toxins in everyday products and just become an expert yourself so that you can feel empowered when making choices at home for your family? I created the Toxwise app to help YOU! The app will teach you about low tox living and also has a chat you can access 24/7 where you can ask any low tox living questions and feel confidant that the AI has been personally trained by only me: it only refers to research, data, regulations etc that are legitimate and that I trust after 17 years of researching toxins.

Dates: Tuesday 9/1 - Monday 9/13

SHOP HERE

Mattresses/bedding

My Green Mattress

What: Mattresses (I sleep on the Natural Escape and love it), pillows, topppers and more

Special: 15% certified organic mattresses, bedding, pillows, toppers, and more.

SHOP HERE

Naturepedic

Special: 20% site wide! mattresses, bedding, furniture, pillow, toppers and more!

Dates: ends Sept 14

SHOP HERE

Avocado Mattress

Special: up to 20% site wide. I love their Green natural latex Pillows and solid wood beds!

Dates: ends September 14

SHOP HERE

Aizome

What: bedding, towels and clothing made from regenerative organic cotton and plant dyes.

Dates: Tuesday September 1 - Monday, Sept 7

Special: Buy one get one 50% off site wide (excluding pillowcases, artisan line and already discounted items)

SHOP HERE (discount code AIDA)

Coyuchi

What: low tox bedding essentials

Special:

20% off NAtural latex body pillow

20% Washable Wool Filled comforter

Savvy Rest

What: Spring free mattresses, wool and natural latex pillows, bedding, solid wood furniture and more. We have the Serenity mattress and some of their pillows)

Special: save 20% all Savvy Rest

SHOP HERE

BEAUTY

OSEA

What: low tox beauty products for face and body (one of my favorite gifts for other women in my life include their Undaria Body Oil and body scrub)

Special: Free Age defying Eye Serum ($58 value) with $125+

Dates: Wednesday 9/2 - Monday 9/7

SHOP HERE. (use discount : AIDASPICKS10 for an extra 10% off)

OGEE

what: I have been using OGEE makeup sticks for about three years now and really really like them. They're part of my daily make up.

savings: 20% sitewide with code laborday

SHOPHERE

COOKING/ Kitchen

Smithery Ironware

What: heirloom quality cast iron cookware

Special: Receive a free gift (slotted skillet!) with cookware purchase

Dates: Thursday 9/3/- Monday 9/7

Shop Here

Caraway

What: I love their stainless steel pots and pans and they are on sale!

SHOP HERE

Our Place Wonder Oven

What: PFAS free air fryer/toaster/ mini oven

Special: $50 off

SHOP HERE

Water Filter

Clearly filter

What: Water filters: including fridge filter, under sink filter, water bottles with filters and pitcher filters

Special: 20% off with code: LABORDAY20

Shop Here

CLOTHING

Organic Nursing Clothing : pregnancy and nursing tanks, maternity leggings and more on sale

SHOP HERE (please note sale items exclude nursing bras listed)

Subset

What: organic underwear, bras and loungewear

Special: 25% sitewide with Code: LDW25

Dates: Thursday Sept 3- Tuesday September 8

SHOP HERE

MATE

What: Sports bras, leggings, thin, gray, every day, T-shirts, and so much more

Special: 20% off sitewide

SHOPHERE

Aizome

What: tshirts, socks and loungewear made from regenerative organic cotton and plant dyes.

Dates: Tuesday September 1 - Monday, Sept 7

Special: Buy one get one 50% off site wide (excluding pillowcases, artisan line and already discounted items)

SHOP HERE (discount code AIDA)

HOME

Organic Weave

What: my favorite certified organic rugs. Highest quality, super plush and mom owned.

Special: Summer Sale - 15% off storewide - CODE SUMMER - on now until September 22nd

SHOP HERE

Amber Interiors

What: not all items are organic nor non toxic (ie: skip the rugs as many are polyester based) BUT I have solid wood pieces and sofas made with cotton slipcovers (no flame retardants no PFAS no polyester) and love them.

Special: 30% off sitewide with this LINK

Happy Sunday!

This week marks the end of summer… like for real…. My third is heading back to preschool this week which means: all three kids are back! So here. We. Goooooo!

This week is a bit chicken heavy but you can always substitute one chicken day with beef or turkey or something else!

As always, these recipes are mostly gluten-free ( 2 of us are gluten-free at home, if any changes have to be made to make the recipe gluten-free, I do specify in the recipe.) and designed for two adults and three kids ages 16,12 and 4.

Scroll down and you will find what I send for lunch for two of my three kids. School lunch is yet another source of harmful chemicals for most kids so, while it can be a pain to prep lunch in the morning, it is an important way to reduce overall toxic burden in kiddos, especially the youngest ones! I often send leftovers to make my life easier.

If you want to shop my kitchen tools used this week scroll to the end of the post! Also: feel free to leave a message if you are looking for a lower tox recommendation for your kitchen/ meal prep !

DINNER

Monday: Teriyaki chicken with broccoli and rice

Easy and everyone likes it. This week I am serving rice two days so in order to reduce arsenic I will soak our rice overnight and thoroughly rinse before cooking. We use Lundberg white rice which is also lower in arsenic than other rices. As for the recipe: I would skip the sugar… but you can also buy it premade.

Tuesday: Meatloaf with mashed potatoes

Another family favorite. I feel like I will get rave reviews for dinner this week (it might be silent but I KNOW they will feel it in their hearts LOL). As for the recipe: we have made it many times and its great… it is gluten free but we all love it.

Wednesday: Crock Pot Moroccan chicken

If you have been following me for a while you know I like to incorporate slow cookers at least once a week…this Moroccan chicken exposes kids to some diverse spices without it being to crazy (read: even picky eaters can eat it)

Thursday: Cheesy Chicken and rice skillet

I didn’t want to schedule another chicken recipe BUT this one is super cozy and easy…. So here we are. I am sure you could make this with steak or maybe ground turkey?

Friday: Pasta with mushrooms, olive oil and garlic

Friday pasta night- its a thing… its the easiest thing for a Friday!!! For the sauce just cook a lot of garlic (the more the marrier if you love garlic if not use less) in olive oil then add the mushrooms and some salt. Once they are cooked just add to pasta.

School Lunch

We use bento style school lunch containers for my preschooler and larger containers made out of stainless steel for my sixth grader. For the preschooler, items I usually send her with include: berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, kiwi, grapes, carrots and hummus, edamame, organic corn, green bean ( with some butter)... These are usually snack foods that we find travel well.

• Pita bread with hummus and shredded carrots sandwiches

• pasta ( Jovial pasta for gluten free) with

• leftover meatloaf

• Cheese, turkey slices, cucumber, tomatoes, rice cracker bento

\SHOP THIS List

• Cast iron pans

We have the #10 https://tidd.ly/45BhLfV

We have the No 11 with lid https://smithey-ironware.pxf.io/LK3QrM

• Air Fryer ( PFAS FREE)

• stainless steel pots (for pasta)

  We have some we love from this company and this company

The Rice I use is tested for heavy metals (but soaking overnight and rinsing before cooking is still a good idea if you can)