It’s that time of year again! I can’t believe it, but this is the fourth edition of my annual list of “Sarah’s Favorite Things”.
The lineup below represents the new food and health-related products I’ve discovered in 2020 that are excellent quality, affordable, planet-friendly, and wellness-enhancing.
I hope you enjoy browsing through and get some good ideas for your own home or the upcoming gift-giving season.
Here are my previous lists in case you want to browse some more!
Need even more ideas? See my shopping list by category.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve already tried any of these supplements, foods, or products and what you think!
Yeastbiotic
While avoiding antibiotics with natural remedies is an important health strategy, sometimes meds are required for serious infections.
When this happens, it is very important to take a Yeastbiotic that contains Saccharomyces boulardii at the same time as the antibiotics to protect from candida overgrowth that can sneak up on you during the course of meds. This ensures that the probiotic regimen after antibiotics works more effectively.
Over the past year, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of this particular microbial strain which can help alleviate an array of intestinal issues including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and traveler’s diarrhea. It also helps resolve candida-induced acne too.
This product is something our family now uses in addition to our regular probiotic to enhance effectiveness.
Sourdough Tortillas
My absolute favorite tortillas are these new sourdough tortillas with this quality list of ingredients: organic unbleached wheat flour, organic sourdough starter, organic sunflower oil, water, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt.
I use them to make chicken tacos, beef tacos, and chicken quesadillas. I also make homemade baked sourdough tortilla chips with them.
They are available in 5-inch and 8-inch sizes.
Sourdough Bread
My kids really like this brand of rustic sourdough bread, but I prefer this new sprouted sourdough spelt because it is a bit heartier and yet surprisingly even easier to digest because the flour is both sprouted AND fermented.
It is so nice to be able to buy quality, authentic sourdough and have it shipped to your door freshly baked. I couldn’t have even imagined such a thing two decades ago when I had to make it myself because there were literally zero commercially available options.
Countertop Water Filter
If you’ve been searching for a quality water filter that doesn’t require a plumber to install, this countertop water filter is the best I’ve come across. It is perfect for those who rent their home or for those who own a home, but plan to move within a few years and prefer not to invest heavily in a whole water filtration system.
One of my children is graduating from college soon and plans to get one for his new apartment.
Cassava Pasta
I absolutely adore Jovial Foods’ new line of cassava pasta. It is so mild tasting, you might even like it better than grain-based pasta.
The texture is very appealing as well…quite similar to brown rice pasta. This Mexi Mac & Cheese is my favorite dish to make with the cassava macaroni.
Topical Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Gel
Everyone needs a topical antimicrobial on occasion, and the best one I’ve found with the best ingredients is this allicin-based antimicrobial gel. It works for literally everything skin-based from athletes foot to ringworm to cold sores and any other skin-based issues that require a strong, broad-spectrum, topical antimicrobial.
Because it is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, AND anti-parasitic, it is truly an all-in-one skin treatment.
Electric Lunchbox
Given how school and work schedules are changing so much right now, I think we need to rethink lunchboxes too! I recently tried using a lightweight electric lunchbox and I really love it. Plug it in and warm up your food…even if it’s frozen and you’re in the car…and enjoy a hot lunch every day.
These gizmos are particularly helpful especially if you only have access to a microwave at work, hate the lukewarm results of a thermos, or are on the road a lot.
Organic Mattress Topper
We moved our second child into a dorm room in August 2020, and we got him this very affordable organic mattress topper to go over the standard fire-retardant dorm mattress (you can’t bring your own mattress).
He reports that despite the low quality of the standard mattress in his dorm room compared with his mattress at home, his bed is very comfortable and he is sleeping very well!
Date Sweetened Sauces
I love this sweet chili sauce for chicken tacos and Asian dishes where a sweet/sour sauce works well. This barbecue sauce is fantastic for pulled pork recipes and beef brisket (both on this blog ?)
These sauces are fruit-sweetened with date syrup instead of sugar and no MSG, so those who are avoiding sugar or those on a gut-healing diet like GAPS can enjoy them too.
If you want to try them, I recommend sourcing direct from the Date Lady website. Use coupon code healthyhome to get 15% off your first order, and use coupon code healthyhome2 for a 5% discount on all reorders. Free shipping is also available.
Bonafide Broth To Go Cups
I love the new broth to-go cups from Bonafide Provisions! They are handy for traveling…especially on airplanes as they are sealed and designed for a quick heat and go.
They are also excellent for college dorm rooms or work environments where a stovetop isn’t available and a microwave is the only option (not the best, I realize, but better than not having any broth at all).
100% Cheese Wraps
If you are cutting down on carbs or are otherwise grain or starch-free, you must try these 100% cheese wraps. They make excellent sandwiches and a tasty substitute for tortillas on Taco Tuesday. Beware of other lookalike brands that have sneaky additives.
These cheese wraps come in three flavors: parmesan, Jarlsberg, and cheddar (my personal favorite).
Decaf Matcha Tea Powder
My favorite morning beverage to sip with breakfast is a matcha latte. Matcha is loaded with caffeine, however, so I typically opt for this caffeine-free organic matcha which is authentic, organic, and ceremonial grade. I would suggest that if you want to try decaf matcha, stick with this brand because if you opt for cheaper second-harvest, culinary grades, the taste is quite poor compared to pure matcha.
Here’s my matcha latte recipe in case you want to try it 😉
Ozone Deodorant
This year, I switched to ozonated roll-on deodorant, and I have to say that I’ll never go back to a baking soda based product again.
Ozone deodorants last all day long and can be applied anytime without any irritation even immediately after shaving.
The clear liquid doesn’t stain or clump up on my clothes or end up on my yoga mat. I suggest you give them a try! They really are the most effective nontoxic deodorants I’ve tried and they seem to work especially well for women.
Choose between unscented ozone deodorant or naturally scented with essential oils.
They are more expensive than other natural deodorants, but they last a really long time. I’ve just now used up one bottle and I started using it 9 months ago! Tip: a little goes a long way!
Ozonated Oil Pulling Solution
If you practice oil pulling to improve or maintain the health of your teeth and gums, you absolutely must try this ozonated oil pulling oil.
The addition of ozone to the organic coconut oil takes the benefits of oil pulling to a whole new level and is recommended by many holistic dentists.
Eco-Friendly Travel Size Accessories
In my opinion, one of the most annoying aspects of traveling is repackaging all your safe, natural products into tiny little bottles and jars. Getting the pre-packaged trial size products at the pharmacy or grocery store is not a good option because all the brands are toxic.
I’m excited to share with you that I recently come across this travel accessory pouch that contains 10 eco-friendly products that makes packing a suitcase or overnight bag a whole lot easier. Brands include Schmidt’s, Tom’s of Maine, and Giovanni natural hair care products. Product packing is 100% TSA-compliant.
Solar/Crank Cell Phone Charger and Radio
The worst thing about losing power is when your cell phone dies! Yes, you can go charge it up in your car, but who wants to waste gas or risk running down your car battery too?
Since this can happen all too often where we live in hurricane-prone Florida, we have this solar or crank-powered cell phone charger for emergencies that doubles as a radio and flashlight. By the way, I carefully read through all the reviews on these types of products before settling on which one to buy based on the best value for money. These are very lightweight and small, and so are great for camping or to stash in the car console in case of a breakdown.
Please do share in the comments if you have tried any of these already!
Do the Organic Bread of Heaven products travel well? I’m in Arizona and the site says that orders shipped to the west coast will be in transit for 4-7 days?! That seems like a long time and I’m worried they won’t be very ‘fresh’ by the time they arrive…
I would suggest to spring for the 2 day shipping if you are that far away in a warm clime. They do put cold packs in the boxes, but the price for the bread is reasonable enough wear paying for faster shipping is worth considering.
Isn’t Toms of Maine owned by Colgate-Palmolive?
Sadly the Eco-friendly travel size accessories Toms of Maine toothpaste shows it contains fluoride!
I have tried the orange pur03 deodorant. It is excellent and while it does not say that it is an antiperpspirant it did also seem to reduce perspiration. It smells great and I had no irritation at all. This was a real problem for me before. I am sold on this one.
I used the ozone deodorant for a few months but eventually I developed the same redness and irritation that the baking soda varieties caused. I really liked it so maybe after taking a break and then using less I’ll have better success.
I’m going to talk to my husband about getting the phone charger. Also thinking that it could be a good thing for gifts for our older children.
I’m anxious to try the pasta and see if my husband will like it better than lentil pasta. Only bad thing is that I can’t eat it. I have a life threatening reaction to tapioca and cassava. My blood pressure goes beyond emergency room high if I get the littlest bit. Beef and cooked eggs do the same thing. Seems SO odd.
I’ve tried lentil pasta and it is quite strong tasting in my opinion. The cassava is delightfully mild in flavor much like grain based pasta. I hope your husband likes it when you get a chance to try it! I am so sorry that you are not able to eat beef, eggs, tapioca and cassava. That is a very odd reaction indeed.
That travel pack is adorable, and it has Giovanni products. I’m in love.
Sarah, I love those tortillas and so do all the people that I send them to! Organic Bread of Heaven is a great company and Abigail always answers my phone calls! Sending an order of delicious bread goods to our former pastor in Nebraska for October’s Pastor Appreciation month. It’s easy to send and who doesn’t like bread, tortillas, cinnamon bread, hamburger buns ect.! Thanks for introducing it to us! I’m going to try those tortilla chips because the “organic” ones I buy smelled like they have preservatives or some “yucky” oil! Sounds easy to make!
Going to try the ozone deoderant because the Ozone brand my daughter-in-law gave to me (how sweet!) just didn’t work! I’d go back to the limes, but that’s hard now that I’m in a two-story house. Can’t store it upstairs very easily! ❤
You might try coconut oil too for being antifungal, antibacterial and antivirus. Don’t use deoderants under my arm and have not for years after reading it might kill good bacteria. I don’t really have an underarm problem and never really had any but I decided to try it this year and guess what? I got some kind of fungus rash for the first time in my life EVER but only under one arm, strangely.. Used some coconut oil, iodine to get rid of it.
Coconut oil is anti-fungal but not nearly as strong as allicin.
Ooh, I want to try that deodorant. I haven’t had success finding a natural one that works all day. Nothing more irritating than having to reapply. ? And I don’t sweat much, just have a little body odor.