Fall Wellness Pantry Kit By Kami McBride

The season is changing! Can you feel it? Autumn equinox, the abundant harvest and cooler nights! With kids back in school, everyone is exposed to more germs and bugs. The back-to-school season and the shift in weather bring new routines and a faster pace, which means a little extra care is needed. That’s why it’s the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen and whip up herbal goodies to keep everyone feeling their best. Setting up your Fall Wellness Pantry kit is something everyone needs. Why not turn this into a fun family activity? I love the herbal remedy tradition of creating herbal staples for this transition season. Having your kids help make these recipes is a great way to teach them about caring for their bodies. Plus, when kids help create something, they're more likely to use it!

Prioritizing Self-Care During Seasonal Transitions

I always say that rhythm is the key to a healthier and less stressful home. If I take the time to establish a calendar or rhythm of bedtime and mealtimes, then the rhythm holds my family instead of me having to muster up the strength at each of those transitions. These simple lifestyle habits can make a big difference:

• Try to stick to a regular bedtime. Going to bed around the same time each night helps honor our body’s natural circadian rhythm. When we settle into circadian rhythm, our body doesn’t rely on stress hormones as much. Plus, the mornings are less hectic when everyone is well-rested and ready to start their day.
• When possible, try to eat dinner around the same time each evening, which can also help establish a calming routine. Everyone knows when dinner time is, and you don’t have to exhaust yourself getting everyone to the table at random times.
• Try to create a weekly dinner plan and put it on the wall or fridge. This can reduce the stress and chaos of late afternoon, making the transition from school to home smoother. How many times does 4:00 roll around and you can feel dinner time melt down coming? If you’ve already prepped a little and planned for this hour, it really can take a layer of stress off.

Along with these tips, you can create the herbal recipes below and store them together to make a back-to-school/fall wellness pantry kit. Let’s make this school year not just about learning new things, but also about caring for our health together! This is a LIFETIME lesson!

Wintertime Honey

This savory honey tastes great slathered on toast, mixed into salad dressing, or taken by the teaspoon. You can also use it in sauces, marinades, and soups to help keep away winter colds. This recipe is made with dried, powdered herbs. You can take any of the dried herbs and powder them in your blender.

Ingredients:

1 cup (370 ml) honey
2 tablespoons (12 g) dried garlic
2 tablespoons (12 g) dried rosemary
1 tablespoon (4 g) dried thyme
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried sage
1 teaspoon (2 g) dried oregano

Instructions:

Put room temperature honey into a sterilized glass jar.
Stir the herbs into the honey.
Store the honey in a cabinet for two weeks before eating to let the flavors meld (if you can wait that long!).

 

Red Powder Sprinkle

This sprinkle recipe from my book, The Herbal Kitchen, is a tasty and nutritious addition to your pantry, perfect for supporting your health as the seasons change. Packed with the vitamin C-rich goodness of rose hip powder, it’s a great way to boost your immune system. Rose petals add a gentle touch of nerve support, helping to calm and soothe. Adding orange peel provides digestive support, which is essential for overall immunity. With the heart-healthy benefits of hawthorn berry and a dash of warming clove, this sprinkle is both delicious and beneficial for your family’s well-being.*

I love this sprinkle on rice, and I apply it lavishly to egg dishes. It’s also a great addition to smoothies and green drinks. This recipe is made with dried, powdered herbs.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (12 g) powdered rose hips
2 tablespoons (12 g) powdered hawthorn berry
1 tablespoon (6 g) powdered rose petals
1 tablespoon (6 g) powdered orange peel
Dash of powdered clove

Make sure all ingredients are finely powdered, then stir to combine. Add to a salt shaker for easy use. Keep it in your kitchen pantry and use it when cooking or baking. You can also keep the salt shaker on your table and folks can dash whatever meal they like with it. It is surprisingly good on savory breakfast foods.

 

Back to School Tea

This Back to School Tea is super easy to make and is packed with ingredients that help keep you feeling your best. Elderberry and elderflower team up to give a natural immune boost, while astragalus root helps the body handle stress. A touch of orange peel adds a bright, citrusy flavor while supporting digestion and immunity. This tea is a great way to keep those back-to-school germs at bay with a soothing cup of wellness!*

Ingredients:

1 part elderberry
1 part elderflower
1 part astragalus root powder
1 part orange peel

Instructions:

Mix equal parts of dried elderberry, elderflower, astragalus root, and orange peel in a bowl. Adjust the quantities based on how much tea you'd like to make.
Add 1 tablespoon of the blend to a tea infuser or a small pot.
Pour 8 ounces of just-boiled water over the herbs, then cover.
Steep 10–15 minutes.
Remove the strainer and enjoy it warm, or let it cool in the fridge for a refreshing twist. You can add a bit of honey if you like it sweeter.

 

Bath Salt for Mom

Hey, moms! If you need some time to unwind and relax (and who doesn’t?), these bath salts are just for you. This soothing blend of chamomile, rose petals, hops, and lavender, mixed with salt, is like a mini spa experience right in your bathtub. It’s the perfect way to de-stress and take a moment for yourself after a long day. Just toss a bit into your bath, sit back, and let the calming vibes take over. You deserve it! This is a great addition to the Fall Wellness Pantry Kit so we are reminded that we have the tools to take a layer of stress off at the end of the day.*

Ingredients:

1 cup salt
2 tablespoons dried chamomile
2 tablespoons dried rose petals
2 tablespoons dried hops
2 tablespoons dried lavender

Instructions:

Mix together well.
Put ¼ cup into a small muslin pouch, then drop it into your hot bath while the water is running to de-stress.

Whether it's sipping on a cozy tea, enjoying a delicious sprinkle of nutrients, or soaking in a relaxing bath, these simple, homemade recipes are more than wellness staples—they're little acts of self-care. Gather your family, roll up your sleeves, and have fun creating these together. Think about what else you would like to add to your Fall Wellness Pantry Kit. After all, a healthy family is a happy family, and what better way to start the school year than with a bit of extra love and care for everyone?

 

Kami’s passion for herbal medicine was propelled by an excruciating brain surgery at 19 years old that was the result of a medication side effect. Awakening from the slumber of the standard drug solution approach to health, she was called by the plants. Her 35 years of teaching herbal medicine have helped thousands of people learn to use herbal remedies as the centerpiece of their health care plan. She has taught herbal medicine at the University of California School of Nursing and is the author of The Herbal Kitchen. Her live and online workshops fuel the home herbalism movement to revitalize our relationship with the plant world and work with herbal medicine for home wellness care. She can be reached at www.KamiMcBride.com or in IG at @kamimcbride.