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These are the best homemade food & craft spring blog posts for baking, canning, cooking, and crafting. Read on for the best spring blog posts to inspire your spring!

This post contains affiliate links.

Best Old Fashioned Banana Muffin Recipe

This recipe is based on one from the 1942 version of the Good Housekeeping Cook Book. It is originally titled, “Banana Tea Bread” but when I read the recipe, given to me by my Gram, I swapped out a few ingredients and decided muffins would serve my lunchbox-toting kindergartener better than bread that I would have to slice, wrap, etc. in the busy mornings before school.

Rhubarb Pineapple Balsamic Shrub

This post will share one of my favorite shrub recipes. It uses bold tasting balsamic vinegar with pineapple and rhubarb. It’s great on its own with sparkling water but with tequila, it is over the moon delicious. Read on for the recipe!

The Best Canning Jars

If you’re a new canner, you probably have no idea which jars would be the best and if you’re experienced, you know there’s so many to choose from and that it’s hard to know what really is the best canning jar. I’m here to share what works best for me, and what I’d do if I were you, and why.

How To Make Lilac Syrup

Lilacs are arguably the most lovely, fragrant, and iconic springtime flowers. This post will share how to make a simple syrup to add fragrance and flavor to the tea, cocktails, and more in short order. I will also explain why the syrup is NOT a pretty purple color. Here’s how to make Lilac Syrup!

Free Canning Basics Course

When I started canning, this was the part that caused me the most grief. A good cookbook is a helpful start, but there’s no way for it to SHOW you what happens when. There’s no shame in admitting that, hey, you don’t really cook all that often and having 3 pots going on the stove at once is kind of overwhelming. I am here to tell you (and explain, in detail in the course) that canning is WAY LESS COMPLICATED than cooking a big family dinner.

Strawberry Jam Canning Recipe

This post will share a great recipe for strawberry jam that can be halved or doubled and can be pureed smooth or not. It is versatile and easy, fragrant, and fast. Enjoy and be sure to download the printable version of the recipe to have on hand! You’ll be making homemade strawberry jam for your family and friends in no time with this easy canning recipe.

Giant Yarn Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern

You all may have noticed, I’m a huge fan of giant yarn, pun absolutely intended. I love it because it is unusual, warm, fast to work with, and easy to see errors you might have made. Love Fest Fibers has become my favorite domestic source of giant yarn and for good reason. They have a variety of large-scale yarns to choose from, in neutrals and dreamy colors, in both all natural and recycled plastic + natural material blends.

Canning for Party Favors

This post will share how to can favors for a bridal shower, wedding, baby shower, or other parties where you want to put love into jars and give the gift of something delicious.

How To Make Shrubs Course

Shrubs aren’t just for gardens, they are no cook cocktail and mocktail mixers. Here’s the new & improved, free, shrubs email course.

How to Grow Microgreens in a Victorio Sprouter

This post will explain how to sprout microgreens easily on your countertop especially if you would like a steady supply of sprouts for eating on salad, sandwiches, eggs, and more. The sprouter that I use is forgetfulness-proof and helps you sprout more of your seeds, saving you money, and allows for you to have sprouts ready all the time, as opposed to one jar full ready, and then having to wait for another week to go by without any fresh spouts.

Curious about how Bite Toothpaste Bits work from a non-sponsored post? I tried them and this post will share what I love (and don’t love) about them and my final recommendation.

This post is NOT sponsored but if you make a purchase with Bite, I get a very small commission from their website. I wanted to try Bite for myself and this post is purely an honest review of their product. 

Bite Toothpaste Bits are a tablet style toothpaste that comes in a glass bottle with a metal lid (both are recyclable). They are the answer to the highly wasteful practice of using toothpaste in a non-recyclable plastic tube that unavoidably clogs landfills and oceans. 

I was interested in trying them for myself because I try, one item at a time, to reduce the plastic I use in my life and also, the plastic my food comes in. It seems really strange that a product we put inside our mouth twice a day comes in a plastic tube and we (the average consumer) know very little about where that plastic comes from, how it’s made and what the long term consequences might be from that exposure. I’m no scientist and I’m not about to tell you that’s a reason for YOU to stop using toothpaste in a plastic tube, but I thought that if Bite was a good option for my family, I’d switch away from plastic tube toothpaste. 

Takeaway: Plastic tube toothpaste tubes aren’t recyclable and I wonder if in 25 years we will discover how foolish it was to consume foods that were packaged in plastic. 

What are Bite Toothpaste Bits?

Bite Toothpaste Bits are a tablet, so they are pre-measured. This proved to be a major plus with kids. What mother in the world LIKES the smears of toothpaste on the counter? In electric blue, no less? 

The tablets crumble in your mouth with a soft bite, and then you chew them just a little so that they start to foam in your mouth and then apply your wet toothbrush (I’m a fan of this wooden one) and brush normally. 

This has also been easy with kids and easy for me to get used to personally. The tablet form is also great for travel.

Do Bite Toothpaste Bits Work?

These little tablets foam up into a very dense, impressive foam in a quantity that honestly is PLENTY. If you needed more foam to brush your teeth I’d be surprised. 

My teeth feel very clean after use and I’ve tried the Mint, Charcoal, as well as the Limited Edition Autumn Spice flavors. 

My daughter struggled with cavities as a 4-5 year old so we are very careful about good brushing habits and I look at her teeth after every brush (she’s almost 8) to check and Bite Toothpaste Bits seem (to my untrained, non-dentist eye) to be working well. We’ve had one dental checkup since starting Bite and we had no cavities; That’s not proof of any kind of course, but certainly was encouraging that our toothbrushing routine as a whole is working. 

I’ve personally never had a cavity (good genetics from my mother and well water, she says) so I am hoping to continue my good fortune. 

How to Buy Bite Toothpaste Bits

You can purchase 2 ways. You can buy a smaller bottle that’s a one month supply, which is what I did to try out different flavors. If you want to refill that little bottle, you can’t currently order a refill pouch (a compostable paper mailer) which frankly is really dumb. So, I’ve had to order subsequent small bottles because at the time, I wasn’t ready to commit to a subscription. That means I ended up with extra little glass bottles. My kids used them to make potions so they weren’t wasted but it was an annoying feature. I want to be able to buy a plain old refill pouch! 

Alternatively, you can subscribe and get a larger bottle of 4 month supply for a single person. 

Some people love subscriptions but I really don’t like hasty commitment and I didn’t want to subscribe right away. It felt like getting married to the toothpaste too soon. 

My wish is that they had a smarter way of subscribing for a family. Now, you just subscribe for a 4 month supply for one person. This isn’t a drawback really, but a way they could improve. The refills come in a compostable mailer and you just refill the cute glass bottle. It’s honestly a great idea and I’m about to subscribe myself. You save almost 40% by subscribing, and both options take about a week to arrive. 

Do Bite Toothpaste Bits Taste Good?

Yes. Mint, Charcoal, and Autumn Spice are all good. I found Charcoal to be refreshing and not weird tasting (some charcoal products can have a weird taste), Mint is as it sounds- minty and good and not aggressively so, and Autumn Spice is a nice, mild cinnamon. 

Do Kids Like Bite Toothpaste Bits? 

My 7 year old daughter loves them and my 5 year old son isn’t sold; mostly, I think he still likes the electric blue sparkle toothpaste from the dentist and I’m ok with that. I’m waiting for him to want to do what big sister does. 

It is worth mentioning that the Bite Toothpaste Bits make incredible bubbles, the spit you create with them is really satisfying and foamy, and there’s a lot of, “Come look at this!” coming from the bathroom now that one kid is using the Bits. 

It’s also worth mentioning that the charcoal in particular leaves a significant foam-spit trail in the sink that rivals the electric sparkle blue when your kid can’t spit directly under the faucet, and it thus isn’t easily rinsed away. I always think, “Begin as you mean to go on” so if you don’t want to have those charcoal rivers stuck to your sink, then maybe opt for the white Mint variety from the start. 

Final Recommendation

I love Bite Toothpaste Bits, my daughter loves them, and I think my son will come around. My husband hasn’t tried them but he’s not one to try new things and I’m not about to browbeat him about it. I bet eventually they have more subscription options, and more plain old buying options for those commitment-phobes like me. I love that I’m not filling my trash can with plastic (we have a 1-2 bag of trash a week maximum and I’m working to shrink that) and I love that we aren’t using toothpaste that was sitting in plastic for who knows how long before it goes in our mouth. I think you’d love Bite Toothpaste Bits too! Try them and let me know what you think. 

Try Bite Toothpaste Bits today!

Want to try making your own waste-free toothpaste? I have a great tooth powder recipe here!

Fall is such a fun season, and I have a ton of wonderful recipes, tutorials, and projects to take you all the way to winter. Enjoy these best Fall Blog Posts!

This post contains affiliate links.

Applesauce Muffins

This recipe for applesauce muffins is is a great way to use a healthy ½ cup of your homemade applesauce (or store-bought if you haven’t learned how to make it from me yet!) into a portable snack.

Canning Pumpkin

I’m a big fan of doing things at home, making food for yourself, and generally believe homemade is best. There are a few situations where you cannot make something at home and one of those is canned pumpkin puree.

Felted Wool Dryer Balls

This post, featuring a guest post from my friend Amika will teach you how to make felted wool dryer balls at home and have you fighting static, wrinkles, and toxic dryer sheets like a superhero. Read on for the full felted dryer ball tutorial!

Free Canning Basics Course

When I started canning, this was the part that caused me the most grief. A good cookbook is a helpful start, but there’s no way for it to SHOW you what happens when. There’s no shame in admitting that, hey, you don’t really cook all that often and having 3 pots going on the stove at once is kind of overwhelming. I am here to tell you (and explain, in detail in the course) that canning is WAY LESS COMPLICATED than cooking a big family dinner.

How To Crochet in 15 Minutes

This post will show you how to crochet in 15 minutes. It will demonstrate how to make a slip knot, how to chain, and how to crochet a versatile, simple stitch. The best part? You don’t even need a hook. Read on for the tutorial, beginner, and you’ll be crocheting in no time!

Maple Whiskey Peaches

This post will show you step by step how to can peaches in vanilla syrup with a splash of whiskey. The resulting preserve can be eaten out of the jar plain, are perfect on top of a cheesecake, waffles, or ice cream, or are a flavorful alternative to plain ol’ peaches in a pie or crisp. Read on for the tutorial!

10 Easy to Grow Vegetables in Your Fall Garden

10 Easy to Grow Vegetables for your Fall Garden is a post that will help you decide what to plant for the easiest, best yield for a successful Fall garden. Read on for the list and for some helpful resources perfect for beginners!

Applesauce Canning Recipe

This post will share an easy homemade applesauce recipe that you can preserve in jars with the traditional water bath instructions OR the steam canning directions. I’ll also share my favorite jars for lunch box size portions of this healthy snack!

Kombucha for Beginners: 7 Easy Steps

This tutorial will explain how to make kombucha, what the heck a scoby is, and how to get yeasty now!

Learn How To Sew

This post will share my best recommendations for learning how to sew with the best expert advice I can round up for my readers. Sewing saves money, is creative, fun, and is much easier than people think. Learn how to sew below!

20 Back to School Recipes

Back to school time means packing lunches, after school snacks, eating on the go, and getting back into the routine. This collection of recipes is perfect for back to school!

There you have it, my Best Fall Blog Posts! Which will you try first?

Summertime is fun time and these summer blog posts will take you from homemade crafts to the kitchen, to identifying wildflowers to the right way to cut off shorts, and to making delicious homemade drinks. Read on for the best summer blog posts!

Free Canning Basics Blog Post

When I started canning, this was the part that caused me the most grief. A good cookbook is a helpful start, but there’s no way for it to SHOW you what happens when. There’s no shame in admitting that, hey, you don’t really cook all that often and having 3 pots going on the stove at once is kind of overwhelming. Really, no shame from this girl. I am here to tell you (and explain, in detail in the course) that canning is WAY LESS COMPLICATED than cooking a big family dinner.

I always say that I’d rather can every single day than cook Thanksgiving dinner once. The basics course teaches you what is supposed to happen when and how to be efficient with your time at the stove.

How To Cut Off Shorts

There are a few tricks to making perfect cutoffs that I will share with you here. I hope the next time you wear the knees out of your favorites or score some secondhand jeans that are too short the way I just did, you can spend a few minutes cutting them off the right way to wear all summer long

Pickled Bread and Butter Jalapeños

This post will share a recipe for pickled bread and butter jalapeños and a few clever techniques for keeping your sweet and sour pickles crisp and delicious.

I don’t can a lot of pickles. I also don’t can much that is very spicy, either. As you learn more about canning and develop the set of recipes you enjoy making and your loved ones enjoy eating, you will too find that there are some foods you can over and over and others you don’t end up trying.

Sidewalk Paint

Not only is sidewalk paint an easy, fun, fast, creative, and inexpensive outdoor activity for kids, but it is actually a really pretty medium that is beautiful to play with for kids and grownups alike. Get to mixing, Wildflowers! This recipe will teach you how to make sidewalk paint and will end up in your regular summer rotation in no time.

2 Easy Salsa Recipes

Making homemade salsa is a great way to use up all of the extra tomatoes from your garden and store them for winter. Discover how to make these 2 Easy Salsa Canning Recipes for Beginners.

Raspberry Jam recipe

Raspberry jam is one of the fastest preserves a person could make. Canning has a terrible reputation as being time-consuming- this recipe proves that canning can be quick, easy, and is a simple extension of the cooking process. Raspberry jam is a delight to give as gifts, easy to pick at U-pick farms, and delicious preserved in mason jars. 

How to Identify Wildflowers

This post will share some of our favorite resources for identifying wildflowers in your area and includes both helpful apps and books that are sure to educate and inspire.

Tomato Sauce Recipe

Oh, canning tomatoes! Canning tomato sauce is one of the most satisfying tasks a home canner could ask for because of the versatility of tomato sauce. When people start preserving, they often make jam because it is fairly simple and of course delicious but I find the savory preserves, like this tomato sauce, are far more useful. I guess we just don’t make enough toast to feeling like my time making lots of jam would be worth it. Conversely, my family eats a lot of tomato sauce. Last season I canned over 100 pounds of tomatoes, grown in a friend’s garden a few ridges down the road, and only made it to late spring before running out. I am busy working up Romas, 12 pounds at a time, and sharing about it here and on my YouTube Channel and on Periscope. I’d love to have you follow along there if you’re inclined!

Free Shrub Making Course

Shrubs aren’t just for the garden. Shrubs are a no-cook, easy homemade cocktail or mocktail mixer that’s delicious and fun. This is the new & improved, free, shrubs email course that will help you master the ratio behind these fruit and vinegar syrups.

How to Hang Laundry on the Line

Not only is a clothesline full of wet laundry idyllic and romantic, but it is also frugal, sensible, and not much work at all. Hanging your clothes out to dry imparts them with a delicious fragrance that cannot be replicated nor poured from a bottle and it saves on the damage the high heat of a dryer causes (goodbye fried underwear elastic). Whether a washline conjures for you images of the country or of Mediterranean apartments high above the stone streets below, you can employ a few of these techniques to dry your clothes the old fashioned way.

Absolute Best Way to Get Started Canning

If you want to know the absolute best way to get started canning, this post will tell you the fastest, easiest, and best way. Read on for the tools, tips, and tricks from a busy mom who understands what it is like to not have enough hours in the day.

I hope you loved all these summer blog posts! Which are you going to try first?