How did one family eat real, homemade food on just $100 a month?

In this special episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, I'm joined by my mom as she shares what it was really like feeding our family on a tight grocery budget in the 1980s, plus the simple, from-scratch habits that made it possible.

From cooking everything at home to shopping sales strategically, building a pantry over time, and wasting nothing, these are the exact principles that shaped how I run my kitchen today.

If you're feeling the pressure of rising grocery prices, this episode will show you how to stretch your food budget without sacrificing nutrition or flavor.

In this episode, we cover:

• How we lived on about $20-25/week for groceries
• The pantry staples that made from-scratch cooking possible
• Why convenience foods cost more (in more ways than one)
• How to shop sales and stock up the right way
• Simple meals we ate growing up (and still love today)
• The mindset shift that makes frugal living sustainable

These are timeless, practical strategies you can start using right away in your own kitchen.

👉 Read the accompanying blog post here:
https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/how-my-mom-fed-our-family-on-100-a-month/

Spring is a tricky in-between season when it comes to meal planning. You're craving fresh foods, but the garden isn't quite ready yet—and your pantry is still full of winter staples.

In this episode, I'm sharing simple, practical tips for spring meal planning so you can use what you already have, incorporate early seasonal ingredients, and make getting dinner on the table easier.

We'll talk about:

• Cooking with pantry staples and preserved foods

• Easy ways to use up extra eggs

• Simple meal rotations to reduce decision fatigue

• How to transition from winter to spring meals with ease

If you've been feeling stuck in a dinner rut, this episode will help you simplify your cooking and enjoy the shift into a new season.

For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/503

Links Mentioned:

- Plated By Season (Spring Edition starts shipping in April - grab your subscription now to be sure you get your Spring copy!): https://melissaknorris.com/plated

- Creamy Delicata Squash Soup recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/creamy-delicata-squash-soup/

- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: https://melissaknorris.com/bacon-wrapped-asparagus-easy-appetizer-or-side-dish/

- Carrot Cookie recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/vintage-recipe-carrot-cookies/

Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring this podcast. For first-time customers, you can use code "MELISSA15" and get 15% off your first order of $100 or more: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard/

Are you eating healthy, exercising, and still struggling to lose weight?

For many women—especially in their late 30s and 40s—the issue may not be calories at all. It may be insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalance.

In today's episode, I'm talking with Ruth Soukup about the hidden blood sugar loop that keeps so many women stuck with fatigue, cravings, and stubborn weight gain.

Ruth shares how she lost nearly 50 pounds by focusing on metabolic health instead of traditional dieting, and we talk through practical steps you can begin using today to stabilize blood sugar and support hormone balance naturally.

If you've felt frustrated with diet advice that no longer works, this conversation may be exactly what you need to hear.

What You'll Learn:

• What insulin resistance is and why it's so common today
• Why dieting harder often backfires
• How blood sugar imbalance affects hormones and metabolism
• Foods that help stabilize blood sugar
• Why walking after meals can help regulate glucose
• How small daily habits can restore metabolic flexibility

For more information, be sure to check out the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/502

Resources Mentioned:

• The Whole Health Reset: https://melissaknorris.com/the-whole-health-reset
• Thin Adapted System with Ruth: https://thinlicious.com/program
• 10 Day Sugar Detox with Ruth: https://www.getthinlicious.com/detox

If you found this helpful, be sure to subscribe for more conversations on traditional living, health, homesteading, and from-scratch skills.

Winter is often described as the slow season, but what if that isn't actually true? In this episode, we're sharing the honest reality of what winter really looks like on a homestead and why slow living doesn't happen automatically. Instead, it's something we must create intentionally.

We talk about how winter shifts from growing and harvesting to planning and evaluating, how to adjust your homestead to match your current season of life, and why creating small pockets of margin can make a powerful difference in your health, stress levels, and sustainability.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why winter isn't truly a slow season

• How to evaluate what worked in your garden and pantry

• The importance of creating intentional margin

• How small habits can restore energy and clarity

• Why slow living starts with honest evaluation

If you've ever felt like you're constantly busy, even in winter, this episode will help you create a more sustainable, intentional pace. Listen now and start building margin into your homesteading life. For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/501

If you've been trying to figure out how to reduce inflammation in the body naturally but feel like you're chasing ten different solutions at once, this episode is for you.

• You don't need more supplements.
• You don't need a harsher detox.
• You don't need more discipline.

You need the right order.

In this 500th episode, I'm breaking down why inflammation feels so hard to fix and walking you through a simple, foundational framework to stabilize your body first — before you add intensity.

We'll talk about:

• Why inflammation is a systems issue (not just one food or one supplement)

• The biggest mistake most women make when trying to heal

• How blood sugar swings, stress, sleep, and nervous system overload all connect

• What to focus on first (and what not to do yet)

• Signs your body is starting to respond

This isn't about perfection. It's about stabilization.

If you've been exhausted, inflamed, overwhelmed, and unsure what actually matters most, I want to help you simplify so your body can finally begin to heal.

For more information, check out the blog post that accompanies this podcast: https://melissaknorris.com/500

And be sure to join me for the Whole Health Reset challenge! We start March 9: https://melissaknorris.com/health

Have you ever tried winter sowing… only to wonder if you were doing something wrong? In today's episode, I'm chatting with Luke from MIgardener all about winter sowing, what it is, how it works, and who it's really best for.

I'll be honest with you — I haven't had success with winter sowing in my northern garden when it comes to warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. But after this conversation, I'm looking at it differently.

Instead of trying to make it replace my indoor seed-starting system, I'm shifting how I'll use it this year — especially for medicinal herbs, culinary herbs, and perennials (particularly those that benefit from cold stratification).

In this episode, we talk through:

• What winter sowing actually is
• Which crops thrive with this method
• Why warm-season crops struggle
• Cold stratification and why it matters
• How to handle watering and ventilation
• Dense planting tricks for lettuce
• How to simplify your seed-starting system

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by seed-starting calendars, grow lights, and timing everything perfectly, this episode may give you a refreshing perspective.

Gardening doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes we just need to work with nature instead of trying to outsmart it. And if you're growing herbs and flowers this year, you may want to give winter sowing a try right alongside me.

Links Mentioned:

• My blog post on winter sowing (with full step-by-step instructions and what I'm testing this year): https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/how-to-winter-sow-seeds/
• My cold stratification chart for medicinal and perennial herbs: https://melissaknorris.com/cold-stratification-of-seeds/
• MIgardener's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/MIgardener
• MIgardener seed shop: MIgardener.com
• FREE gardening tips! Email gardenhelp@migardener.com
• Luke's blog post on winter sowing: https://migardener.com/blogs/blog/winter-sowing-tips-for-the-impatient-gardener

Have you ever wondered if the oils sitting in your pantry might actually be contributing to inflammation?

In this episode, I'm diving into one of the most overlooked pieces of the inflammation puzzle: the types of fats we're using every day. Many of the oils marketed as "healthy" may actually be disrupting omega balance, stressing the gut, and keeping inflammation quietly simmering in the background.

I'm breaking down:

• What makes certain seed oils inflammatory
• Why the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio matters so much
• Which fats I personally avoid
• The traditional, stable fats I use instead
• How to confidently read ingredient labels at the store

This conversation builds directly on the last two episodes where I shared our personal health journey through a cancer diagnosis and what chronic inflammation really looks like in the body. If you haven't listened to those yet, I encourage you to start there:

👉 Chronic Inflammation: Why It Happens & What to Do About It
https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/chronic-inflammation/

👉 When Your Health Forces You to Stop (and What to Do Next)
https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/when-your-health-forces-you-to-stop/

👉 Learn more about the Whole Health Reset here: https://melissaknorris.com/the-whole-health-reset/

👉 For more information and any links mentioned in today's episode, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/498

Thank you to Azure Standard for sponsoring this episode. I trust them for high-quality, minimally processed pantry staples and traditional fats that align with how I feed my family. You can explore their oils and bulk foods, plus get 15% off your first order of $100 or more with coupon code "Melissa15": https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

As always, this isn't about fear or perfection. It's about understanding your body, noticing patterns, and making simple changes that add up over time.

If you feel tired but wired, wake up exhausted even after a full night's sleep, or feel like your body isn't responding the way it used to, this episode is for you.

Chronic inflammation isn't just about inflammatory foods. It's a signal that your stress response, blood sugar, sleep rhythms, and metabolism are out of sync.

In today's episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, I'm breaking down the hidden drivers of inflammation that many women, especially over 35, are experiencing but don't always recognize.

We'll talk about:

• Why inflammation is a signal, not the root problem

• How blood sugar swings and insulin resistance impact sleep and hormones

• What waking between 2-4 a.m. can really mean

• Why under-eating protein and over-training can make things worse

• How stress, cortisol, sleep, and metabolism are all connected
  
  

This isn't about doing more, dieting harder, or following the latest wellness trend. It's about understanding how your body works as a whole and learning how to support it in a sustainable way.

Whether you're just starting your health journey or feel like you've tried everything, this episode will help you see the bigger picture and take your next step with clarity and confidence.

👉 Learn more about the Whole Health Reset here: https://melissaknorris.com/the-whole-health-reset/

👉 For more information and any links mentioned in today's episode, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/497