​It’s near January. And I’m expecting my third son any day now. Nursing and postpartum recovery await me, so this New Year is not about getting my best body nor any sort of diet.
 
Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there, done that, and it’s a bit uninspiring.
 
But what I am interested in is how food can bring relief to my tired, postpartum body while nourishing my new child and the rest of my family. There are foods that heal, and we needn’t be intimidated by lack of money, time, or ability.
 
And whether you’re expecting a baby soon or just curious how food can help balance hormones and elevate your mood after the sugar-infused season we just celebrated, Eugene’s newest specialty grocery store is here to help! Be sure to enter the $50 Whole Foods gift card giveaway too!

​Their produce department often offers $5 off coupons...and, well, it’s just so pretty. 

​Look for their private Whole Foods or 365 label on all sorts of products – Whole Foods has these high quality products manufactured by reputable companies so they can offer them at a lower price. 

​And the Eugene store is designed in a way where it’s also just a fun place to hang out when downtown – think family date with slices of wood-burned oven pizza in their eating area, happy hour at their bar offering local brews, 

​or trying out one of the local businesses housed within Whole Foods: Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt offering fresh yogurt and smoothies (it’s ridiculously good), or a cup of Wandering Goat coffee. 

​When you visit, you’ll also find that there are very well educated team members available to answer your questions and make recommendations based on your interests or needs.

​Currently, Heng Ou’s book, The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother motivates me. Ou highlights some of those “trendy” foods we’ve been hearing about, such as bone broth and turmeric, that have been nourishing people for centuries but are currently new again to us westerners.

Listed below are a few of Ou’s favorite pantry items, all of which can be affordably found
​at Whole Foods. Click on links for detailed recipes, inspired by Ou.
​

• Adzuki beans – add to a Mother’s Bowl or soup/stew. They are small (good for picky eaters with texture issues) and the easiest bean to digest.
• Bulk grains and unsweetened dried fruit – combine to make Coconut Dried Fruit Granola.
• Black sesame seeds – add to smoothies or sprinkle in savory or sweet dishes for extra crunch. This ingredient is age defying, offers lactation support for nursing moms, and has B vitamins and iron.
• Goji berries – infuse these to make a nutrient rich hot tea or an iced tea you can sip on all day.

More Whole Foods tips:​

• Check out their weekly sales flyer
• ​The Whole Deal coupon book is available in store
• Download the Whole Foods digital coupon app
• Kids 12 & under can enjoy a free piece of fruit every time they are in the store (fruit is located at the Customer Service Desk).
• The Eugene store offers a private upstairs space that can be reserved for social groups, businesses, boards, etc…for free. The space has been used for mom's coffee dates (they have a baby gate), mom’s night out, and wine & cheese tasting events.
• They are committed to the community! Since opening in September 2016, they have donated over $23,000 to the Eugene/Springfield community through their 5% days.
  
  

Coming up at Whole Foods in Eugene:

• January 6-8, 25% off ALL supplements...some supplements will already be offered at promo price so will actually be 50% off when combined with the sale.
• January 14, Health & Wellness Fair from 10am-2pm – various vendors will be sampling their products, healthy recipe ideas, and Eugene Yoga will be running a couple free yoga classes in the private space upstairs.
• January 21, Barre3 free pop-up class and wellness education from 10:30am-1pm.
• February 11, Free Valentine’s day craft for kids, from 12-2pm.
• February 16, A Registered Dietician from PeaceHealth will be hosting a free educational class on maternal health, from 6pm-7pm.

 
And…Whole Foods Eugene is giving away a $50 gift card to a GoMomGo Reader! So awesome!

To enter:
Comment on this post with what you love about Whole Foods (if you've been there) or what interests you in Whole Foods if you haven't been yet.
You can also enter on our Facebook page & share for more entries.
Giveaway winner will be announced on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at noon. Happy New Year, right?

Hooray!

NEW/PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS -- MMA wants to invite you to come visit! Simply show up 10 minutes early for the class you want to visit and talk with a coach or staff at the front desk to get started. Mention GoMomGo referred you - if you join by May 21, you will get 50% off enrollment fee.
Current MMA Schedule. 
​Also, visit their FAQ page for more helpful info.

CURRENT STUDENTS – mention you read the GoMomGo article and get 10% off in the pro shop through May 21.

Be sure to check out MMA's awesome summer camps, too. They have an early bird discount through June 20. Such a perfect way to get your kids moving & learning this summer!

...AND Last Chance to enter The Dancing Weasel Giveaway!

This month we are featuring The Dancing Weasel Toy Store as our business of the month. You can read interview from mother-daughter owners here, and now get a first hand report of what a visit to their store is like!

Getting there and basic info:
Whenever I hear a business is downtown, I hesitate before bringing my two-year old along. I assume the trip will include a half-hour or so of cruising the one-way streets while trying to dodge metered parking and then tweaking my back as I wrangle my toddler down a busy sidewalk…but The Dancing Weasel has their own private, easily accessible and safe lot. A relief!

Days/Hours: 
Monday-Saturday: 10am to 5:30pm, Sunday: 11am to 5pm

Location: 
30 E. 17th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97401
(Between Willamette and Oak, right across the street from Brails Restaurant.)

Store experience:
Speaking of toddlers, I also don’t sign up to bring him to an unfamiliar store on my first visit. You just never know when the doe-eyed sweet face will turn Incredible Hulk and send his wrath out on a beautifully executed store display.

However, I told myself, this is a toy store for goodness sake, I’m sure they’re familiar with toddlers.

And yes, they were ready for my little Hulk. He innocently plucked a few things from the shelves to check them out before toddling back to the well-planned out play area in the back of the store. There was a large table with toys for him to peruse, books to thumb through, and a couple ride-on toys to try out. He was completely satisfied and mesmerized, and I got to do my own toy shopping for an upcoming birthday party.

Aya was manning the store that day and was full of ideas for my gift. The items they carry come at all sorts of price-points and I was able to get a thoughtful, creative gift for under ten bucks. 

AND, they gift-wrap. For FREE.

A few other things I loved about my visit?

• They have NO commercial products in their store. No Elsa. No Avengers. Just well-researched, thoughtful products – some of which you can try out at the store. It’s a very hands-on kind of place. 
• They have an ongoing calendar of events and activities that cater to kids and their parents. Story-time, holiday events, music-time, etc. Check out their online calendar for details. They always host a story or music time at 11AM on Thursdays plus lots of special events and sales throughout the year. 
• Danita and Aya are awesome and generous and do all sorts of things to help kids in Lane County. They also have agreed to giveaway a few of their products to three GoMomGo readers! 
  

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Comment below with your mom super-hero name, and the three winners will be announced MONDAY, May 25. 
If you entered in Post I, no need to enter again.

If you win, rush on down to The Dancing Weasel as prizes are first come, first pick, and you have seven days to claim your gift! Gifts are pictured below. Good luck!