Affordability is a real issue when it comes to health and wellness. Many of us are living on tight budgets, and that’s not getting any better with the current skyrocketing inflation. One of the things that I love about herbalism is that it empowers me to make better choices for my health and wellbeing without blowing my budget. It’s true that some herbal formulations require ingredients that are beyond what I can purchase, but there are many effective options that fall comfortably in the affordable zone, so I’ve never felt like I missed out because I couldn't buy those pricier options. The following 20+ recipes are perfect examples. From wellness recipes to topical applications and culinary treats, these excellent, affordable formulations have served the Mountain Rose Herbs community well for many years. Enjoy!
Nourishing Herbal Infusions—Making teas with nourishing herbs like nettle leaf, linden leaf and flower, marshmallow root, chickweed, etc. is a simple, cost-effective way to add vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients to your wellness plan.
Herbal Tea Recipes to Increase Mindfulness and Help with Stress—We are increasingly aware that mindfulness supports both health and happiness. These tea recipes assist throughout the day in maintaining the mindfulness and calm that improves our lives.
Astragalus Chai Recipe for Immune Support—The myriad, delicious spices in chai blends are generally both very available and not too much money. They are also a perfect complement to one of the “king” herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine: adaptogenic astragalus.
Herbal Oxymels—Oxymels are herbal extractions using vinegar and raw honey. This combination brings together the healthful properties of both and is an excellent way to also extract and ingest supportive herbs, especially pungent ones that are hard to take on their own.
Glycerites—Glycerine extracts are a wonderful, affordable alternative to alcohol-based tinctures because organic food grade glycerine is an excellent menstruum for extracting constituents from plants.
Herbal Lozenges—These lozenges are made with calming, relaxing, mood-lifting linden leaf and flower. The combination of linden and honey offers expectorant qualities and is also diaphoretic.
Soothing Wild Cherry Bark Throat Syrup—Honey-based herbal syrups are an extremely effective way to ingest supportive herbs. This particular example brings elderberry, echinacea, and wild cherry bark, as well as other immune-supporting herbs to those times when you’ve got an irritated throat and you just need some soothing relief.
Herbal Salves—Herbal salves are one of the simplest, most effective ways to bring the power of herbs to your skin. You can customize the herbs and oils you use, and therefore the cost, whether you want a basic calendula salve with olive oil or something more elaborate.
Herbal Liniments—Herbal liniments are incredibly cost effective because they are made with rubbing alcohol instead of more expensive spirits, and they can be customized to be warming or cooling, depending on the herbs you choose. Your hard working muscles will thank you for this one!
Herbal After-Sun Care—These recipes are simple botanical formulations that help alleviate the symptoms of prolonged sun exposure. When you have the ingredients on hand, the recipes take just minutes to complete, so you’re just moments away from relief.
Herbal Fungus-Fighting Nail Oil—This very effective recipe uses small amounts, so helps to keep cost down. For even more cost savings, gather your own rosebuds and use the clove bud essential oil option rather than the myrrh essential oil. It smells so good and works so well!
Herbal Dry Shampoos—Dry shampoo powders are excellent options for camping or those moments when you don’t have time to wash your hair. Made with natural arrowroot powder and herbal powders, they apply easily and brush out with no problem.
Salts, Oils, and Tea Soaks—Soaking in warm water has been shown to improve our mood, relieve pain, soothe irritated skin, and more. Baths are also a perfect conduit for supportive herbs, herbal teas, salts, and infused oils.
Herbal Sitz Bath—A sitz bath is a shallow bath in which you can add salts, herbs, and other ingredients to create a clean, warm, healing pool in which to sit. You can use your bathtub as a larger sitz bath when you’re experiencing fatigue and pain in the lower back and legs.
Sprinkle-On Herb and Spice Blends for Four Season Wellness—Herbal sprinkles are a quick, easy way to add more nutrition to your meals. Just blend them ahead of time and keep in shakers at the table!
Herbal Syrups—As I mentioned above, tea and herb-infused syrups are an excellent way to ingest herbal remedies, but they are also delicious for breakfast toppings and in cocktails/mocktails. Customize to match your palate with different loose-leaf teas and herbs or spices.
Herbal Butters—Infusing herbs into butter is fast, delicious, and an easy way to improve your dining experience. Keep it simple or go wild!
Herbal Salt Blends—Salt blends are an amazing way to add nutrient-dense herbs to our diets every day. Using an herbal salt blend means we lower our salt intake and increase the nutritional value of our meals.
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Culinary, Natural Body Care, Recipes, Herbalism, Tea & Herbal Drinks
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is proud to have earned a certificate of completion for the Herbal Medicine Making Course at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
Affordability is a real issue when it comes to health and wellness. Many of us are living on tight budgets, and that’s not getting any better with the current skyrocketing inflation. One of the things that I love about herbalism is that it empowers me to make better choices for my health and wellbeing without blowing my budget. It’s true that some herbal formulations require ingredients that are beyond what I can purchase, but there are many effective options that fall comfortably in the affordable zone, so I’ve never felt like I missed out because I couldn't buy those pricier options. The following 20+ recipes are perfect examples. From wellness recipes to topical applications and culinary treats, these excellent, affordable formulations have served the Mountain Rose Herbs community well for many years. Enjoy!
Nourishing Herbal Infusions—Making teas with nourishing herbs like nettle leaf, linden leaf and flower, marshmallow root, chickweed, etc. is a simple, cost-effective way to add vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients to your wellness plan.
Herbal Tea Recipes to Increase Mindfulness and Help with Stress—We are increasingly aware that mindfulness supports both health and happiness. These tea recipes assist throughout the day in maintaining the mindfulness and calm that improves our lives.
Astragalus Chai Recipe for Immune Support—The myriad, delicious spices in chai blends are generally both very available and not too much money. They are also a perfect complement to one of the “king” herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine: adaptogenic astragalus.
Herbal Oxymels—Oxymels are herbal extractions using vinegar and raw honey. This combination brings together the healthful properties of both and is an excellent way to also extract and ingest supportive herbs, especially pungent ones that are hard to take on their own.
Glycerites—Glycerine extracts are a wonderful, affordable alternative to alcohol-based tinctures because organic food grade glycerine is an excellent menstruum for extracting constituents from plants.
Herbal Lozenges—These lozenges are made with calming, relaxing, mood-lifting linden leaf and flower. The combination of linden and honey offers expectorant qualities and is also diaphoretic.
Soothing Wild Cherry Bark Throat Syrup—Honey-based herbal syrups are an extremely effective way to ingest supportive herbs. This particular example brings elderberry, echinacea, and wild cherry bark, as well as other immune-supporting herbs to those times when you’ve got an irritated throat and you just need some soothing relief.
Herbal Salves—Herbal salves are one of the simplest, most effective ways to bring the power of herbs to your skin. You can customize the herbs and oils you use, and therefore the cost, whether you want a basic calendula salve with olive oil or something more elaborate.
Herbal Liniments—Herbal liniments are incredibly cost effective because they are made with rubbing alcohol instead of more expensive spirits, and they can be customized to be warming or cooling, depending on the herbs you choose. Your hard working muscles will thank you for this one!
Herbal After-Sun Care—These recipes are simple botanical formulations that help alleviate the symptoms of prolonged sun exposure. When you have the ingredients on hand, the recipes take just minutes to complete, so you’re just moments away from relief.
Herbal Fungus-Fighting Nail Oil—This very effective recipe uses small amounts, so helps to keep cost down. For even more cost savings, gather your own rosebuds and use the clove bud essential oil option rather than the myrrh essential oil. It smells so good and works so well!
Herbal Dry Shampoos—Dry shampoo powders are excellent options for camping or those moments when you don’t have time to wash your hair. Made with natural arrowroot powder and herbal powders, they apply easily and brush out with no problem.
Salts, Oils, and Tea Soaks—Soaking in warm water has been shown to improve our mood, relieve pain, soothe irritated skin, and more. Baths are also a perfect conduit for supportive herbs, herbal teas, salts, and infused oils.
Herbal Sitz Bath—A sitz bath is a shallow bath in which you can add salts, herbs, and other ingredients to create a clean, warm, healing pool in which to sit. You can use your bathtub as a larger sitz bath when you’re experiencing fatigue and pain in the lower back and legs.
Sprinkle-On Herb and Spice Blends for Four Season Wellness—Herbal sprinkles are a quick, easy way to add more nutrition to your meals. Just blend them ahead of time and keep in shakers at the table!
Herbal Syrups—As I mentioned above, tea and herb-infused syrups are an excellent way to ingest herbal remedies, but they are also delicious for breakfast toppings and in cocktails/mocktails. Customize to match your palate with different loose-leaf teas and herbs or spices.
Herbal Butters—Infusing herbs into butter is fast, delicious, and an easy way to improve your dining experience. Keep it simple or go wild!
Herbal Salt Blends—Salt blends are an amazing way to add nutrient-dense herbs to our diets every day. Using an herbal salt blend means we lower our salt intake and increase the nutritional value of our meals.
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Culinary, Natural Body Care, Recipes, Herbalism, Tea & Herbal Drinks
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is proud to have earned a certificate of completion for the Herbal Medicine Making Course at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
