by Emily Morrow
3 stars
A nice intro on living in more natural, mindful ways. A good place to start to learn about different irritants and chemicals we experience in our daily lives and some alternatives to them. It takes a very individual health focused approach to being crunchy.
I do like Morrow’s mentality of doing what’s best for your own family and not worrying about living up to some “crunchy” ideal. She shares stories from her own life as examples of different principles. I especially appreciate her focus on some of the ways the “crunchy” lifestyle can save you money.
The book includes tips on a variety of topics including natural remedies and products, self care, parenting, removing “toxins” from your life, and navigating friendships. While I don’t necessarily prioritize in the same way Morrow does, I like the focus on informing yourself and making decisions on what works for your family and your life. I would say the focus is mostly on reducing “toxins” and living more naturally (avoiding certain fabrics, reducing screen time, avoiding synthetic fragrances). While she encourages you to pick and choose what works for you, some of the information gets a bit intense and anxiety-inducing.
Emily and Jason Morrow do the narration for the audiobook and they both did very well. A nice listen. The audiobook also comes with a download of extra content including the Crunch-Level Quiz (sort of crunchy, for those curious), a list of resources for further reading, recommended stores, favorite social media accounts, and a few recipes.
Nice combination of advise, information, and humor. Overall, a nice read.