*This post is sponsored by The Dole Food Company.  All opinions are my own.*

Quarantine day: 7938928… We’re still trying to find our groove with work, play time, learning, and all of us being home 24/7. 

Some days are great.  I’m productive, I do fun learning projects with the kids, I pick something to organize, and I feel like I’m nailing this quarantine parenting.  Other days we don’t get dressed until it’s almost lunch time, I let the kids watch a little more tv than I would like, and I spend too much time reading the news and stressing myself out.  It’s a delicate balance, and I’m trying to be gentle with myself.  This is a new experience for all of us, or “these unforeseen times” as the media keeps calling it.  

This is a new experience for all of us, or “these unforeseen times” as the media keeps calling it.  

In our house, the 80/20 balance seems to work for us.  We try to eat well and be productive 80% of the time, and then 20% of the time, we can order takeout and watch an extra movie in our jammies. Each of us only has so much to give, and we also need time to recharge.

In our house, the 80/20 balance seems to work for us.

One of the positives I’ve seen come out of this pandemic is that a lot of my favorite companies are offering more wellness resources to consumers. Some of you may already know that I’m pretty obsessed with Dole pineapples (aka nature’s candy!) And did you know that pineapples used to be a symbol of wealth back in the day?  Basically if you went to a dinner party and the host had a pineapple as a centerpiece, you were a much appreciated guest, and your host was either royal or very wealthy. A little history tidbit for you!

A lot of my favorite companies are offering more wellness resources to consumers.

So, I’m sure you know Dole for their pineapples, other fresh fruits, and also their pre-made salads (weeknight game changers!)  But now, Dole also has At-Home Resources on their website, including printables and fun games and activities for kids.  My 5 year old loves the Shop Til you Drop game where you have to name a fruit or vegetable that starts with the letter you land on.  The best part is, you can use a coin instead of dice and you don’t need any other materials to play!

Dole also has At-Home Resources on their website, including printables and fun games and activities for kids. 

We’ve also been focusing more on keeping our bodies healthy lately (at least 80% of the time!) The expression “You are what you eat” is a pretty accurate statement.  I know how I feel when I eat junk food too many days in a row!  Eating whole foods sets the stage for good mental health, good physical health, and a good immune system.  And Dole has resources on their website for all types of topics like brain health, immunity,  and blood pressure, among other things. The immunity section is my favorite.  As someone who suffers from endometriosis, my immune system is slightly compromised so I make a point to eat immune boosting foods and avoid activities that are stressful, whenever possible. There is obviously no magic pill that keeps you healthy or immune to sickness, but eating the proper foods, exercising, and reducing stress can definitely give you a leg up.

Eating whole foods sets the stage for good mental health, good physical health, and a good immune system.

When I first heard of Dole’s new At-Home Resources on their website, I honestly expected them to all be salesy.  Like “if you have low energy, eat more pineapples for nutrients.”  I was pretty surprised and impressed to see that most of their articles are just… resources.  Yes, this post was sponsored by Dole, but it’s important to me to partner with companies that align with my values.  The fact that Dole is putting out helpful articles for no purpose other than giving the world nutrition-based resources makes my heart smile.  This is the type of company I stand behind (bonus that they have those delicious pineapples!)

It’s important to me to partner with companies that align with my values

If you’re looking for activities for your kids, information on how to boost your immunity or your mood, fruit and veggie prepping hacks, or you just want some fun new recipes, I recommend checking out Dole’s At-Home Resources on their site.  There are so many resources on the site already and they’re being updated weekly!  Also, don’t be too hard on yourself while we’re in quarantine.  We’re all doing the best we can.  If you get your junk drawer organized, awesome.  If all you did today was keep your family alive and spray dry shampoo in your hair for the third day in a row, that’s fine too.  We’ll get through this together.