Collections Archives - This Pilgrim Life https://thispilgrimlife.com/category/collections/ Simple, Creative Living Thu, 01 May 2025 19:41:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.5 https://thispilgrimlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cropped-Site-Icon-Website2-32x32.png Collections Archives - This Pilgrim Life https://thispilgrimlife.com/category/collections/ 32 32 Five Fresh Strawberry Recipes to Make this Season https://thispilgrimlife.com/fresh-strawberry-recipes/ https://thispilgrimlife.com/fresh-strawberry-recipes/#respond Thu, 01 May 2025 19:41:44 +0000 https://thispilgrimlife.com/?p=20233 Strawberries are the BEST when eaten in season! Put these five fresh strawberry recipes on your must-try list this season and savor the magnificence of seasonal produce! There are certain types of produce that ESPECIALLY shine when eaten in season, and strawberries are one of them. (Peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon are some of our other...

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]]> Strawberries are the BEST when eaten in season! Put these five fresh strawberry recipes on your must-try list this season and savor the magnificence of seasonal produce!

Strawberries are the BEST when eaten in season! Put these five fresh strawberry recipes on your must-try list this season and savor the magnificence of seasonal produce!

There are certain types of produce that ESPECIALLY shine when eaten in season, and strawberries are one of them. (Peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon are some of our other favorites that we almost exclusively eat fresh only during the summer).

It’s the first day of May, which means strawberry season is just starting for us in North Carolina. Visiting the strawberry farm with friends is an annual event we’ve prioritized almost every year since my oldest was just a toddler. Now that I have five strawberry pickers, we always go home with a generous bounty of fresh strawberries– ready to eat on their own, but also for making our favorite fresh strawberry recipes!

There’s just something extra special about having specific recipes and treats that are connected to traditions, connected to seasons, and connected to shared family rhythms. Enjoying the first fresh strawberry pie together is its own kind of celebration.

Tips for planning a visit to the strawberry farm…

  • wear old clothes you don’t mind getting stained with strawberry juice and dirt
  • bring plenty of water— strawberries are a full sun crop, so you’ll be catching a lot of rays while you pick!
  • many farms offer treats like pie or fresh ice cream to enjoy before or after picking. Pack along some filling snacks to balance out the sweets.
  • plan your visit on a day when you will have time after you get home (same day or next day) to process the berries. They can be refrigerated for a few days, but generally are best within a few days of picking. After that, they’re still great for jam, fruit strips, strawberry puree, or frozen for smoothies
  • invite some friends and ask the farm if they offer any talks or “field trip” type perks to visiting groups. Our farm is always so gracious to talk to the kids about growing strawberries, the farming business, and more.
  • always review expectations with your kids before heading out— discuss what color/quality berries to pick, remind them to be mindful of the plants, and any other expectations you may have to ensure everyone has a great visit!

Five Fresh Strawberry Recipes to Make This Season

The following fresh strawberry recipes are my must-have May strawberry treats. I always do other things as well, but these are my top priority– especially the fresh strawberry pie! It’s only a May recipe for us, so we savor every bite!

If you enjoy seasonal recipes and summer family content, definitely follow me on Instagram where I share regularly about both, and sign up for my email newsletter for tips and recipes to try direct to your inbox.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Fresh strawberry pie is one of the best ways to enjoy seasonal strawberries! This pie is naturally sweetened (not too sweet!), and uses unflavored gelatin to set up. It’s perfect with a generous dollop of whipped cream!

Fresh strawberry pie is one of the best ways to enjoy seasonal strawberries! This pie is naturally sweetened (not too sweet!), and uses unflavored gelatin to set up. It’s perfect with a generous dollop of whipped cream!

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is the PERFECT summer salad dressing! Even better if you make it with farm or garden fresh strawberries!

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is the PERFECT summer salad dressing! It comes together in minutes, and is so delicious on a bed of mixed greens with a sprinkle of sliced almonds, strawberry slices, and feta cheese.

If you want to add protein, try pairing your salad with a batch of my Ridiculously Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts!

Strawberry Chia Seed Jam

Chia seed jam is so quick and easy to make, is super healthy, and so tasty too! Only three ingredients and fifteen minutes!

This is one strawberry recipe that I actually make throughout the whole year. When it’s not strawberry season, I just make it with frozen berries instead.

Chia seed jam is so quick and easy to make, is super healthy, and so tasty too.  Three ingredients and fifteen minutes is all you need, which is one reason it’s on repeat in our house all year long!

Strawberries & Cream Muffins

These strawberry muffins are definitely worth repeated requests and worth a little extra effort, with strawberry chunks throughout and a sweet cream cheese filling in the center!

My kids ask for these muffins almost any time I ask them what kind of muffins I should make! (I don’t make them half that much though).

These strawberry muffins are definitely worth repeated requests and worth a little extra effort, with strawberry chunks throughout and a sweet cream cheese filling in the center!

Easy Strawberry Crisp

A recipe for an easy strawberry crisp, made with natural sweeteners and gluten-free ingredients. Perfect with homemade yogurt, fresh whipped cream, or even a small bowl of ice cream!

A recipe for an easy strawberry crisp, made with natural sweeteners and gluten-free ingredients. Perfect with homemade yogurt, fresh whipped cream, or a small bowl of ice cream! 

A simple fruit crisp is an essential summer recipe. It’s easy enough for kids to make on their own; can be served for breakfast, snack time, or dessert; and is dietary friendly for bringing to summer potlucks with friends!

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Strawberries are the BEST when eaten in season! Put these five fresh strawberry recipes on your must-try list this season and savor the magnificence of seasonal produce!

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]]> https://thispilgrimlife.com/fresh-strawberry-recipes/feed/ 0 70+ Movies Based on True Stories https://thispilgrimlife.com/movies-based-on-true-stories/ https://thispilgrimlife.com/movies-based-on-true-stories/#comments Tue, 11 Mar 2025 19:52:18 +0000 https://thispilgrimlife.com/?p=19697 Incredible movies based on true stories for kids and teens help history come alive, and open a window to other people’s experiences! The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here.  Monday nights are one of my favorite nights of the...

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]]> Incredible movies based on true stories for kids and teens help history come alive, and open a window to other people’s experiences!

Incredible movies based on true stories for kids and teens help history come alive, and open a window to other people's experiences.

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here. 

Monday nights are one of my favorite nights of the week since I started a rhythm of making them the night we watch movies based on true stories– biographies, inspiring endurance and bravery, important figures in history, amazing animals, and more.

I love Mondays as a rule– they’re the days we do the bulk of our family learning together at the table– but by the end of the day, I’m DONE. Which is how the regular movie night tradition began.

Watching movies based on true stories together continues our learning, yes. More importantly, though, they give us the chance to enter into a time period other than our own, they nurture empathy and understanding when we experience life from a different perspective, and they model virtues like integrity, resilience, and bravery from real events and people. 

I’ve put together a list of over seventy movies that are each based on history. The list is divided into type for easy reference. Be sure to save this list so you can check back, and maybe even start your own historical movie night!

Movie Based on True Stories

  1. Biographical Movies
  2. Inspiring Science & Engineering
  3. Movies About Authors
  4. Amazing Sports Stories
  5. Paths to the Olympics
  6. True Animal Movies
  7. Based on True Events
  8. Historical Movies with more Mature Content
  9. WWII Movie
  10. Espionage & the Cold War

We have watched most of these movies over the years, many of them more than once. Some of the movies are wonderful for the whole family, and others we reserve for the older kids since they have more mature content, language, and situations. 

The last three segments of the list are movies that are generally considered for teens and older. However, I would absolutely recommend doing your own research and vetting of any movie on this list before you decide whether it is appropriate for your family or not.

I use Common Sense Media to look into books and movies for my kids. It’s a great resource to preview content ahead of time to make an informed decision before reading or watching. 

We also love the selection of movie on Amazon Prime Video! Many are free and others are just a few dollars to rent. It’s our only streaming service we’re using right now.

1. Biographical Movies 

Inspiring movies based on true stories

2. Inspiring Science & Engineering 

inspiring science and engineering movies

3. Movies About Authors 

movies about authors

4. Amazing Sports Stories 

Amazing true sports movies

5. Paths to the Olympics

Movies about getting to the Olympics

6. True Animal Movies

true animal movies

7. Based on True Events 

movie based on true events

8. Historical Movies with more Mature Content 

movies based on true events in history

9. WWII Movies

World War II movies

10. Espionage & Cold War

Movies about espionage and the Cold War

Share in the comments if any of these are movies you’ve enjoyed, or if you have others to add to this list! 

Don’t forget to PIN for later and share with friends! 

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]]> https://thispilgrimlife.com/movies-based-on-true-stories/feed/ 8 75+ Budget-Friendly, Frugal Meal Ideas https://thispilgrimlife.com/frugal-meal-ideas/ https://thispilgrimlife.com/frugal-meal-ideas/#comments Tue, 01 Oct 2024 17:05:16 +0000 https://thispilgrimlife.com/?p=16453 We all need meal ideas that aren’t going to break the budget. This list is full of over 75 frugal meal ideas– meals with meat, veggie focused meals, meals with beans, delicious breakfast-for-dinner ideas, and so much more!  The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to...

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]]> We all need meal ideas that aren’t going to break the budget. This list is full of over 75 frugal meal ideas– meals with meat, veggie focused meals, meals with beans, delicious breakfast-for-dinner ideas, and so much more! 

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here.

I’m not a couponer and I don’t generally have the time to watch weekly sales, but that doesn’t mean saving money on our grocery budget isn’t important to me. Thankfully, there are lots of different ways to keep grocery costs down.

After extensive price comparing between Costco and Aldi, and Whole Foods/Harris Teeter/Walmart, I’m happy with sticking to doing the majority of my shopping at Costco and Whole Foods, knowing that their prices are competitive and their selection best fits our family’s preferences.

I also save a lot of money by meal planning. I have a system that works well for me– streamlining the process from making a grocery list, doing my shopping, and creating a meal plan that takes into account the weather, our schedule, and what we have on hand. I use my Kitchen Essentials Checklist to make sure we have all the basics for homemade meals, and my weekly or monthly Meal Planning tables to keep things like the forecast and upcoming events all together with our meals for the week/month.

Just as helpful in meal planning and saving money are master meal lists. Having a curated list of meals that fit the season and your schedule is incredibly helpful in reducing the mental energy and time it takes to meal plan. I keep my seasonal menus in my travelers journal for easy access whenever I need them.

You can watch my meal planning process on Instagram for inspiration if you feel like you need some fresh ideas for making this task easier, and find all these printable resources and more in my Etsy shop.

75+ Budget, Frugal Meal Ideas

This list of frugal meal ideas that I’m sharing today is similar to the others, but with a focus on meals that are especially budget-friendly (over seventy-five of them!). 

The meals in the list are separated by type (easy dinners, meatless meals, beans, breakfast for dinner, and soups & bread). To assemble the list, I pulled recipes from my site, as well as other recipes from recipe creators I trust.

You are definitely going to want to SAVE/PIN this list because there are just so many great recipes that are going to help us all save money while still eating healthy, delicious meals. (Did you know you can also easily add a link to specific webpages on your home screen of your phone? It’s really helpful for sites and lists you reference often).

In addition to all the meals, I’ve included extra tips and links to help you make it even easier to save money and time. Find those tips and get the Frugal Meal Ideas printable reference sheet after the list of recipes. 

Favorite kitchen tools for easy & frugal cooking:

Easy Meals:

30 Minute Fried Rice

Beans:

Don’t forget you can save a lot of money cooking beans from dried! Get my Instant Pot cooking times chart here for quick reference, or refer to the Kitchen Staples chapter in my Instant Pot cookbook.

More Meatless:

Breakfast for Dinner:

Soup/Chili + Bread/Salad/Sandwiches:

not just a soup with a dash of broccoli to go along with the heaps of milk and cheese. The broccoli is the star, and the green is boosted by the addition of

Easy Bread: 

More Ways to Save Money on Healthy Meals!

1. Make your own sauces and dressings. 

2. Prep meat at the beginning of the week: 

Cook a half a ham:

Cook a whole chicken:

Six Meals from one pork loin.

Cook a large batch of ground beef: 

3. Use freezer cooking. 

4. Invest in a cookbook (or two) that provide inspiration for inexpensive meals. 

Frugal Meal Ideas Reference Sheet

Download and print a quick Frugal Meal Ideas reference sheet to post in your kitchen or tuck in your planner! 

Check out more printable menu, kitchen organization pages, and other helpful resources in my Etsy shop. Find me on Instagram where I share more meal ideas and family inspiration.

Sharing is caring! Don’t forget to pin and share. Thank you!

We all need meal ideas that aren't going to break the budget, because even though my 9yo would approve, we can't eat steak every night! This list is full of over 75 frugal meal ideas-- meals with meat, meals without meat, meals with beans, delicious breakfast-for-dinner ideas, and so much more! 

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