As mothers, we have the inherent instinct to nurture our children; however, unless our own mothers live nearby to take care of us after childbirth, how many of us actually nurture ourselves? The fourth trimester is the time when we need to restore and replenish our bodies, as well as create healthy breast milk production for our newborns.
I’ve discovered TWENTY-FIVE EIGHT, which delivers postpartum care directly to your doorstep in your most urgent hour of need, right after you’ve had the baby. Erica Mock, Founder and CEO, found that one of the most common mistakes new moms make is they spend a lot of time and energy on their birth plan and totally forget about their postpartum well-being. She’s incorporated postpartum recipes from around the world using the finest ingredients to create modern-day recipes that will heal and nurture. Her tagline… “nurturing mothers 24/7, so they can be mothers 25/8”, thus the name of this amazing company.
Here’s the kicker, I had my daughter almost eight years ago, but after reading the menu and looking at all the amazing ingredients and choices, I wanted to try her food as well, to help me deal with my autoimmune issues, hypothyroidism, and sluggish low energy. Wow, I'm so glad I did! Although Twenty-Five Eight is meant for new mothers, it's 100% recommended by me for everyday consumption if you want to feel incredible again. Thinking back to the week after I had my daughter, when I was all alone, wondering how to find the time or the strength to make something to eat for myself, I wish there would've been a postpartum service such as this because it would have literally saved my sanity and emotional well-being.
Here’s what happened after I received a box delivered to my door early Monday morning. Everything was kept cold through the delivery in well-packed glass bottles and jars. I put everything in the fridge right away, and it’s important to note that some of the items specify that they DO freeze well, in case you order a week or two worth of food and you want to keep it fresh.
There are so many choices on the menu, but this is what I tried and what I thought of them.
- one-handed energy bites
- cacao fudge
- almond milk
- wild caught salmon bowl with house avocado dressing and organic roasted seasonal vegetables
- life-changing seed bread
- beef bone broth
- magic mineral broth - (she added the mineral broth because seaweed (kombu, nori etc.) is great for hypothyroidism. Also, 25/8's food does not contain refined sugars, soy, gluten, unless otherwise specified, rarely, or cruciferous vegetables, all of which are not particularly good for people with hypothyroidism!
So, I loved the Energy Bites and my daughter and I both love the Cardamom Rose Cacoa Fudge, made with Organic 100% Cacao Chocolate, Organic Dates, Organic Rosewater, Organic Cardamom, Organic Almond Butter, Organic Maple Syrup, Organic Vanilla Extract, and Pink Salt.
I found the Beef Broth and the Magic Mineral Broth, made from Organic Onion, Organic Parsnips, Organic Carrots, Organic Celery, Organic Mushrooms, Organic Garlic Cloves, Organic Thyme, Organic Rosemary, Organic Bay Leaves, Organic Kombu, Organic Black Peppercorns, Organic Juniper Berries, and Spring Water, to be incredibly flavorful, better than any broths I have bought before. I felt so healthy the whole week when I was eating everything and could see how this would be an amazing postpartum diet.
The seed bread, made from the following: Raw Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Black Sesame Seeds, Organic Fresh Ground Flax Seeds, Organic Almonds, Organic Gluten-Free Rolled Oats, Organic Chia Seeds, Organic Psyllium Husks was so delicious, I couldn’t wait to toast up a few slices and smother it with ghee every morning. The vegan Vanilla Almond Mylk of Organic Almonds, Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Dates, Pink Salt, and Spring Water, was also flavorful, slightly sweet with just a taste of vanilla. My daughter drank it up right away.
The Salmon bowl was delicious too, very fresh, crunchy veggies and tasty wild rice. Everything was a healthy size portion and filling. I just loved the flavor in everything. Plus, I felt healthier and had more energy after the week was done.
Here are some photos of the other foods on the menu (organic red + yellow beet salad with candied walnuts and mint lemon + wild honey dressing, honey + ghee roasted chicken thigh with grilled organic seasonal vegetables, wild caught salmon bowl with house avocado dressing and organic roasted seasonal vegetables, grass-finished short rib bowl with organic herb spiced quinoa and organic sautéed seasonal vegetables *in order, left to right*)
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Photo credit goes to Leslie Rodriguez of Leslie Rodriguez Photography
Erica Mock says, "The premise behind our offerings is simple: How was it grown/raised/harvested/slaughtered? What/how many processes occurred before it arrived to your plate?" and really believes that simpler is better. Our produce is fresh picked to order, ensuring its nutrient density and robust flavor remains intact. A picked vegetable is a dying vegetable, so we do our best to get it to your plate as quickly as possible. Our food is cooked only with the highest heat oils and animal products (coconut oil, ghee, kettle-rendered pork lard, avocado oil), all remain stable at high temperatures. Our beef is all grass-fed grass-finished, 100%, no exceptions. The cattle were treated humanely, not treated with topical pesticides for fly control, and never supplemented grain in the pasture with synthetic ingredients. They were raised and humanely harvested the way nature intended. Our eggs and chicken products have free access to the outdoors. They enjoy life eating bugs, plants, and herbs. They too are humanely harvested, at night, when chickens are in a meditative state. The same principle applies to all animal products (pastured pork, pole + line-caught fish, etc.).
This. All. Matters.
As a new or expecting mother, this matters even more.
The goal is to take the guesswork out of it and make it simple. If it’s here it’s good for you.
Erica, her husband Dan, and son Adyan are local, total grassroots, operating out of a small commercial kitchen in Los Angeles. They are currently taking orders and you can check to see if your zip code is in their delivery zone HERE. They deliver every Monday or Thursday and you can select your meals, frequency, and any dietary preferences. Add on any weekly snacks, drinks, breads + broths to your subscription.
They hope that 25/8 helps you feel your best at any time. That's what she wanted for herself as a new mom and hopes to help others as well. She was our November Mom of The Month for empowering new mamas and creating such an amazing way to do it. Even people like me, a mom of a 7-year old, can eat the food and feel great.
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photo credit: Jacky Andrews @ howl and rose photography (@howlandrose on Instagram)
Take a look at the food menus and you will be sure to find something delicious and healthy. They use only seasonal products from local sources, organic or beyond organic ingredients, 100% grass-fed-finished beef, and ALL pastured proteins - glass + biodegradable - chef-inspired gourmet meals are fresh, never frozen. Meals can be delivered twice weekly (to keep fresh) Mondays and Thursdays and there are subscription and a la carte options.
If you are interested in looking at a menu, please check out twenty-fiveeight.com for more information.
*This article was updated on May 6, 2019.
