Feeding A Family with Arrows and Bow

Ashley Petrone loves a challenge. In April 2017, she, her husband, and their three kids decided to sell their five-bedroom home and buy land to build a new house. So, they did the “only rational thing” and moved into an RV on the land. They completely redesigned and renovated the temporary home, growing to love the RV life and all that it taught them about the importance of family.
Petrone’s blog, Arrows & Bow, has quickly become a place for all things interior design and DIY, plus the home-cooked meals she prepares with her husband Dino. Here, she shares her favorite ways to cook for (and with) her kids.

The theme of your blog is “finding joy in the in-between.” What does that mean for you and your family?

It means that our lives are a daily in-between phase—ups and downs, good times and bad—and it’s just a reminder to us to choose joy in everything. When we’re all together, cooking in the kitchen, watching a movie, or relaxing in our backyard, we’re reminded that finding joy is easier than we realize. It’s about balance in everything we do.

You have three adorable kids. What are your favorite family-friendly breakfast recipes?

We love making pancakes and waffles! Also, our kids love some delicious cereal. I do, too! Ordering a few boxes online at Thrive Market just makes mom’s life easier!

Lunch recipes?

Ham-and-cheese roll-ups are always a winner over here! We’ll make them a bit healthier by using coconut wraps instead of tortillas, and that delicious avocado mayo.

And dinner recipes that they always love?

We love making homemade pizzas! You can make your own crust with the various pizza flours and mixes that Thrive Market sells. But really, my kids just love getting involved with whatever Dino is making in the kitchen.

Can you share any tips for getting kids to enjoy eating healthier foods?

We always encourage them to try new things! I think if the flavor is there, they usually like it. Getting them involved in the process of baking and cooking definitely helps with them wanting to eat the food. When they feel like they’re impressing their dad or being extra helpful, you can see the light in their eyes. They get so excited when their work comes to life! It’s a great way to educate your kids on nutrition and balanced eating, too. We’re always finding new ways to instill a little knowledge into our kids—we do what we can!

What are your go-to snacks to fuel your family dance parties and road trips?

Oh, we love popcorn! All the flavors, hot or pre-popped. We are all about it! The Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop is one of our favorites.

What are your favorite products that you always order, and how do you use those products?

We love the Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo! Also, we just got the Thrive Market maple syrup—I think I could have wrapped it up for my kids as a birthday present and it would have been the best present ever! They love maple syrup.

Your husband Dino recently did Whole30. How did Thrive Market make his experience easier?

He is actually staying on Whole30! He loves it so much, and Thrive Market really helped making shopping so much easier. There isn’t a Whole30 aisle in the grocery store. It can be hard to know what to buy when you’re shopping for Whole30-compliant items, and the fact that Thrive Market has a dedicated filter makes the entire experience so simple. We can see exactly what he can eat with one click of a button. Since he’s staying on Whole30 because his results were incredible, we’re going to be long-term Thrive Market members.

What are some of your favorite Whole30-approved products that you’ll continue to use after Whole30?

Looking at you, Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Chipotle Mayo. That one for sure! Any sauces and dips that can enhance your eating experience are always a plus, and we love all of the Primal Kitchen sauces. You can use them as marinades, salad dressings—literally everything. And our kids love the flavors, too, which is a win-win when you’re trying to eat as a family.

What is your secret kitchen weapon, and how do you use it?

My husband! He is the master cook. He would answer this question by saying “olive oil or salt.” We use those ingredients in everything! When I placed our first order of Thrive Market’s frozen meat and seafood, Dino made some incredible recipes. We cooked up the meat on the cast iron skillet with just some light seasoning on it.