Thrive Gives Member Spotlight: Hannah & Mary

The Thrive Gives program is one of the things we’re most proud of at Thrive Market, because it helps us deliver on our mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for every American family. New to Thrive Gives? It’s simple: For every paid member who joins Thrive Market, we provide a free membership for someone in need—primarily teachers, students, low-income families, veterans, and first responders around the country.

This month, we’re introducing you to Hannah, a Thrive Gives member, and her daughter, Mary. As a busy mom of six in Indiana, Hannah relies on her Thrive Gives membership to access healthy food and household products for her family. Meet Hannah (and Mary!) in the video above, and read on to learn more about their story.

You’ve been a Thrive Gives member for two years now. What makes up a typical order for you?

I most frequently order digestive enzymes, collagen, hemp hearts, baobab powder, cod liver oil, Thrive Market coconut milk, and MCT oil for Mary’s food. But I also often order hair and skin care products, as Mary and I have sensitive skin, as well as allergen-free products for our daughter with food allergies.

What are some of Mary’s favorite products that you order from Thrive Market?

Mary is tube-fed but has very sensitive digestion. So I’m going to say her favorite products are the digestive enzymes and the MCT oil that allow her to digest her food more easily and get the energy she needs efficiently.

Any favorite products among the other members of your family?

My daughter with allergies loves that I get her the Nutiva butter-flavored coconut oil since she can’t have butter. And I really love to get Acure and Giovanni products.

You mention in the video that you started making a lot of Mary’s food yourself. How has ordering from Thrive Market helped with that effort?

I love the Thrive Market app, [especially] how easy it is to place an order straight from my phone when I start running low on something as I’m making Mary’s food. And I love that so many “health foods” I use for her are available at the lowest price in one place!

What are your best tips for shopping on Thrive Market?

I really appreciate the Favorites list. I also love to check out the deals and free gifts available whenever I’m ordering.

If you weren’t ordering from Thrive Market, what would your process of getting healthy food look like?

I rarely get a good opportunity to go shopping by myself, so my shopping prioritizes ease and simplicity. Going to multiple stores is just not an option, and there are a number of foods I buy for Mary that would require extra stops. It’s so nice to be able to order them through Thrive Market instead and never bother with [deal-hunting] or running around to multiple stores for the different ingredients!

You mention that contamination and ingredient changes are things you worry about in preparing food for Mary. How has your membership helped to alleviate some of those concerns?

Basically, I trust that Thrive Market isn’t buying and distributing contaminated products that could have been repackaged by someone looking to make extra money. I have concerns with some other online retailers that I might get a repackaged or old product. So Thrive Market is where I prefer to order from, especially for products for Mary, who is especially sensitive.

Can you describe a typical day of preparing meals for your family? Do you meal prep or have other helpful kitchen hacks you’d like to share?

We eat a “real” breakfast almost every day, which is funny since I grew up just grabbing a bowl of cereal. It’s usually eggs in some form, but we also do oatmeal sometimes. These days my oldest usually makes part of breakfast, so I think that would be my first prep tip: If you have kids, teach them to help! It pays big dividends as they learn! We keep lunch simple, eating the same thing most days. My kids don’t always appreciate it, but it keeps me sane.

My biggest tip—other than getting kids involved—is freezer prepping and an Instant Pot. I make simple, dump-and-freeze freezer dinners at the beginning of each month that can go directly in the Instant Pot from frozen. I use my Instant Pot almost every single night unless it’s grill season! This helps us immensely. I’m often at appointments with Mary, but this makes it still easy to have someone else prep meals while I’m gone. Since we also have a daughter with food allergies, it’s great not to be reliant on prepared foods she wouldn’t be able to eat. Doing this didn’t come naturally to me, as I’m not a type A personality, but I often say it’s one way God has helped me keep my sanity in an otherwise insane schedule and season of life!

What happens when a Thrive Market box arrives on your doorstep?

Generally, my kids beg to open it. I love to be reminded what our free gift was this time and try out the new products!