Recently I had the opportunity to meet and talk to Sara Snow; wife, mother, organic food guru, author and host of the Discovery Channel's 'Get Fresh with Sara Snow' as well as the CNN.com segment 'Living Green'. She has made a fabulous career out of helping make natural and green living easier and more accessible for the everyday citizen. Sara spends her days sharing practical tips that moms and dads can bring home to help make their transition to non-toxic living easier .... and today I am delighted to say she is the first, of what I hope will become a recurrent series, to talk to Non-Toxic Munchkin about her top 3 Non-Toxic living hacks for parents: Enjoy!!

Non-Toxic Munckin: What does non-toxic living mean to you?
Sara Snow: Non-toxic living isn't so much about zero exposure to toxic ingredients and products, it's about limiting exposure across the board. For me and my family that means eating organic foods to limit pesticide and synthetic fertilizer exposure, it means cleaning with healthier products, avoiding synthetic fragrance in things like laundry detergent and lotion, and skipping personal care products that contain nasty ingredients like parabens and petroleum.

Non-Toxic Munckin: Has this definition changed for you from when you were younger to now that you are a mother? If so how?
Sara Snow: More than anything else I find that I approach my efforts and the efforts of other people (moms in particular) with a lot more grace.
I used to set pretty high standards for myself and anyone else that I was coaching. My standards are still high but I also understand that life is busy and full and crazy and overwhelming at times. If we don't also set realistic expectations for ourselves, then we're never going to stick with all of the good changes we're making. So, I'd much rather someone baby-step their way into healthier, LESS-toxic living, than go all in for 100% NON-toxic living only to find that it isn't sustainable for their lives. I hate to see people throw in the towel!

Non-Toxic Munchkin: What are your top 3 non-toxic living hacks for parents?
Sara Snow:

1. Switch out your all-purpose kitchen/bath cleaner for vinegar and water. Simply fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegar and water. It is so much safer and healthier than any store bought product and will save you a lot of money.

2. Buy more foods in bulk. Not only does it cut down on packaging waste, it means less of your foods were exposed to potentially toxic packaging.

3. Open your windows, even if just a crack, to get more fresh air flowing through your house. The air inside our homes is incredibly more toxic than the air outside.

Non-Toxic Munchkin: Name one product or service you discovered while filming your show ‘Get Fresh with Sara Snow” (or after) that makes natural and green living easier and more accessible for moms and dads
Sara Snow:

1. Thrive Market is incredible. It's a new online shopping club where members can buy natural, wholesome foods at 25-50% off retail prices, delivered for free. It works off of memberships like Costco. I find all of my same healthy, natural foods and other products there are fantastic, discounted prices.