Frequently Asked Questions

When Eric and I first met we watched SO MANY food documentaries together. We cleaned up what we ate and all these health issues we had disappeared.

At Restorative Roots we incorporate everything we’ve learned into our meals. We believe less is more. We use all organic produce plus regenerative, meat, rice and bone broth.

In fact, we go so far as to source sprouted oats, which are difficult to find, expensive and they make us send physical checks! In case you didn't know, sprouting allows germination to start, the first step in creating a new plant. Basically complex carbohydrates break down into sugars, proteins into amino acids & peptides, and fats into fatty acids. These smaller, simpler molecules are easier to digest. Germination also breaks down phytate, an anti-nutrient that may block absorption of other nutrients.

Anyways, that all goes to say we take great care in sourcing.

If you have further questions, please ask!

We do not operate in a "certified" gluten-free kitchen so we cannot make this claim. Rest assured we only source gluten-free ingredients. We realized long ago how much better life feels without gluten! We're committed to keeping it out of our recipes.

We do not offer vegan or vegetarian options currently.

We’re not against it, we’re just a small company and believe meat is medicine in a time of recovery. Our meat comes from certified regenerative farms, the highest distinction available in animal husbandry.

We are open to adding vegan and vegetarian options as we grow!

Email us at hello@restorativeroots.com and tell us what you'd like to see!

Salt has been unfairly demonized for decades. The truth is, our bodies need sodium to function properly.

Q: Why is salt important for health?
Salt provides essential electrolytes, particularly sodium, which help regulate fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle function. Without enough sodium, you may experience fatigue, headaches, cramps, or dizziness.

Q: What’s the difference between refined and unrefined salt?
This is where most of the confusion lies. Refined table salt—the white, often bleached kind found in most grocery stores—is heavily processed and stripped of minerals. Unrefined salt is rich in naturally occurring trace minerals that support overall health.

Q: What type of salt do we use?
We use unrefined, mineral-rich salts that many health experts consider “superfoods.”

Bottom line: Real, unrefined salt is not the enemy. It’s a nutrient-dense ingredient that supports hydration, energy, and recovery—especially important for new parents.

Our philosophy is to use the highest quality real-food ingredients and be 100% transparent.

On our menu page you can click on each recipe and read exactly what's in it.  There are no hard-to-pronounce words, just things you would find growing outside =)

If you have an allergy, please, read each one carefully, and make an informed decision.

Nope, nope, nope!

I've been postpartum twice, so trust me I know, the last thing you can think about eating is organ meat.  Blah!

However, organs are the most nutrient dense food on the planet.  They contain enormous levels of bioavailable vitamins, minerals and protein that promote healing, so we do our best to include as much organ as possible without sacrificing taste.  And we do a dang good job.

Here are reviews from our customers to put your mind at ease:

"The fact that Restorative Roots is able to brilliantly disguise organs still has my mind blown. I had to fight off my husband and kids. Literally could eat this everyday."

"I don’t usually eat liver but know it's good for you, so I loved how this dish has it but you’d never know! It’s so good, and perfect for that postpartum healing!"

"I was a little hesitant because some of the meals were different than things I normally ate (i.e. liver and Kitchari), but I was pleasantly surprised and loved it all."

"I loved that the liver was so perfectly disguised. I wished there were more of this one in my package! My whole family loved it.

"Who knew I could actually find a way to enjoy eating liver!?"

We use pasture-raised butter and ghee (clarified butter) in some of our recipes.  

Butter typically has very low levels of lactose, and ghee has even less, which is why they are tolerated much better than milk and cheese.  That being said, people with dairy allergies should be careful. 

If you are concerned about dairy please read the ingredients of each recipe before ordering.  

You can always submit a request for a new recipe or change.

That question brings us back to the days when we cooked in a three gallon stock pot in our house.  Today we cook with something called a tilt-skillet, which is about the size of your bathtub. That being said, we are unable to modify the ingredients to our recipes. 

If we get multiple requests, we tend to adjust recipes towards the things that are requested most.

So make a request here!

We’ve had a thoughtful question come up from a mama:

“If your chili, sausage stew, or creamy chicken contains liver, could I get too much vitamin A while pregnant?”

We love this question because it shows people care about what’s going into their body!

First, we use a small amount of liver and heart in some of our recipes because they are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. They naturally contain:

• Vitamin A
• Iron
• B12
• Choline
• Folate
• Trace minerals

Below are approximate levels of Vitamin A from liver per serving in:

• Creamy Chicken Congee ~160 micrograms (mcg) 
• Hearty Sausage Stew ~161 micrograms (mcg)
• Primal Chili ~161 micrograms (mcg) 

For reference, the established Upper Limit (UL) for preformed vitamin A during pregnancy is 3,000 micrograms (mcg) per day. So one serving of our food provides about 5% of that daily upper limit.  Hooray!

The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin A while pregnant is 770mcg.  So one serving is about 21% of what you should be consuming.  

Also, the RDA for vitamin A while breastfeeding is 1200 - 1300mcg.

Quick Vitamin A Lesson

There are three main types of vitamin A people talk about:

1. Preformed Vitamin A (Retinol) found in animal foods.  It is already active and ready for your body to use.

2. Synthetic Vitamin A used in supplements (often called retinyl palmitate or retinyl acetate).

The difference between these two is that the liver naturally provides vitamin A in a whole-food matrix with protein, minerals, and cofactors.  Supplements deliver concentrated, isolated vitamin A, which makes it easier to accidentally take too much.

Most vitamin A toxicity cases come from high-dose supplements and prescription retinoid medications, not from small culinary inclusions like ours.

3. Beta-Carotene (Plant Vitamin A)

Found in carrots and sweet potatoes.

This form must be converted by your body into vitamin A, and your body regulates that conversion. That’s why carrots and sweet potatoes don’t cause toxicity.

The Bottom Line

We use organ meats intentionally, respectfully, and in balanced proportions — never in excess.

As always, if you are taking high-dose vitamin A supplements or have specific medical concerns, talk with your practitioner.

But based on the numbers alone, our recipes do not pose a realistic vitamin A concern during pregnancy.

Shipping is now included on every order! We ship USA NATIONWIDE, including Alaska and Hawaii, via FedEx.

IMPORTANT INFO:

• WE SHIP ON TUESDAY ONLY.
• SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA & LAS VEGAS ARE A 1-DAY DELIVERY (meaning your order delivers on Wednesday).
• ALL OTHER LOCATIONS ARE TWO-DAY SHIPMENTS (meaning Thursday delivery) UNLESS YOU CHOOSE OVERNIGHT DELIVERY.
• ALL ORDERS SHIP USING DRY ICE AND ARRIVE FROZEN. USE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING IF ANY REMAINS IN YOUR BOX.

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO SHIPPING NOTIFICATIONS! <3

Shipping cutoff schedule:

Place your order no later than Monday MORNING in order to get your order shipped the same week. Orders placed on:

• Anytime Sunday-Monday before 12 PM PST* - ship Tues the same week and deliver Wed/Thurs.
• Monday after 12 PM PST-Saturday* - ship the following week.

Please plan ahead if you need your order delivered by a certain day. It's best to order 3 weeks before your due date if you intend to have the food when baby comes.

To safely dispose of dry ice, follow these steps:

• Place the dry ice in a well-ventilated area at room temperature, such as a garage or outdoor space.
• Allow the dry ice to sublimate (turn from solid to gas) naturally. Keep it away from children and pets.
• Do not place dry ice in airtight containers, the trash, the sink, toilet, or any drain, as it can damage plumbing or cause pressure buildup and potential explosions.
• Never dispose of dry ice in confined or poorly ventilated spaces, as the carbon dioxide gas released can displace oxygen and may cause breathing hazards.

Simply let the dry ice disappear on its own in a safe, open environment.

To have your order included in the Tuesday shipment, it must be placed by Monday at 12:00 PM Pacific Time. Orders placed after the cutoff will be shipped the following Tuesday.

We fulfill and ship orders once a week, every Tuesday. To have your order included in the Tuesday shipment, it must be placed by Monday at 12:00 PM Pacific Time. Orders placed after the cutoff will be shipped the following Tuesday.

We currently only ship to the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.

We recommend thawing in your fridge for 16-24 hours.

Rather interesting legal regulations prevent us from telling you how we thaw them on the counter in a much shorter time period.  You'll have to figure that out on your own =)

Thaw in the refrigerator for 16-24hrs, then reheat on low or low-medium in a saucepan, adding a little water or broth as necessary, and stirring frequently.

Rushing with high-heat may damage the meal and make it not as yummy. It will still be delicious, but we're always shooting for perfection. =)

You can microwave if you’re rushed, but we advise against it to keep the nutrients fully intact.

Gift cards can be purchased and used for yourself or given to a loved one.

Click "Send as Gift" and you'll be taken to this page where you can enter the recipient's name and email along with your message.  You can also specify a delivery date.

Makes the perfect gift for a new or expecting mom!

Gift cards can be found here: https://restorativeroots.com/products/gift-card

Here's a short list of some other customers we have:

1. Busy Moms with older kids who want healthy food on hand
2. Busy wellness practitioners (doulas, midwives, acupuncturists, etc) who may not have time to cook
3. People trying to heal from chronic conditions like cancer
4. Grandparents

While our food is designed specifically for postpartum moms, it's really perfect for anyone who values clean, nutrient-dense food and doesn't want to cook from scratch all the time.

We recommend ordering two to three weeks before your due date. 

The food is frozen and will keep in the freezer for several months.

Yes absolutely!

While our meals were originally created with postpartum recovery in mind, as that’s when your body needs the most nourishment to replenish. However, many of our customers also order meals for themselves or send them to family and friends recovering from illness or surgery.

Our meals are for everyone — they’re completely safe to eat throughout pregnancy and are also great for kids, dads, grandparents… anyone who’s looking for truly healthy food made with the highest-quality, responsibly sourced ingredients.

Kids seem to love the oatmeals while Dads enjoy the Hearty Sausage Stew and Chili.  And everyone loves the lactation cookies!  No, they won't make you lactate if you're a man LOL.

You can place an order any time before the cutoff and contact us to request a hold for a later date. 

Please note that we currently only ship on Tuesdays which means your items would arrive that following Wednesday or Thursday.

We are not able to add anything a la cart, due to the complexity of shipping with dry ice. Each box is made with a specific number of items that fits safely into the box with room for dry ice. We do offer our Build-A-Box option so you can customize your box and choose which meals your receive and how many. Same price per meal as the Pre-Set packages! 

We would LOVE to offer free samples, but the cost of shipping frozen food to your door is just too much. I'd suggest checking the ingredients and reading reviews on the menu page and the packages. If for any reason you're not happy with a meal, we'll refund you its cost. We've never had to do that, but we will if you're unhappy.

Simply thaw, reheat on low, and serve.

Heck yes you can!

You can add any delivery address you'd like.  Be sure to include notes so we know it's a gift.  You can also order them a gift card!

We’re honored you would share Restorative Roots with your community.  <33

If you haven’t already, create an affiliate account and get a personalized link and code.  (note: you must use a PayPal account for us to be able to pay you!)  We’ve noticed three things that work well:

1. Add the link to your website under “resources” or something similar.  If possible, add a little snippet about why you felt called to partner with us.  this gives people browsing your site permission to order even if they don’t end up using your services.
2. Send an email to your list about our partnership.  here’s a template you can customize.  do not copy and paste as it may get flagged as spam.
3. People frequently find us on google when they search “postpartum meal delivery (their city).”  you can post a blog/article on your website titled "postpartum meal delivery (your city)" and capture local traffic. Here’s an article with instructions you can use.  please follow the guidelines.

Our media kit can be found here if you want photos, video, or our color pallet.

We hope this was helpful!  We appreciate the heck out of you for sharing us!

If you'd like more help or have questions about the company feel free to grab a time with Eric.

No, you can eat ALL the food.  Some Mama's start eating our meals towards the end of pregnancy because they're too tired to cook.  Here's part of a review from one of our customers:

"I actually ate a few of them the final weeks of pregnancy since I was too exhausted to cook. My kids loved them too!"

Unfortunately, there’s no one answer for everyone.

Some Moms are famished postpartum and eat a ton, and some not so much. 

Here are some thoughts and feedback we've gathered.

If you're wondering how many servings per container, each container in your package is 28 oz, or about 1.75 pounds of food, which can go many different ways.

• Chili Example: One container could serve two 14-oz or four 7-oz servings. This could be consumed as two to four meals by Mom only or one dinner for Mom, Dad, and another child(ren).
• Oatmeal Example: Some customers say the 28 oz oatmeals were 3-4 servings for them.  So... one oatmeal container could be 4 servings (especially if paired with eggs or extra fruit) or two really big bowls of oatmeal.
• Lentil Stew Example: You can totally add more water or broth to this entree when you reheat.  Some customers eat this as two servings (great for your first meal after baby comes), and some say they brown a pound of pasture-raised ground beef and mix it in!  This turns your 28 oz container into a much bigger portion, especially if you add extra water/broth and top with avocado.

So keep in mind if you’re sharing food with a partner and/or kids then your package will go quicker.  All the food is super yummy so husbands and kids often enjoy the meals too.  Watch out for husbands and your lactation treats!!!

If you’re eating only our meals with nothing else it will go faster than if you have sides (like eggs with your oatmeal or another protein with lentil stew).  And of course you'll probably have other meals brought to you or some favorites you cook yourself.  

You see why this question is hard to answer =)

A few tips for making meals last longer:

1. Add extra water or bone broth when reheating (check out the reheating article).  The food is VERY dense and can support more liquid which makes them more filling. A dollop of grass-fed butter or coconut oil will also help make the food more filling.
2. Add toppings!  Avocado, sour cream and/or raw cheese go great with the chili and you can always add more fruit to the oatmeals.  Avocado actually goes great with most meals.
3. Some customers brown a pound of their favorite ground meat and add it to the lentil stew or creamy sweet potato soup.  Try adding another package of chicken thighs and avocado to the creamy chicken congee.  The hard work of cooking from scratch is done, just think of something easy to add.

We abide by karmic law, so we know any sneaky people will be handled accordingly <3.  We stand by our 100% money back guarantee. If for some reason you are not happy with anything you ordered, let us know and we’ll make it right.  =)