The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading
Dara Boxer is a stay-at-home mom to four kids six and under, committed to living a simple, well-organized, and beautifully functional life — mostly for her own sanity. A former personal chef and cooking instructor, she brings that same intention to her home: from seasonal meal planning to laundry systems, quiet time routines, toy storage, and everything in between.
Episodes release on Thursdays, and alternate between honest book reviews and practical strategies for managing the chaos of home life with little kids. Come for the rhythm tips, stay for the raw motherhood truths — and maybe leave with a better grocery list.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 189
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
#89: Everything You Want to Know for a Successful Family Photoshoot + At Home Photography Tips
At home photography tips:
- Clean your lens
- Get down to their level
- Capture candid moments
- Play with camera settings on your phone
- Experiment with indoor & outdoor lighting
- Focus the camera
- Hold steady & lev…
#88: Book Club | Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is so sharp and so electrifying, and such an honest and fantastic look behind the curtain into the world of book publishing. Kuang threaded the needle so well with topics abo…
#87: Back to School Toy Clutter
There is SO MUCH to say on this topic, especially if you’re in the thick of it with babies, toddlers, and little kids. Because again, it’s not just their toys. It’s their sporting equipment, outdoor …
#86: Ground Beef 5x Ways
- Meatloaf Night
- Pasta Bolognese
- Stuffed Peppers
- Simple Meatsauce to pair with either Pasta or Lasagna
- Meatballs & Spaghetti / Asian Meatballs (ground beef, sesame oil, panko, ground ginger, eggs, garlic,…
#85: 3 Hot Summer Books Recommendations
Three sizzling hot summer books to get you through the rest of your summer reading:
- The Dry by Jane Harper
- Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
- Happy Place by Emily Henry
www.daraboxer.com
#84: Utilizing Timers in Motherhood
Today, we’re going to discuss all the various ways I use a timer, and why I think they’re an underutilized secret weapon that everyone with little kids should use.
The Time Timer: https://www.timetime…
#83: Book Club | Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
My goodness I really did not enjoy July's Book Club pick! I should probably note that I’m likely to be an unpopular opinion here, because as of July 2023, Every Summer After holds 4.26 on Goodreads w…
#82: Going From 1 to 2 to 3 and More | What the Transition Was Like After Each Baby
We grew our family quickly, having three kids in under four years. Today I wanted to share my experience for what each transition was like for me and my family.
www.daraboxer.com
#81: Toddler Books We Currently Love, Part 3
Books Our 3 and 4 Year Olds Currently Love Reading:
Leo Lionni books: Fish is Fish, Swimmy, Cornelius, and A Color of His Own
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
The Gardene…
#80: Planning Simple Weekend Family Trips
Today, we're going to focus on planning a simple family weekend roadtrip with toddlers and babies. Everything from picking a destination, to packing up the car, to figuring out meals ahead of time, a…
#79: The Two Jennifer Egan Novels I Can’t Stop Thinking About
A Visit from the Goon Squad is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that was released in 2010, and it’s sequel, entitled The Candy House was released recently in 2022. You don’t have to read these in order…
#78: What & When & How to Meal Prep as a Family of 5
Today I’m going to walk you through what my family of 5 eats for breakfasts, lunches, and the food we snack on throughout the week. And most importantly, what, when, and how I prep everything we need…
#77: Book Club | Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan
So dark, so disturbing, so freaking good. Read along with me and let me know what you think!
The Character Map!
the raw and the cooked | 2023 Book Club Picks
www.daraboxer.com
#76: Baby & Kids Clothing Organization, Part II
This topic was in desperate need of a Part II, especially since I’ve learned even more as we added another little screaming human to our lives. So today, you’re in for a treat, as a mom of 3 shares t…
#75: Four Novels by a Popular Writing Duo, One Unfortunate Outcome
Somehow, and this is still so bizarre and baffling to me, this author dou has climbed their way onto the New York Times best selling authors list. In addition, they are also 4peat authors on Book of …
#74: A Consistent Bedtime Routine for Moms
- Tidy up the house. If you barely can muster the energy, set a timer for 10 minutes. You’d be surprised by how much you’re able to accomplish in just 10 minutes.
- Take time to look over tomorrows schedu…
#73: 2 Book Recommendations | Healthier Phone Boundaries
- How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price.
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
#72: Finding Time to Exercise Surrounded by Little Screaming People
As a stay at home mom, it can be really hard to find 30 consecutive minutes in the day for myself, as naps rarely align and someone seems to always need something. Probably a snack. So a daily stroll…
#71: Book Club | Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
Our favorite audiobook narrator scores a homer with her latest novel, Thank You for Listening
www.daraboxer.com
#70: Planning Out a Flexible Summer Flow
Giving summer a bit of structure is a really good thing, we all need consistency and structure to thrive.
So today, I’m sharing my method for planning out a fun, adventure filled summer break, with p…