Last week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Rosie Newberry on Studio 512, our local NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas. What a delightful experience it was to discuss one of my favorite topics—starting a traditional foods journey as part of a holistic approach to better health in 2025!
Rosie and I connected online for the Begin Your Traditional Food Journey In 2025 With Mary Bryant Shrader segment, and I was thrilled to share tips and ideas with her and her audience. Rosie even mentioned that she’d love to have me in the studio for an in-person chat next time. I’m already looking forward to it!
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Table of Contents
Stock Your Four Corners Pantry
Our conversation centered around the best way to begin a traditional foods journey—stocking your Four Corners Pantry. As I explained to Rosie, this includes your working pantry, refrigerator, freezer, and extended pantry. These are the four areas where you can begin to transition away from processed foods and start incorporating real, nutrient-dense ingredients. It’s all about building a foundation for preparing simple, wholesome meals for you and your family.
To help Rosie’s Studio 512 audience get started, I shared some easy and impactful first steps. Begin by taking inventory of your Four Corners Pantry and slowly replace processed items with real foods. Think canned fish, lentils, fresh produce, eggs, and a whole chicken. One of my favorite examples for beginners is roasting a chicken, saving the bones to make bone broth, and then using that broth for a nourishing soup. It’s such a simple way to maximize every ingredient and make the most of what you have.
- To help you inventory your pantry, download my free worksheet, “How to Keep a Well Stocked Four Corners Pantry,” from my post, Why You Need to Stock Up On These Top 15 Foods NOW for Your Prepper Pantry.
Exploring Traditional Foods in Studio 512
We also discussed how traditional cooking goes beyond the basics. Once you feel comfortable, you can explore cultured dairy, like making homemade yogurt, and simple vegetable ferments such as homemade sauerkraut. These foods are rich in probiotics, which support digestion and overall health. Rosie was especially interested in how fermented foods contribute to gut health, and I explained how a healthy gut is key to feeling our best.
Rosie and I agreed that the best way to embrace traditional foods is to start small. Incorporating just three nutrient-rich staples—bone broth, cultured dairy, and fermented vegetables—can transform your health. These foods are simple to make, delicious, and oh-so-nourishing.
- Learn how to make bone broth (Beef, Chicken, Fish, Pork, and Turkey)
Beautiful Way to Cook in 2025
As we wrapped up our Studio 512 segment, Rosie mentioned how excited she was to continue this conversation in person next time. I couldn’t agree more! Sharing the joys and benefits of traditional cooking with Rosie and her audience was such a blessing, and I’m looking forward to inspiring more folks to embrace this beautiful way of cooking in 2025, especially with the help of my new cookbook. (I’ll have news about my second cookbook soon!)
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a printed book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
- Visit my Shopping Guide page
Get up to 15% off for stocking your Traditional Foods Pantry and equipping your Modern Pioneer Kitchen, including discounts from US Wellness Meats, Farmhouse Teas, Lehman’s, Masontops, Cultures for Health, Survival Garden Seeds, Redmond Real Salt, Plan to Eat, and More!
