What I’m Changing in Our Herbal Cabinet for Fall

Every year when the weather starts cooling down, I find myself reaching for some herbs more than others. I don’t completely change everything we’re doing just because the season changes, but there are definitely a few things I like to make sure we have in the house before fall really settles in.

With a family our size, I’ve learned that it’s much easier to have things ready before somebody comes home with the sniffles or wakes up saying their throat feels funny. 😂

Fall is also when I start wanting warmer foods and drinks again. The days are getting shorter, the air is cooler and we’re spending more time indoors. Our routines change with the seasons, so it makes sense to me that some of the things we use to care for ourselves change too.

Ayurveda actually places quite a bit of importance on seasonal changes. As we move into the cooler, drier months, I start thinking more about warmth, nourishment, digestion and keeping some of my favorite herbs close by.

So, what’s moving to the front of my cabinet?

Elderberry

Elderberry is one I like having around this time of year. I especially like the convenience of a tincture because there’s nothing to prepare. I can grab the bottle when I want it, which is helpful in a house where seven people may all be going in different directions.

Elderberry has a long history of traditional use during the colder months and has also been studied for its potential effects on upper respiratory symptoms. I still look at herbs as one part of taking care of ourselves though. I’m not forgetting about good food, water, sleep and all the other things our bodies need.

And yes, we keep our Holisity Elderberry around too. I’m not making everything from scratch all the time. 😂

Ginger

I use ginger throughout the year, but once fall gets here I really start wanting it again.

Fresh ginger in hot tea is probably one of the simplest things you can keep in your kitchen. I like it after meals, on cold mornings or anytime I want something warm to drink.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, ginger is commonly used to support agni, or digestive fire. As we move away from summer and start eating some of those heavier fall and holiday foods, this is definitely an herb I like having close.

Sometimes I add lemon or other herbs to my ginger tea and sometimes I don’t. It doesn’t always have to be a whole recipe. Hot water and fresh ginger will do just fine.

It’s Almost Time for My Fermented Garlic Honey

Now this is one of my favorite fall preparations.

Every year I make fermented garlic honey and usually add different herbs to it. If you’ve been following Holisity on Instagram for a while, you may remember me sharing it last year.

And, of course, people wanted to buy it. 😂

The one thing everybody wants is the thing I don’t sell!

I don’t sell my fermented garlic honey through Holisity, but I do make it for our household. It’s one of those preparations I like to get started early because it needs time to ferment.

Garlic and honey both have long histories of traditional use, and I enjoy combining them with other herbs depending on what I decide to put in my batch that year. It’s also just fun watching everything change as it ferments.

I haven’t started this year’s jar yet, so I guess writing this is my reminder that I need to get on it!

Warming Spices Are Coming Back Out Too

Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom start getting a lot more attention in my kitchen once it gets cooler. Part of that is simply because they taste like fall. 😂

But these spices have also been used for generations in different traditional wellness systems, including Ayurveda.

I’ll add them to teas, oatmeal and other warm foods depending on what I’m making. This is something I really love about herbalism. We sometimes think we need an entire cabinet full of herbs to start using them, when there may already be quite a few sitting in the kitchen.

Take a look at your spice cabinet sometime. You might be surprised by what’s already in there.

And Definitely More Tea

Once it gets cold outside, I’m much more likely to have a cup of hot herbal tea in my hand.

I choose what I’m drinking based on what I want at the time. Sometimes I want something warming, sometimes I want something relaxing in the evening and sometimes I just want a good cup of tea.

This is also the time of year that King’s Defense starts making its way back into the regular rotation in our house. It’s one of our Holisity herbal tea blends that I tend to reach for more during the cooler months.

And honestly, there’s something about sitting down with a hot cup of herbal tea when it’s cold outside that makes you slow down for a minute. I don’t need much convincing once fall gets here.

A cup of herbal tea and white teapot on a wooden plate.

Herbs Aren’t the Whole Story

Obviously I love herbs. We built an entire business around them. 😂 But I don’t want herbs to become a substitute for actually taking care of ourselves.

I’m still paying attention to food, water, sleep, movement and what my body is telling me.

This time of year I naturally start moving away from wanting as many cold foods and drinks and begin reaching for soups, cooked vegetables, warm teas and warming spices. Ayurveda gives us explanations for why adjusting with the seasons can be helpful, but sometimes your body tells you what it wants before you’ve read a single book about it.

Pay attention to that.

What’s in Your Cabinet?

You don’t need 50 different herbs to prepare for fall. Start by looking at what you already have.

Check your expiration dates. See what you’re almost out of. Pull those teas forward that have been hiding in the back since last winter. Look through your spice cabinet. And if there’s an herb you’ve bought but never really learned much about, pull it out and do a little research.

I’m still learning too. That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about herbs. There is always another plant to study, another traditional use to learn about and another way to incorporate what I’m learning into everyday life.

So that’s what I’m doing around here. Moving a few things to the front, getting ready to start my fermented garlic honey and apparently reminding myself that I need to check whether we’re running low on elderberry. 😂

What’s moving to the front of your herbal cabinet this fall?