<p>Research on recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) requires measuring drinking and other behavior and characterizing the natural environments in which they occur. Successful recovery goes beyond simply changing drinking practices and involves changes in other life-health areas. Variability in individual recovery pathways is poorly understood. This article summarizes translational research informed by behavioral economics and molar behaviorism, emphasizing natural recovery, low-risk drinking, and supportive natural environmental contexts. Challenges in measuring behavior and characterizing natural contexts are described, including verbal reports of drinking and resource allocation patterns (monetary spending). Results from prospective studies revealed shifts in individuals’ allocation of discretionary spending on alcohol versus other activities/commodities before and after quitting heavy drinking, and these shifts were associated with recovery outcomes, including stable moderation, a preferred drinking goal among individuals trying to stop heavy drinking. More recent research addresses individual change trajectories within broader environmental contexts, ranging from social networks to communities to larger geographic units. This work highlights the utility of the social ecological model to investigate environmental influences on drinking and other health-related behavior change and draws concepts and methods from public health and other disciplines concerning relevant variable domains and quantitative methods for analysis.</p>