As 2019 is drawing to a close and we will be welcoming the year 2020 in a blink of an eye, it is time for the “New Year, New Me, New Resolutions” kind of feat.
It is a time where we unwind and spend some time reflecting on the past year; the peaks and the lows that we faced, the stumbling road that we walked through, the success that comes with hard work etc. Your year could be an uneventful one, it can even be a chaotic one but all these do not matter as moving forward is still a must!
Taking time off, each of us ought to set some new goals and resolutions. These new year resolutions are the future milestones that will push and drive us to put in more effort to reach them.
While one may be setting personal, financial and even spiritual goals, FOOD RESOLUTIONS are some goals that people do not set.
Why are Food Resolutions important?
Do you store up can after can of processed canned food on your shelves? Are your dried foods expired? When was the last time you have cleaned out your fridge? Constantly buying the same thing over and over again only to find the old products stored somewhere in the kitchen?
All these scenarios above are simply just YOU and your KITCHEN? This is why Food Resolutions are pivotal in making the new year a fresh start for you. *and your kitchen* Here are the TOP 5 FOOD RESOLUTIONS that you can try out for 2020!
- Clean Out!
As aforementioned, if you are unable to find essential items such as salt and sugar on your shelves, or that butter and cheese in the fridge, CLEAN OUT your kitchen!
Your kitchen can be big or small but nothing gets done without a beginning. Spend ample amounts of time and start from one section then moving forward to the other.
Start from the cabinets and shelves, store away any utensils and equipment that are rarely used and packed them in boxes. Labelled these items properly and wipe off all the dust that has been accumulated for the past year. Clear out your spice and sauce rack. That bottle of vinegar may have been untouched for months. Sort them accordingly and separate the dry seasoning and the liquid ones.
Spring-clean your refrigerator, it is not uncommon to find expired items, mouldy ingredients and perhaps a slice of cake that has been stored for way too long. Remove everything and wipe the fridge from top to bottom, then store back all the ingredients that can be used. Check for any expired canned food, pasta and instant noodles.
There is no use for all these and they clogged and take up kitchen space. You will find that your kitchen has more space than it ever had!
- Swap out the Instants for the Fresh and Raw
The world has been ever-evolving and the food industry is booming. Humans are innovative to create ways to enable simple and instantly-cooked meals to be put on tables. Canned foods, microwavable meals, instant foods…all these are ease meal prep but are they truly healthy?
It is true that cutting up fresh ingredients consumes time but raw ingredients are full of vitamins and minerals that are essential to our human body. On a personal note, my mother is a person who loves to use fresh ingredients such as spring onions and carrots to add on more colour to the dish she prepares. An eye-catching dish is not only beautiful, yet it is able to increase one’s appetite for a meal!
Switch out your instant curry packets with curry powder and coconut milk. You will definitely be able to taste the sweetness and freshness of the raw ingredients used that can never be compared with instant foods.
- Make it a MUST to cook!
An amateur in your own kitchen? Tired of burning up foods? Well, all great chefs came from a humble start in kitchens just like yours. Give yourself an opportunity to cook in the kitchen! Master that sunny side egg you have been trying for months.
Cook proper rice that is neither soggy nor burnt. Some may say you do not have the time to prepare and cook scrumptious meals and that it is easier to order food delivery services from apps and takeout from restaurants.
Indeed, all these are factors hindering you from the kitchen but it is okay to cook some simple dishes such as fried eggs, stir-fried vegetables and an ABC soup.
Spare some time every week to put on your apron and orchestrate in the kitchen. You will find a sense of fulfilment in your cooking and improve your skills with every single time.
The ingredients you put into the dish are the best that were chosen which give some plus points on your health. Soon enough, you would be stepping into the kitchen more than you would think!
- Try out New Recipes
Is that seafood lobster pasta a daunting dish that you have been dying to try out but you could not find the courage? This new year, challenge yourself with a new recipe that you have been wanting to try for a long time. One can make it a resolution to try something new and out of the comfort zone.
A new recipe does not equal to a sophisticated dish. It only means that you are trying a brand new thing you have never done before. It could be a type of main course, a dessert, a pastry, a cake, a drink and so much more.
As quoted, “Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know”. It does not matter that you may fail your new attempt, neither does it matter that it may not taste as good as it is supposed to be. What matters is that you took a step in giving new beginnings a try! Are you going to give a new recipe a try this 2020?
- Gift a Dish
Imagine going to work with a tray of freshly baked brownies and giving everyone a sweet surprise on an early morning! It is better to give than to receive. Giving is a blessing to yourself and others as you will be able to witness the joyful faces and a sense of satisfaction in you.
Nonetheless, brownies are not a must but gifting a dish could be as simple as inviting someone you treasure to a homecooked dinner. In the meantime, food is always a good method to bring people together.
Through makan-makan gatherings, it is a time where people connect and get to know each other better. Giving, connecting, then strengthening bonds; these are what gives purpose to you to be in the kitchen!
Have you set your New Year Resolutions?