Top 20 New Year's Foodie resolutions for 2017

Can you believe that another year has already begun! After all the excitement and build-up of Christmas and the countdown to New Year, 2017 is well and truly here! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year full of fun, family, friends and of course food!

So now that we are in 2017, it’s time to make some New Year’s resolutions. I don’t know about you, but I can never stick to my resolutions, they always sound good at the start, but then a few months go by and I quickly forget all about them!

This year though, I have decided is going to be a fantastic year full of new experiences and of course plenty of food tasting! If you’re a foodie like me, then 2017 is definitely going to be full of a lot of food and plenty more home cooking.

For me, I have decided not to make just one New Year’s foodie resolution, but three. Here are my top three foodie resolutions for 2017:

1. Broaden my food knowledge through cooking demonstrations, reading and tasting;
2. Get more creative in the kitchen and whack out some top notch food;
3. Continue to eat and discover new cafes, restaurants and bars in Sydney.

I’m really excited about 2017 and to continue my love and exploration of food as well as see what new food trends might come about. I’m also still waiting for technology to catch up allowing us to actually smell (and taste – that might be pushing my luck though!) all of that amazing food on those TV cooking programmes!

If you fancy making a foodie resolution this year, but you’re struggling to come up with some great foodie resolutions for 2017, then here are my suggestions!

Top 20 foodie New Year resolutions for 2017

1. Eat healthier and get fitter – I firmly believe that we can all enjoy our food as long as we do some exercise too! Going on these new diets in my opinion is not the right move. It’s all about a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, even if it’s a brisk walk to keep you in shape.
2. Sort out your kitchen cupboards – I should probably add this resolution to my list too! Are your cupboards full of food from months or even a year ago? Now is the perfect time to take stock of everything you have and throw out anything that looks a bit dodgy. Whilst you’re at it, you can reorganise your cupboards in a way that best suits you, ensuring that anything that needs using soon is placed somewhere you can see it! The same applies to your fridge and freezer. Once organised, continue to keep this in check throughout the year.

   

3. Try a new cuisine – Do you stick to certain foods? Make 2017 the year you broaden your tastebuds and try a new cuisine. Whether it’s Japanese, Greek or even Moroccan, step out of your comfort zone and you may be pleasantly surprised!
4. Try a new skill – Are you more of a cook than a baker? If so, then maybe 2017 could be the year you experiment in the kitchen and try baking a cake? Or if you love baking, then maybe you could learn how to fillet a fish or debone a quail. Learning is something we should continue to do and there’s always room for more knowledge and skills!
5. Drink more water – Do you struggle to drink your eight glasses of water a day? Getting enough fluids down you is really important, particularly on a hot day or after exercising and keeps your mind active. If water isn’t your favourite drink, why not trying adding a wedge of lime to add a bit more flavour.
6. Make your own lunches for work – Buying lunch everyday may be easier, but it can get expensive, especially if you are trying to save up a house deposit or for a holiday abroad. Make 2017 the year you concentrate more on homemade lunches. Whether it’s using up your leftovers, making a warming soup or fresh salad, there’s plenty of lunch ideas out there to try to jazz up your lunchbox and make your colleagues jealous!
7. Host a dinner party – Do you love cooking, but only cook for yourself or partner? Why not host a dinner party this year and feed your friends and family, whilst show off any new skills and techniques you might have acquired! It can be pretty daunting cooking for a large group of people, but if you keep it simple and plan ahead, this can be far more enjoyable! It can also help boost your confidence in the kitchen making dinner parties a new tradition.

   

8. Eat your “7-a-day” – We’ve all heard about eating five pieces of fruit and veg a day, but how about seven pieces? According to a study by the University of Warwick, our well-being peaks at seven a day. Try to include a piece of fruit instead of that chocolate bar for a snack, and add an extra portion of vegetables to your lunch or dinner. You can also make a fresh juice or smoothie in the morning.

   

9. Reduce your caffeine – Did you know that large amounts of caffeine can be detrimental to your health? Yes, it can keep us more alert, but it can also reduce our sleep which is vital for our cells to recharge to work at optimum. Quitting caffeine completely can help your heart and bones stay healthy for longer. Instead of cutting caffeine out completely, it’s best to do this gradually so your body gets used to a smaller intake.

   

10. Enjoy group meals – I always think that food tastes better when you share it with friends or family. Not only can you try far more food, but you can also eat at a more relaxed pace, helping you digest your food better! Although, a relaxed pace might not apply when it comes to eating Chinese with chopsticks – this I tend to find becomes a free for all!
11. Plan your weekly meals – If your day to day life is busy, then you might want to create a weekly meal planner. Not only will this help you work out what you need to buy when you go grocery shopping, but it also cuts down the number of takeaways or junk food you might buy when you realise there’s nothing in the fridge. There’s plenty of meal planners you can buy or print out yourself, or why not create our own grid on a whiteboard for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
12. Buy a new cookbook and use it! – I’m not sure how many cookbooks I have bought over the years and leave abandoned on my bookshelf, only to dust off when I need some foodie inspiration. Why not dust off your old cookbooks or buy a new one and actually start using it. When you plan your week’s meals, take some inspiration from your book and maybe include one new recipe a week for variety.
13. Use your leftovers – Are you using all of your food to their full potential? Make 2017 the year you stop wasting food and start using food instead. Whether this is turning your leftover chicken carcass into a delicious homemade chicken soup, or why not use your potato and vegetable peelings to make some oven crisps, there’s plenty of things we can do. Not only is this good for the environment, but you can also make your food go further. You can even grate your lemon peel and create lemon salt!
14. Eat more fish – Fish is really healthy and good for your skin, eyes and bones. We should be eating fish at least twice a week and we should include an oily fish like mackerel or salmon into our diets at least once a week.

    

15. Eat less, more often – Eating less food more often is actually better for you. Not only are you grazing throughout the day, but it gives your body more time to digest your food, allowing you to avoid overeating! Concentrate on really chewing your food to aid digestion and enjoy all those flavours in every mouthful.
16. Support local producers – If you want to make a difference to our local producers then you might want to start shopping locally in 2017. Whether you buy your vegetables at a farmer’s market, or head to your local butcher’s for your meat, there are plenty of ways to buy local, fresh produce. If cost is an issue, then sometimes you can also pick up a bargain near the end of the day, or you can try to buy a few local foods instead.
17. Shop in season – Buying fresh produce in season will help you save money, whilst buy fruit, vegetables, meat or fish at their best.
18. Buy a new ingredient each month – If you love cooking, but want to get more creative in the kitchen, then why not buy a new ingredient that you’ve never used before and cook with it. This will get you experimenting more in the kitchen and you might discover a new food love at the same time!
19. Check out some food markets – Get out and about in 2017 and attend local food markets, food festivals and expos. Here you can meet your local growers and producers as well as learn more about food at cooking events and stage performances and have some tastings!

    

20. Get growing! – Instead of buying herbs from the supermarket, why not grow your own herbs and vegetables yourself. Even if you don’t have a garden, growing herbs like basil and chives is really easy and means you get your hands on the fresh stuff right away!

I hope my 20 New Year’s foodie resolutions have given you food for thought (sorry for the pun!). Let me know what your New Year’s foodie resolution is by commenting below and I wish you all a very foodie New Year!