Now that the New Year has begun and we’re planning for the 2023 of our dreams, it only made sense that we started with some food resolutions right off the bat. January is the perfect time to start reflecting on our goals for the upcoming year. And for foodies and home chefs, a new year is a good opportunity to think of new ways to challenge and improve your culinary skills. Or maybe you just want to broaden your food horizons. Either way, we think New Year’s foodie resolutions are the best ones of all – no need to promise to go to the gym or start a side hustle. Just the joy of cooking and eating!

Whether you’re an aspiring chef, an experienced home cook or a parent looking to nourish your family, it’s never too late to set yourself up for a successful year in the kitchen. Here are five New Year’s resolutions for foodies and home chefs to try in 2023.

1. Try a new cuisine

Trying something new can be daunting, but it’s also rewarding. Expand your culinary horizons and challenge yourself to try a cuisine you’ve never cooked before. Whether it’s Mediterranean, Asian, Indian, or Latin American, pick a cuisine you don’t cook often and challenge yourself to learn the basics of it.

Or if that feels too intimidating, you could even just pick one or two new dishes to taste from a new cuisine to expand your palate. Variety is the spice of life, as they say!

2. Master a new technique

Whether it’s mastering the art of making pasta from scratch or learning how to make the perfect omelette, challenge yourself to become an expert in a new technique. Then you can show it off whenever you have guests or treat yourself to a weekly pasta night.

Some techniques we think are worth knowing? Poaching an egg properly, perfectly roasting a chicken with crispy skin and juicy meat, filleting a fish from scratch, getting an even dice on an onion, and cooking a steak to medium rare every time. But of course, you can pick absolutely any technique you want. Just make sure to challenge yourself!

3. Experiment with ingredients.

Be adventurous and try cooking with new ingredients. Being able to turn to soy sauce instead of beef stock or use couscous instead of rice in a pinch will grow your confidence and allow you to adapt recipes more easily. Plus, you’ll have new ideas for your old classic dishes.

Whether it’s an exotic fruit or vegetable, an unfamiliar spice, or a unique grain, push yourself out of your comfort zone and explore new flavors. For instance, you could try adding herbs and spices for an added flavor boost. Or play around with switching out certain ingredients for healthier alternatives. When you do that with Whisk, we’ll even update the health score so you know what impact it’s having on your nutrition.

Coffee cup with '2023' in foam next to hand writing new year's resolutions in notepad alongside plate of biscuits

4. Create a signature dish.

Every chef should have a signature dish. Even if your kitchen isn’t a Michelin starred one but a cramped apartment kitchenette. Having a dish you can make easily whenever an occasion calls for it means you’ll never be without something for a potluck or dinner party, and who knows – maybe it’ll be a recipe which is passed down for generations to come. If not, at least it can bring you comfort for the rest of your life.

Spend some time creating something that’s uniquely yours and perfect it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a salad, the perfect cookie creation, a casserole your family can’t get enough of, a fusion dish which celebrates your roots, or anything in between.

5. Cook with loved ones

Show off your cooking with a gathering or dinner party. Barbecue on sunny days. Or invite over friends and family so you can cook up something together. Cooking and eating together is a great way to bond and show love and appreciation.

Whatever your chosen family looks like, vow to spend more time together cooking and eating. We can guarantee you’ll have fun learning new recipes and skills together and will probably find your relationships become more fulfilling too.

And one bonus New Year’s foodie resolution

And of course, we’re always in supporting of eating more vegetables as a New Year’s foodie resolution. Not only is it better for your health, but you’ll also learn different ways to eat and prepare veggies and end up challenging yourself to cook out of your comfort zone. And who knows, maybe you’ll find out that you actually love broccoli or squash when they’re prepared exactly the way you like them.

With these five foodie and cooking resolutions for the new year, you’ll be sure to get 2023 off to a good start. To get (and keep) you on track, download the Whisk app for easy meal planning, recipe inspiration, recipe saving, and other features which make it the best cooking assistant you’ve ever had.

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