2021 Kitchen Resolutions: Fall Update

Fall is truly upon us, and I am here for the breezy evening dinners in our sunroom, the leaves that are just slowly starting to change color, and all of the apples. So many apples, you guys. But I like to start each season nice and fresh, so it’s time to reflect on the summer months a little bit, and take an inventory of my Kitchen Goals for 2021.

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So for a little bit of a recap on what exactly these goals are: Each year I set myself four kitchen-themed goals to work on, and update you all seasonally about how I am progressing. To catch up on this year, check out my introduction to my 2021 goals, my spring update, and my summer update.

You can also look back on my journey with my 2020 goals (spring, summer, and fall updates) and 2019 goals (spring, summer, and fall updates). 

The photos in this post are from my fall tablescape. I have a lot of new pieces included, and I’ll explain toward the end of this post how I am constantly adding to my decor.

Better & Healthier Snacks

There has been so much fruit in my fridge over the last few months, and so that has become my default for snacks. And honestly, it doesn’t get much better than a mid-morning bowl of fresh, local berries, stone fruits, and now apples.

But fruit can’t fulfill my salt craving, which is a real thing, and I have been slacking off a little bit in that department. We had to take a long drive recently, and I fell back on some unhealthy faves for road trip snacks.

One update that I am really enjoying is that I reorganized some parts of our pantry to make finding the right snacks simpler. I did end up buying a set of acrylic drawers, which makes it easy to see everything I have available. When it’s less work to grab lentil chips than potato chips, that’s what I’ll reach for.

In the next three months, I am hoping to wrap up this goal by refining my organization systems. As for the snacks themselves, we will lose the seasonal fruit entering into winter, and I know I’ll need to be trying out some sweet alternatives as well.

Research Science & Technique

My cookbook collection has grown a lot this year, and so I’ve made the call to not buy myself any more in 2021. Instead, I’m focusing on adding them to my wish list for my birthday and Christmas. I have been loving these books that are more in-depth than simply recipes, so I know I’ll be expanding that genre.

As for what I already have, I’ll admit I didn’t read too much during the summer. However, I have been learning in other ways. Each week, our farm share sends an email with information on the interesting vegetables and fruit they send, as well as farming techniques.

I’ve also been helping my husband (mostly moral support, since I definitely have a black thumb) with our own garden. We have done plenty of research into harvesting our plants, storing them properly, and new ideas for cooking and using them in our meals.

It’s been fun, but I am looking forward to those earlier fall evenings giving me lots of time to get caught back up with my books.

Learn To Like A Food I Hate

Can I quit a goal?

It is a lot harder than I thought to convince yourself to change your taste. I have had an aversion to both mushrooms and olives for so long that even thinking about including them in a dish turns me off from eating it.

I do think olives will be a slightly easier one than mushrooms. Recently, we ordered Mediterranean takeout, and my pasta dish came with a couple olives as a garnish. I tried a bite, but still rejected the flavor. Mushrooms though, I’m still so averse to their texture.

With three months left in the year, I’m not sure I will learn to “like” either one of these foods, and it’s probably too late to start another. I’m kind of shifting this specific resolution to be more about tolerating olives or mushrooms in dishes, and not immediately rejecting them without a taste.

Invest In My Food Photography

I went for it and bought the lighting kit that I mentioned in the summer. I haven’t had many opportunities to use it, since we still have plenty of light. But I know that fall and winter evenings will give me plenty of chances to test it out. I’ve also been expanding my backdrop collection, including a fun hexagon tile I used for my hard apple cider sangria.

After doing some additional research into courses, I decided that a better investment would be to upgrade my camera. Did you know that I’ve been using the same DSLR since 2007? I think it’s time to let that one retire.

I’ve been spending tons of time lately looking into replacements. My biggest struggle right now is whether to switch over to a Mirrorless system. It seems like their low-light ability could save me a lot of time when it comes to editing. However, I already have lenses and equipment for a DSLR.

It’s a tough call, but I’ll keep looking into it over the next few months. If you have made the change, let me know!

Three months to go in the year means we are on the goal homestretch! I am excited to see how things end up working out in my kitchen. Let me know how your own goals for the year are going as well.

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Most of my fall decor comes from Target, but I pay for a lot of it by earning gift cards for completing surveys. You can sign up for Swagbucks using my referral link, and we’ll both earn 300 points (~$3) after you earn your first 300. Also, check out Target’s fall decor (not sponsored), and enjoy this bonus pic of my seasonal mantel!