2022 Kitchen Goals: Spring Update
March 29, 2022
It’s been spring for a little over a week here, but the weather won’t commit. Sunny and warm gave way to some snow to take March out like a lion this year. But I’m not about to let a little precipitation stop me from taking a look back on my kitchen resolutions from the last few months, and setting my sights on what’s ahead. It’s time for a kitchen goals spring update!
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In the spring, things are all waking up, and I know that’s true for me as well. The first three months of the year, I sometimes feel like I am just trying to get by and get through to the beginning of daylight saving time and those longer evenings. The simplicity of my winter goals reflect that.
As I set my goals for the next three months, I take into account what I learned about myself, and the knowledge that I am able to take on more this time of year. These goals are bigger and better than their winter counterparts. As I break it all down, enjoy some cute pictures of my spring tablescape!
Winter Kitchen Goal: Use What You Have
In my original goal-setting post for this year, I explained that I am doing things just a little bit differently for 2022. Instead of setting four year-long resolutions, I have decided to focus on the seasons, and choose specific, measurable mini-goals.
For winter, it was all about effectively using things I already own, instead of buying something new. The measurable pieces of this goal were:
Read through all of my cookbooks before buying anything new:
I’m happy to report that I didn’t buy any new cookbooks. I also tried to focus some time each evening to reading some already on my shelf. By the end of the quarter, I will have read on about half the days, which is pretty good for me. The books I read include The Food Lab, which I finally finished, and The Flavor Equation, which I am about three-quarters done with.
I’m going to try to continue reading, but may expand my focus outside of just cookbooks. However, I have learned that I can go without buying new ones constantly, so I’ll be saving my purchases for only very special additions to my collection.
Low spend/replace only on kitchen gadgets, utensils, appliances, and decor
Nailed it. Seriously, I did not spend a single dollar on anything kitchen-related that wasn’t literally consumable food. This was quite a feat, especially when it comes to cute decor and new photography props, so I’m pretty pleased with myself.
The best part is that I don’t even feel an especially strong urge to just do a massive shopping spree when April begins either. I can make do in a lot of cases with what I have, without using a new purchase as my go-to solution.
Set up or test better inventory systems for my pantry and fridge
I didn’t really do this one when it comes to action. What I did do was try to evaluate the inefficiencies within my own kitchen storage, so that I will be able to set up systems eventually.
I’ve also been watching a lot of Tik Toks about fridge organization, but all those cute acrylic drawers they use are pretty expensive! When I do set up my own systems, I want to be budget-conscious, while still creating a functional and beautiful method of organization. It’s definitely bigger than a three-month challenge.
Discover Previous Years’ Goals
How are your goals going? Check out this spring update for some ideas on resolutions all about your kitchen and food!
Spring 2022 Goal: Think Before You Bite or Buy
This goal directly grows from my winter theme. Since I have proved to myself that I am able to use my willpower to stick to a shopping restriction, I can be more prescriptive with exactly how to work with that, and make it work for me.
Another thing I learned is that without having such a strict way to track my goals, I tend to avoid making progress at all. So when it comes to the organization, I am breaking things down into individual checkpoints with concrete outputs.
Finally, the third part of this goal is new, but it’s the beginning of a healthier eating journey. Years ago, I decided to become a part-time vegetarian (or flexitarian as it’s sometimes called) because I noticed that meat doesn’t make me feel my best. Over the next three months, I want to pay better attention to how the other foods I’m eating affect me.
The measurable parts of this goal include:
- Continued kitchen low-buy by using a wishlist: If I have an urge to buy something, I’ll wishlist it instead, and wait a minimum of a week to purchase.
- A focus on how what I am eating makes me feel, beginning with a log of what I have for breakfast, and then what time I am hungry again. Then, I may expand it to include more in the second half of the season.
- A three-month plan for a fridge-and-pantry makeover, including:
- April: Inventory of the items we seem to always need to store
- May: Sketches of an organization system
- June: A purchase plan for the items needed to make the sketch a reality
As I did in the winter, I’ll again be using my planner to keep track of these goals. First, I’ll create the wishlist page and breakfast log pages, as well as a daily tracker to assure I use the log. I’ll also add checkpoints to my weekly spreads to check in on these goals.
