Food Journaling

In my newsletter, I cover whatever topics cross my mind. But I end every post with a short writing prompt.

This post is my attempt at accessibility. As an evergreen post, I’ll update it with recent journal prompts.

Since I’m adding new prompts every Saturday, it’s possible that this ever-growing list may become unwieldly. In that instance, I’ll either turn this into a series or I’ll keep the highlights and most recent prompts.

Future me will decide. If you’d like to share your input, feel free to leave a comment on this post or send me an email.

Now, onto your quest, should you wish to accept it.

Grab a notebook or open a document on your computer. Give it a fun title, “Like a steak over seasoned butter” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Or if you’d rather go descriptive you could put “My Food Journal.”

If that seems like too much of a commitment for your notebook – no judgement, this wisdom comes from experience – make it the book’s subtitle and wait to give it a title until you’ve finished more prompts.

Without further ado, the prompts:

• Sunday Mornings & Chai Spice – 9/5
  What is one of the most memorable meals you shared with loved ones? What made it so enjoyable?
• Inspiration & Magic Jell-O – 9/12
  What are your go-to foods? In the same vein, which foods can you eat, no matter how you’re feeling?
• Stories around the Hearth & the Versatility of Apples– 9/19
  Do you have a favorite kind of apple? Are there other foods where a specific brand or variety matters? What are they?
• Growth & an attempt at Muffins – 9/26
  What’s a dish that didn’t quite turn out the way you originally planned?
  Did you revisit it?
  If not, is there something different you can try to improve it by 10%?
• Setting the Stage & Cranberry Orange Scones– 10/3
  Imagine your favorite day of celebration. A birthday, a wedding, Halloween, a surprise paid day-off.
  You come home and sitting on the table is your favorite dessert. Your person or people are all smiling and you know that no matter what’s happening outside, you are home. For this moment, you are safe, accepted, and loved.
  What’s on the table? Be as descriptive as possible.
• Firing Up the Mystic Flame Oven – 10/10
  When you think about your time in the kitchen, is there anything you’ve done or would like to do to ease your process?
  If you’re struggling to come up with something, think about your pain points when cooking, cleaning, or even eating. Is there something that gets you stuck? Is there something that could decrease your load?
• Happy Birthday, Mystic Flame Oven! – 10/17
  Think of a dish that feels like a warm hug. What is it about that dish that speaks to you?
  Do certain flavors stand out? Is there a texture that feels good? Note anything prominent.
  How does your body feel while eating it? How does it feel 30 minutes later?
• Using the Whole Can – 10/24
  What’s something in your kitchen that you want to use more efficiently?
  It can be an appliance, bakeware, utensil, dish set, or even a type of food that you find yourself throwing out month after month. If you have more than one answer, give each their own page.
  What are three uses for it that you haven’t tried yet?
  Given the topic, your answer will most likely be recipes, but there might be a technique you’d like to try or a fancy plating style you’ve seen in a TV show that looked cool. Let your curiosity lead you. If you have more than three ideas, jot those down, too.

I hope these prompts have inspired you. Enjoy your stay around the hearth. <3