It is natural to get tired of eating the same meals and snacks every day. If you’re ready to add excitement to your diet and try something new, now is a great time to start. Even better, you can tailor your new experiences to your needs. In other words, if you’re picky, you can still have a lot of fun and experimentation.
Try Different Jerky Flavors
If you’re a fan of jerky, why not try something new? Exotic jerky from meats such as alligator, kangaroo, bear, or deer can excite your snacking routine. Jerky also serves as a great source of protein.
Preplan and Prep Meals and Snacks
One reason people fall into ruts with their cuisine is that they are busy and do not always think ahead about what they can eat during the week. If you preplan your meals and snacks, you have the opportunity to shop for ingredients, spices, and other goodies you might not have the time or energy to otherwise.
The same idea applies to meal prep. From one general set of ingredients, you can make several different dishes and save yourself a lot of time while experimenting with new tastes.
If you want to start slow with your foray into new foods, preplan for just one new snack a week. You can build from there if you discover you’re having a lot of fun with this change.
Experiment with Different Cuisines
Trying new cuisines is one of the easiest ways to add adventure to your diet. Indian, Thai, Mexican, and Ethiopian are among the options to explore. You can look up recipes online or go to a restaurant to experience new flavours and ingredients.
You could also travel. If you live in the United States and fly to, say, Italy, a natural effect is your exposure to many new dishes. There are many fantastic reasons to travel, and cuisine is a top one.
Use Spices and Seasonings
Spices and seasonings are a great way to add flavour to your meals. You can experiment with different combinations to create your own unique blends.
Grow Your Own Herbs and Spices
Speaking of spices, you could grow your own herbs and spices to add flavour to your diet. You may be more likely to try something if you’ve spent time and effort cultivating it.
Herbs such as basil, thyme, and rosemary grow well in a small garden and even indoors. It is possible to dry herbs and spices so that you can use them throughout the year.
Incorporate Exotic Fruits and Vegetables
Dragonfruit, lychee, jicama, and kohlrabi are not nearly as common as apples, bananas, and pears, and make excellent colour and flavour additions to many people’s diets. You may be able to eat them whole and unprocessed, or you could look up recipes featuring these ingredients (or even add them to your favourite dishes).
Get Creative with Cooking Techniques
You can transform the same types of food you’ve been eating for a long time simply by cooking them differently, by roasting, grilling, or smoking, for example. For food with a unique texture, try sous vide machine to cook your food at a precise temperature.
Create Your Own Sauces and Dressings
Instead of buying premade sauces and dressings, try making your own. Experiment with various flavours and ingredients to make salsa, hummus, or salad dressing, for example.
Dare Yourself
Challenge yourself (dare yourself) to try something new each week. It need not be anything high-level if you are not into that. Your new food could be a fruit, vegetable, or protein source instead of an entirely new dish. By challenging yourself to try new things one at a time, you expand your palate and find different foods to enjoy.
Start a Club or Join One
You can get exposed to even more foods if you join a group that focuses on various cuisines. If you can’t find one to meet your needs, start one. Post about it on social media and spread the details through word of mouth. Don’t forget to think about factors such as when and where, how often, and budgetary considerations.
The club need be nothing elaborate, either. It could be as simple as a wine club, and you’ll try new snacks each month depending on what matches the wine best.
Eat More Seafood
Seafood could be a great way to expand your diet, and it is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Experiment with different types of fish such as salmon, tuna, or trout. You might have fun with shellfish such as clams, oysters, or mussels, too.
Try a few creative approaches to add adventure to your diet and break out of your food rut. Exotic fruits and jerky, different cooking techniques and DIY snacks are a few of the ways to step outside your comfort zone and try new flavours and ingredients.
