Food Blog: A simple starter kit for 2026

Thursday, January 1, 2026

A simple starter kit for 2026

Deliciously Ella

Starter Kit for the New Year

There's always a lot of conversation about how to approach this time of year. Over the years, you've told us that you all come into January in very different ways. Some of you have plans and goals, others don't - though many still feel the pressure of thinking they should have a plan. We're not here to tell you how to start your year. What we do want to share are a few strategies that tend to help most people, whatever their intentions are. They're practical things that reduce decision-making, ease some of the daily pressure, and are useful because they're already thought through. With that in mind, this isn't a reset or a plan. It's a set of ideas that can help everyday life feel more manageable as the year begins. 1. Make food decisions once, not every day One thing we hear a lot is that cooking itself isn't the hard part - it's deciding what to cook, especially at the end of a long day. Taking a short amount of time once a week to think through meals can remove that daily decision altogether. This doesn't need to be a full plan. Choosing one or two dependable dishes you know you'll eat can make the rest of the week easier to manage. Batch-cooking something simple at the start of the week also helps, as it means lunches and dinners are partly prepared.

Tofu & Tomato Curry. This store-cupboard tofu and tomato curry is a good example. It's straightforward to make, keeps well, and can be used in different ways - with rice one night, a baked potato the next, or alongside whatever veg you have.

2. Let evenings slow down before sleep After a full festive season, the most supportive thing we can give ourselves is rest. What tends to help is creating a short buffer before sleep. That might mean lowering the lights, putting your phone down earlier, or doing the same few things in the same order each night so the body starts to recognise it's time to rest.

This gentle sleep meditation is designed for that moment - to help the transition into rest feel easier.

3. Reduce the pressure of a "perfect" morning Mornings can also carry a lot of expectation. It's easy to feel like you should be getting up earlier or fitting more in, when often what helps most is simply starting the day without rushing. You don't need a new routine. Even ten minutes without immediately checking messages - sitting quietly, stretching, or breathing - can make the morning feel calmer.

3. Reduce the pressure of a "perfect" morning Mornings can also carry a lot of expectation. It's easy to feel like you should be getting up earlier or fitting more in, when often what helps most is simply starting the day without rushing. You don't need a new routine. Even ten minutes without immediately checking messages - sitting quietly, stretching, or breathing - can make the morning feel calmer. This 10-minute wake-up meditation is there as a simple way to create that space.

4. Treat movement and rest as part of the same system Some of us are starting new training blocks, signing up for events, or heading back to the gym. And others of us are moving less, either by choice or because energy is lower. All of that is normal! For most of us, what feels best - and what we're more likely to stick with - is movement that's balanced with rest. When training and recovery are treated as part of the same thing, movement tends to feel more enjoyable and easier to sustain over time.

This gentle mobility session is great for days when you want to move without it becoming another task. It's something you can do at home, even in the evening, as a way to support your body and wind down, rather than add more to the day.

Whether you're making changes, holding steady, or simply finding your rhythm again, we're here to support you in ways that feel realistic and useful. Team DE x

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