5 Sources of Inspiration for Meals at Home

“I eat the same 10 foods all the time.” 

“I’m bored by what I eat.” 

“I need variety.” 

Sound familiar? 

Never fear. There are some simple – and most importantly – fun ways to find inspiration and bring enjoyment back to your eating habits. Here are five ideas. 

1. Go outside.

Taking a walk outside is not only wonderful physical exercise, but is also a way to be open to new ideas. Use your senses to notice your surroundings. If you live in a city, you might smell the cuisine of a local street vendor and get inspired to recreate a dish at home. If you’re closer to nature, the colors of the changing seasons may inspire you, conjuring images of vibrant berries, orange sweet potatoes, red apples, or energizing citrus. I especially love outdoor inspiration for making salads and grain bowls. 

If walking is not accessible to you, you could take a drive if you’re able, or search YouTube and virtually “travel” to different places. There’s no limit to how far you can go!

2. Make your restaurant favorites at home.

If you’re budget- or health-conscious, recreating your restaurant favorites at home is a great way to eat fresh and exciting foods without breaking the bank. To keep track of what inspires you, take pictures of interesting dishes on restaurant menus or make note of foods you ordered and liked.

I recently had an amazing dinner at The Royal here in Washington, D.C., and I couldn’t get enough of their masa gnocchi, made with braised beef, maitake mushroom, queso fresco, herbs, and crispy yucca. It was such a delicious and creative way to combine mushrooms with a small amount of beef, something that our grandmothers knew to be a cost-saving trick to stretch meat further. Here, the beef and mushrooms combined to create a luxurious umami bomb that I can’t wait to attempt to make at home.

The masa gnocchi from The Royal in Washington, D.C.

If salads are more your thing, I’ve been a longtime fan of Sweetgreen. I’ve recently discovered I can create their salads at home for less than a third(!) of what it costs at the restaurant. While this prep does take time, there are shortcuts you can use from prepared chicken (rotisserie or canned) to pre-chopped vegetables. 

3. Get into your comfort zone.

Comfort foods comfort us for a reason – they evoke pleasant memories and traditions. For me, that looks like cabbage and noodles or pasta with butter and cheese, i.e., a lot of very delicious but very tan fare.

Everyone wanted some home-made comfort food.

If your comfort foods are on the richer side and you’d like to lighten them up, you can always find ways to cut down some of the calories or amplify their nutritional value. For example, I often add frozen peas to my cheesy pasta, replace butter with olive oil, or replace cream cheese with its ⅓-less-fat version.

But sometimes, you need the full-fat, true-to-the book recipe, and that is a-okay.

4. Clean out the pantry, freezer, or fridge. 

Stir-fries, frittatas, and fried rice are great vessels for using up random vegetables, proteins, and even cheeses that have been hanging around your kitchen for a little too long. The saddest of vegetables on the brink of wilting can come back to life with the help of heat, seasonings, and a little time.

For guidance on how to cook a basic stir-fry, check out this link from The Recipe Critic. As for fritattas, I’m partial to this fail-proof frittata recipe from Cookie and Kate. I like this fried rice recipe from Gimme Some Oven as a blank canvas.   

5. Return to what you already know — and know where to find it.

If you’re anything like me, there’s a part of you that operates according to the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Though you might be lacking inspiration in this moment, remember that there were probably times you weren’t feeling this way; you might just need to be reminded of them.

To easily find recipes that excite and energize you, I recommend keeping them organized, whether you use a traditional recipe box with paper cards, a notebook, or an app like Paprika or New York Times Cooking. 

There you have it: five ideas for re-energizing and re-inspiring your cooking.

What else else inspires you? Share your ideas with the Amplify Wellness community in the comments below!