My mother-in-law recently made some tasty bread with some great spices- onion powder, garlic powder, and everything bagel seasoning. It was delicious! Though the bread would have been great on its own, the seasonings changed it up and made it a completely new bread. We started talking about what a difference a few spices can make. Isn’t it incredible that a loaf of bread can be completely changed with just a few spices?

Changing things up can be super tasty and a fun way to use up things, but it also is actually a great way to prepare for hard times. What if all you have stored is flour and a few spices? Eating the same thing over and over can get really old, but changing things up could make a huge difference! Just a few different spices/seasonings and you can completely change a meal.

In addition to being a preparedness tip- it’s also just more fun that way! Reading the Power of Fun by Catharine Price was a great reminder that doing new things, spontaneous things, can be super fun and actually releases dopamine! It really is beneficial to change things up!

There are so many ways you can do this!

• As mentioned previously, spices are an easy way to change things up! Whether it’s bread, french fries, or a pasta dish, a meal or dish can be completely changed with the addition of a few different seasonings.
• Change the shape! Sugar cookies are so much more fun in cut out shapes. Breadsticks can be made to look like bones. Fruit can be cut into stars, melons can be cut with a melon baller to make cute little rounds. All simple things, but makes a huge difference in the “newness” of the food!
• Change the presentation. My kids LOVE muffin tin dinners- which is basically when I serve a bunch of random things in muffin tins. Almonds, carrot sticks and cheese slices aren’t super exciting- but when put in a muffin tin it’s the best dinner ever! Even for adults, changing up the presentation makes a huge difference- special china plates, charcuterie boards, mason jar mugs- sometimes special dishes are all it takes to make something feel celebratory or unique!
• Change the atmosphere. Turn off the lights and use candles. Put out a tablecloth and special table settings. Lay a blanket outside and have a picnic. Turn on mood music. Create a different ambiance for your meal and it will take it up a notch!
• Create a theme! Serve all one color. Serve things that start with the letter b. Create a menu and give silly names to everything you serve. Watch a movie and create a menu to go with it. Even something simple like spaghetti or bread are much more fun with a theme!

So what do garlic, circles and candles have in common? They are all ways you can change something from simple to special with minimal effort. Adding variety to your day-to-day life makes life more fun, and is a great way to practice for harder times, when it may be the only way to change things up!

What do you like to do to add variety to your day-to-day recipes? I’d love to hear your ideas!