Resolute against "resolutions," but goals -- well, that's another story.

Ahh, a new year. After the holiday-athon of late November and December, January’s fresh start is a welcome occurrence. As the Sweet Pea family calendar changed, we turned the corner from the triathlon of traveling, gifting and eating to new beginnings, a somewhat slower pace and the return of a more routine existence.

Notice I did not mention New Years’ Resolutions.I stand resolute against “resolutions.” 

Don’t get me wrong. I savor fresh starts and new beginnings, just as I did when I prepared for the first day of school as a child, beaming with my new notebooks all orderly and ready for another year. I just think the whole idea that you devote one day of the year to resolving change within yourself is a whole lot of pressure. 

I would venture to guess that a decent percentage of the New Year's resolutions made as the clock struck 12 have already been broken, forgotten or brushed aside…and it is only the 5th day of our 365-day year.

Things don’t change with the turn of the calendar. New habits and changes are learned and are a process of goal-making. Okay, so maybe my anti-resolution bit is a really just a matter of semantics, but so be it. “Resolution” is a dig-in-the-heels type word, and I am more of a “try and try again” type mom.

So it is with me, at least, that I use the New Year as a way to reflect on the time passed and look forward with hope to a new year full of lots of new experiences and challenges to be met head on. While I hold life-in-general up for reflection, some kitchen reflections to share include:

1.    As usual, a post-holiday/post-visit to the relatives detox is in order. G and R need to remember that treats are treats, not daily, automatic occurrences. 

2.    I need to break open our Indian Cookbook a little more often. Everything we have made thus far is seriously delicious, and the book is gathering a little too much dust these days.

3.    We’re stuck in a peanut butter sandwich rut again with R at lunch…time to get a little more creative in the lunch department. 

4.    Speaking of peanut butter: G will be turning two soon, and we will introduce him to peanut butter and shellfish.

5.    Time to get G a little more involved in the kitchen, as he is getting to be old enough to do more.

6.    Comfort food is so yummy this time of year. Time to find some more good, light comfort food recipes (and no, that is not an oxymoron).

7.    Just for fun, develop a “9 for ‘09” list of healthy eating goals.So there you have it, my musings on the New Year. Once I reflect on where we are as a family, I come up with an informal list of healthy eating goals for us. 

 What’s on your list this year?

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