Delicious Retirement

It’s your retirement. Make it a sweet and spicy concoction of all that is you!

 

We have cooked up some fun ideas to liven up your taste buds and freshen up your daily routine. Read on for inspiration on discovering new ways to eat, share meals, and go on foodie adventures. We hope you eat them up! Literally.

 

Reinvent how you eat.

Have you been doing the same routine of going to a chain grocery store and checking off foods from your list? Let’s mix up this old recipe with some new delicious ideas:

• Eat local and grow a relationship with your local farmers. Find a farmer’s market, roadside stand, or farm stand near you: http://www.localfarmmarkets.org/
• Cultivate your own food, new friendships, and even give back to your community! Check out clubs and nonprofits such as National Garden Clubs Inc, Urban Farming, and The Garden Works Project.
• Get fresh food delivered straight to your door. There are tons of food delivery options out there, a few examples include HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Plated, and Imperfect Produce. Do some research on the different meal and produce options available in your area.
• Meal prep. Hate cleaning up and doing the dishes every day? Us too. Pick one day of the week to make big batches of your favorite meals and then put them in containers for individual meals. This works well if you need quick meals for yourself and/or spouse.

 

Sharing meals.

Sharing a meal is so much more than just eating food. It’s about connecting with others, letting your creativity shine, and enjoying the moment. A themed dinner party is a great way to combine all of the above.

 

Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

• Craft beer tasting: Host a living room craft beer tasting. Prepare “happy hour” appetizers and have everyone bring their favorite case of beer to share.
• Destination dinner: Pick a country and tie in the food, drinks, and decor to make it feel like you whisked your guests away to a faraway land. Take it up a notch—have your guests dress accordingly and bring photos to share if they have been there.
• Black-tie gala: It’s always fun to get all glammed up. Host a black-tie event complete with a real red carpet pathway and living room dancing!

 

Foodie adventures.

Foodie adventures can happen overseas, across the country, or even in your own backyard. Food is a wonderful way to learn about new cultures, connect with new and old friends, and add some zest to your day.

• Be a foodie tourist in your town or across the world. Check out group tours or cooking classes in your neighborhood or while on a trip. For close to home ideas, check out senior centers, community colleges, or just type in “cooking classes” or “food tours” in Google for local finds near you. Additionally, check out eatwith.com  for creative dining experiences.
• Start your own food adventure club for yourself, friends, or open to the public. Find a little French restaurant and then see a French movie after at an indie theater. Try a new Chinese place and take a Tai Chi class before. Or just eat! If you want to grow your circle, leave flyers at your local library or start a meetup.com group to promote your events.

 

You get to decide what goes into your retirement recipe. What do you want to be in it? Don’t wait—take some time to set a vision and goals for your retirement and make a plan to bring them to life!

 

Bon Appetit!