Slow Living Fall Kitchen || How To Make The Most Of Your Time In The Kitchen

A slow living fall kitchen can be a deeply satisfying place to spend some time. The practice of the slow living lifestyle can be applied to all facets of life. But it is particularly suited for the kitchen.

The slow living movement sprang from the slow food movement many years ago. And slow food practices very often involve kitchen activities.

If it’s important to you to get the very most out of your kitchen this fall, then this post should give you a few tips on how to do that.

And if you’re practicing, or moving in the direction of practicing, slow living, then the bulk of them should appeal to you.

Set The Mood In Your Slow Living Fall Kitchen

It makes no difference if you are heading into the kitchen to spend some significant time working, to hang out with family or friends, or simply to whip up a quick meal, it will benefit you to set the mood in your slow living fall kitchen.

Before you embark on the activity you have planned for your time in the kitchen, set yourself up for an indulgent experience.

Pour yourself a beverage, and at least now and again make it something special. A beverage you don’t have every day, extra points if it’s fall themed.

Burn a fall scented incense stick and/or light a few candles and place them around the kitchen. Get some music playing to suit your mood. Or put on one of your favorite youtube videos to enjoy.

You may also want to consider lighting. It can be difficult to use mood lighting in the kitchen while you are preparing food there, as a lot of light is required for the task. But, please, do whatever you can.

Have A Plan

You will have a calmer, more fulfilling experience in your slow living fall kitchen if you go into your time there with a solid plan.

If you will be completing a food preservation task or doing your food prep for the week, be sure you know exactly what it is you want to accomplish and prepare well for it in advance.

Consider what you are going to make. Go over the ingredients and steps of preparation in your head. And make a list of anything you need to gather before you begin, both ingredients and tools.

Gather those things a day or two ahead of time to prevent any last minute scrambling for supplies.

You can prepare this same way when you are simply going in to the kitchen for a short bit to prepare a meal too.

The more thoroughly you think it through the better your experience will be. You shoud be able to step into the kitchen, complete your to-do list, clean up, and step back out without having to stop in the middle of it all to go get something you don’t have.

Meals To Cook In Your Slow Living Fall Kitchen

It is a key component of the slow living lifestyle to eat according to the seasons. Sustainably produced local food, and food grown by your own hands, will comprise most of the meals you consume if you are an avid follower of this practice.

But, irregardless of whether or not you adhere to those comsumer practices, you can certainly adjust your diet to the season at hand. And it is very healthy to do just that.

The fall season is when soups and stews find themselves brewing slowly on stovetops. Ovens begin baking off casseroles and sheet pans of roasted veggies. Salads take a back seat to heartier options like stir frys. And eggs and toast are replaced with pancakes, french toast, and waffles.

There are a few recipes available on the blog that are particularly suited to the slow living fall kitchen; Cast Iron Skillet Meatloaf, Handmade Pan Fried Gnocchi, Guilt Free Carrot Muffins, New York Style Bagels, Classic Twice Baked Potatoes, Authentic German Potato Pancakes, Blueberry Bostock, Steak Fajita Omelet, Simple Pear Chutney, Savory Yellow Split Pea Soup, No Knead Bread, and Farmhouse Pancakes all come to mind.

I have also put together a FREE Fall Recipes Cookbook for your convenience. It has 9 quick, simple, and delicious fall recipes in it; 3 main dishes, 3 side dishes, and 3 desserts.

You can snag it here if you’d like.

Foods To Prep Every Week In Your Slow Living Fall Kitchen

No matter the season, it will benefit you to spend at least one afternoon or evening a week in your kitchen preparing a few things for the week ahead.

This practice makes it much easier to reach any goals you may have around the food you consume. Because it removes the temptation to reach for unhealthy convenience foods.

And, while it may seem like it takes a chunk of time from your week that you don’t have to spare, it is actually a big time saver.

Having a few pre-prepped options for busy days will substantially reduce the amount of time you spend in the kitchen throughout the rest of the week.

So … get yourself a list of how you’re going to prepare for the week, set the mood in your slow living fall kitchen, and GO FOR IT!

Here’s a quick list of things that you may want to consider prepping to get you started …

Ideas For Weekly Prep In The Kitchen

• Chop some vegetables, make a sauce, and cut up some meat for a stir fry or two.
• Make a batch of omelet filling to be used throughout the week.
• Prep and freeze some pizza dough, make a pot of pizza sauce, and prep a few toppings. Make it calzone or stromboli if you prefer.
• Make a big pot of soup.
• Bake a loaf of bread, some homemade rolls for hearty, hot sandwiches, or a baguette to go with soup.
• Make sure you have a few toppings for pancakes, french toast, or waffles. Things like infused honey or syrup, fruit butters, and jellies make great choices. Bonus if you make up a quick fruit compote.
• Make one or two healthy desserts to grab when you get a nudge from your sweet tooth. Personally, I shoot for plant based options like whole food plant based brownies or chocolate avocado pudding.
• Put together one or two meals that can just be baked off in the oven when you are too busy to prepare dinner. Things like casseroles, meatloaf, and lasagna all make really great choices for this.

There are many other things that you can do to set yourself up for success in the kitchen each week. So, let your imagination run wild and see what you can come up with.

Make It A Social Affair

The slow living fall kitchen is a great place to spend time with friends and family.

Maybe you know a few women who would like to get together to make homemade pasta and sauce. You can all make and enjoy a delicious homemade meal together. And make enough for everyone to take home a meal for their family as well.

Or perhaps you want to get together with the women in your family and put up some food for the winter. You could make some a big batch of pear jam or apple butter for everyone to split, cook off a bunch of winter squash to freeze, or can a few batches of homemade salsa or sauces.

You could bake off some specialty breads; pumpkin, banana, or zucchini will all do. These freeze really well. So, everyone could take a few home and have them on hand.

This same idea works well with things like soup, stuffed shells, pot pies, or meatballs.

Another great way to make time in your slow living fall kitchen a social affair is to host a couples night. Invite the couples you know who love to cook over for an evening of drinks and appetizers.

Prepare the drinks ahead of time and make the appetizers together. You can nosh on them as they’re finished. And the whole evening will be like a never ending stream of indulgence. Perfect.

Treat Yourself To A Kitchen Tool

As each season changes, it is nice to treat yourself to a new kitchen tool that you know will serve you well for many seasons to come.

It’s not important thay you invest in an expensive tool. Although, if you are inclined to do so and it’s in your budget that’s great.

In my experience, there are years when most people will be able to drop a few hundred dollars on a new tool for their slow living fall kitchen, and years when a small hand tool is all they can afford.

The cost is not the point of the practice. The usefulness of the item is most important.

I started my cast iron pan collection one fall season. I’ve picked up new stoneware pieces, an immersion blender, a food processor, a slotted skimmer, and even a handful of wooden spoons for my fall kitchen over the years.

Every year is different. This year I am going to wait until I’m settled in North Carolina, which will likely be mid-fall, and then I’m going to assess what would best suit my needs.

The idea is that, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in financially this fall, try to pick up just one thing to make your time in the kitchen easier.

Recommended For You

Pin This Post For Later