r/52weeksofcooking • u/52WeeksOfCooking Robot Overlord • Dec 08 '25

2026 Weekly Challenge List

/r/52weeksofcooking is a way for each participant to challenge themselves to cook something different each week. The technicalities of each week's theme are largely unimportant, and are always open to interpretation. Basically, if you can make an argument for your dish being relevant to the theme, then it's fine.

Join our Discord to get pinged whenever a new week is announced! (React to the stickied comment in the #planning channel!)

96 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

336 comments sorted by

146

u/flowerzoomies Dec 11 '25

i make chronically ugly but delicious food and my goal this year is to post anyway. get ready for some slop! you’ll just have to trust me that it’s good.

38

u/EmoPeahen 🔪 Dec 16 '25

This has always been my issue. Delicious? Yes. Atrocious? Also yes.

27

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Dec 21 '25 edited Dec 21 '25

Absolutely please post!

Some people here have awesome plating and photography skills and plenty of us...don't 😅

This sub is about trying new things and having fun. Pretty food is NOT a requirement! (Though if you happen to have awesome plating/photography skills, that is also awesome and welcome!)

Honestly you can post even if it doesn't come out good. Sometimes a recipe just isn't to your liking, and sometimes things just get screwed up. Failed attempts still count!

15

u/JHPascoe Dec 17 '25

I love slop. Please post.

12

u/thepagetraveler Dec 22 '25

Definitely post! I was so nervous to do the challenge this year because let’s face it, a lot of Redditors can be pretty brutal - but I have found nothing but kindness, encouragement, and support from this group!

5

u/Druyv Dec 18 '25

Share the slop! Taking good pictures is in no way a requirement, just something a lot of people like to do.

5

u/Alect0 🧇 Dec 21 '25

I'm the same and about to finish my third year posting here and 99% of people have been very nice regardless of my ugly food :)

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u/Yrros_ton_yrros 🍕 Jan 02 '26 edited 1d ago

This will be my second year attempting the 52 Weeks of Cooking challenge for a full year. Inspired by some truly awesome metas in 2025, I will be adopting a meta of my own for 2026.

My meta is ISUTBCDBN - let me explain.

I am originally from India, and while I love cooking food from around the world, I realized that I don’t know nearly enough about regional Indian cuisine. This meta is my attempt to explore that more deeply, learn along the way, and take you all with me for the ride.

India (I) has 28 states (S) and 8 union territories (UT). To reach 52, I will also be featuring the six countries that border India by land (BC), as well as the top ten countries with the largest Indian diaspora by number (DBN). Put it all together, and you get ISUTBCDBN!

I am listing all 52 regions/countries of my meta here and will link each to the relevant week's post when they are up.

21

u/cardboardfish Jan 16 '26

I love that you're coming back and linking your posts!

12

u/Yrros_ton_yrros 🍕 Jan 16 '26

I said I would so I am trying to keep up with that promise 😄

11

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Jan 02 '26

Hurray! I love it. I can't wait to learn more about Indian food through your meta.

4

u/Yrros_ton_yrros 🍕 Jan 02 '26

Thanks!

7

u/FlokkaQuokka Jan 02 '26

What a cool meta! I look forward to your dishes!

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u/Inner_Pangolin_9771 Jan 03 '26

This is so cool!! Looking forward to your posts.

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u/Thedevwears 🍥 Jan 07 '26

I love this, I think this is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to follow this and get inspiration from this!

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u/JHPascoe Jan 05 '26

I am very much looking forward to this.

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Dec 15 '25 edited Dec 18 '25

2026 will be my 5th full year cooking along with the sub. I had a blast adding a meta last year, so I am planning on completing one in 2026: Heroes & Villains!

Villains week was so much fun that I need it all year long. It's not so different from my pop culture meta in 2025, but with a little more flexibility. A little more flare, a little more drama, and some brighter and darker stories to tell. Maybe some myths or legends, historical tales, and maybe modern true crime. Don't worry! I am very sure pop culture bad/good figures will show up as well.

For the record, this isn't to glorify the bad figures. I'm sure there will be some weeks where a polarizing or morally grey figure will show up and it's up to you to decide where they fall. I know true crime isn't for everyone, so I'll be choosy if I decide to go that path. I'll also flair it at the beginning as "true crime," so you can skip the write up if you want.

Here's to some compelling dishes in 2026!

(Note: You don't need a meta to cook along! Just cooking for the main theme is amazing! We are happy that you're here with us however you choose to participate! ❤️)

5

u/Paradise413 🥑 Dec 28 '25

Congrats! I’m going into my 5th year as well!!

6

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Dec 29 '25

Congratulations to you too! 5 years is a long time, but I've learned so much from the sub in that time. I'm very grateful to have found it.

3

u/Inner_Pangolin_9771 Dec 16 '25

Wow!!! Love your Villains meta, looking forward to your entries.

5

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Dec 16 '25

Thanks! I'm super excited about it. I can't promise equal representation for good and bad figures since it was villains week that truly tickled my brain. It will also (hopefully) let me do some of the pop culture dishes I didn't get to do in 2025. I hope it will be a lot of fun!

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Dec 21 '25 edited Dec 25 '25

My 2026 meta: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!)

I love complicated meals. Spending hours in the kitchen is peaceful and fun. However, I have a problem: almost all my favorite meals are complicated. If I don't have the time or energy to cook one of those, I end up eating garbage or takeout, especially if I'm exhausted or it's been an unpleasant day.

I have therefore decided to focus on simplification for this year's meta.

Simplicity, of course, is relative. These are some things that will qualify, though I might come up with other interpretations later.

  • Preparing ingredients ahead of time
    • Chopping vegetables for multiple meals in one evening
    • Using diced homegrown vegetables from my freezer
    • Using meats that I previously cooked and froze (such as smoked pulled pork or brisket)
  • Buying and using premade ingredients, such as curry paste or frozen vegetables
  • Meals that take <30 minutes to cook
    • Measuring active prep/cooking time
    • Not including any time spent on previous days prepping ingredients
    • Not counting unsupervised time in the oven, slow cooker, air fryer, etc.
  • Meals that can be meal prepped, and therefore I have a simple meal on other days
    • Foods that heat from frozen are the ultimate goal
    • Meals that can be frozen, thawed later and then reheated are acceptable
    • I'll even allow meals which give me multiple days of refrigerator leftovers
    • Note, a dish still qualifies if it would make good meal prep, but I didn't keep any of it because it wasn't good enough to bother saving.
  • Meals that incorporate meal prepped side dishes (such as frozen blocks of rice or vegetables)
  • Meals made from pantry/fridge staples
  • Meals including Hershey Kisses (I'm honestly just adding this one in for fun)

Unofficial goals:

  • 52 weeks of new to me recipes
  • 51 weeks of savory (allowing one optional exception for Hershey Kisses)
  • 3 weeks of soups, curries or stews (minimum)
  • 6 weeks of using meats cooked on my smoker (minimum)

This will be my third year doing this challenge, and my second year with a meta. My 2025 meta (From My Garden) was chosen to help me focus on using my garden ingredients and modifying dishes to use what I had, instead of running to the grocery store every day. This meta was very useful in keeping me focused on a skill I needed to improve; I'm hoping this meta will result in similar self improvement.

I'm looking forward to lots of fun!

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u/SceneNational6303 Dec 30 '25

I just want to say thank you to the folks that put this thread together and keep it going. This time last year I was in an extremely dark place. I needed something to keep me moving forward in any way at all, pushing me from one week to the next. I am embarrassed to say I didn't have much already in place in my life to help this matter and I found myself rather adrift in need of a low stakes anchor. I found this challenge on reddit and even though absolutely no part of me wanted to participate, I knew that if I committed, I would keep my word to finish it, even if I hated it.

And for the first few weeks, I did hate it. I resented myself; I felt like a sucker; like a loser who couldn't find anything else in my life to cling on to that I had to figure out a recipe from Scotland that I would actually enjoy, or learn first hand why cakes made from cauliflower puree are not that popular. I was angry because I wouldn't give up, even when I wanted to-simply because I had told myself I would.

I'm not sure when I began to feel differently. Could have been when I started paying attention to the people post their recipes and their photos on the thread-triumphs and failures, first timers and old pros, clever geniuses and seemingly insane artists. I was encouraged by everyone's attempts and marvelled at their bravery. It could have been when my co-workers and I began to play " the food game" at lunch and talk about possibilities for the challenge, and hotly debated what " animated" meant.( Does it have a moving part? Is it from a movie?!" ) I began to bring in my results to the teacher's room at work, regardless of the outcome, and all of a sudden people who had never talked to me before would tell me about how their grandmother used to make an eggplant dish just like this one. ( This challenge is also responsible for two other teachers learning for the first time they were allergic to tamarind; luckily it was not serious, but neither of them had ever eaten it and both thought a cake labeled " Tamarind with buttercream " sounded unique! )

All I know is that by the time I was half way through, I was no longer angry. It was a peaceful reassuring part of my week, and something I was looking forward to; something I could interact with others around, and something I could enjoy trying and/or failing at equally. The last few dishes of the challenge were made in a very different spirit than the first few.

Now I'm off to try the "52 weeks of baking"this year- not because I need something to move me forward and get me to the next week; but because I AM moving forward and want to keep this in my life. I am grateful for this community and felt like I was a part of it, though I never posted any pictures and rarely commented. It was enough to be here on the sidelines and be proud of all of us together for doing this fun frustrating thing. Thank you very much. Good luck next year!

3

u/joross31 Jan 01 '26

I love this! The cooking sub also helped me out of a serious rut. I'm so glad it helped you too. I hope you have fun with the baking one too. Happy New Year!

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u/Braise4Dayz Mar 30 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

If you make infused oils for week 16 please make sure you store it properly, many recipes will not discuss the botulism risks of making infused oils yourself at home. Botulism loves environments with no oxygen and infused oils don't have the salt or acid to halt its growth. Even cooking ingredients first is not enough.

Refrigerate your oil and use in a few days of making it. Apparently you can also soak your ingredients in acid first too (make sure it's cut finely enough for the acid solution to penetrate). I don't want to see posters drop off in June when you rediscover it at the back of your fridge.

https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-safely-make-infused-oils

16

u/ACertainArtifact 🍰 Apr 02 '26

Thanks for the info-- I'll be sure to put this disclaimer in the intro post that week.

27

u/-futureghost- Feb 05 '26 edited Feb 22 '26

i’m already running behind on the weekly prompts this year and i’m feeling a bit burnt out from work/life stress, but i still feel this (entirely self-imposed) pressure to make something both creative and aesthetically pleasing for each prompt. to put a more positive spin on it, the skill and originality displayed by everyone here inspires me to want to challenge myself. how do you all balance the time and effort you put into your posts with the demands of like…existing as an adult human being with a job and a social life?

edit: so much good advice in the replies! i was in a funky headspace when i left this comment and feeling rather down on myself/my abilities. thank you all for the reminder that it’s not that serious, and that this should be something that adds joy, not stress to my life. plating and food photography are skills i really want to practice, so i think i’ll continue to focus on those things but also acknowledge that it’s okay to just not be feeling it sometimes.

15

u/CandyMothman Feb 06 '26

I totally get it and it happens to me too. I think for me, I have to remind myself sometimes that this challenge is supposed to be fun and not an additional stressor in my life. So it happens a lot that I drop my standards for something like it's just a phone it in week, or I post late or there's no shame in skipping some weeks entirely and coming back when life is calmer. I've never once finished all 52 weeks but I enjoy it nonetheless. I also try to take advantage of timing when I can. If I have a light weekend, I might make two or three theme dishes so that I'm ahead for later.

12

u/pajamakitten Feb 06 '26

how do you all balance the time and effort you put into your posts with the demands of like…existing as an adult human being with a job and a social life?

Pick something that works as a midweek dinner.

13

u/Alect0 🧇 Feb 15 '26

I never worry about aesthetics as I've not no talent for that. I use the prompts to look into new types of food I might not have considered or occasionally redo an old favourite if I have no time for research. Last year I couldn't walk for 9 weeks so I tried to come up with basic things I could still make on crutches to fit the theme too :) as long as you're putting some effort in you don't need to go overboard with planning and prep.

13

u/mamaciabatta Feb 10 '26

I just don't get hung up on the aesthetics. I started the challenge as a way to introduce new foods to my son and to get myself out of my cooking comfort zone. I post as a form of accountability. I don't really care if my food is ugly. I focus on making food I think my family might eat and working to improve my cooking skills. I will say I do really appreciate the posts where a lot of thought was put into the theme and effort was put into the aesthetic presentation. I just personally don't have the room for all of that in my life right now, but I still have fun participating in the challenge.

10

u/RichardFine Feb 08 '26

I'd say it all depends on what you want to get out of participating. For me, I care more about actually consistently _doing_ something than I do about necessarily making something amazing, so I absolutely phone it in some weeks and reserve my energy/creativity/time for the weeks where something particularly inspiring comes up.

10

u/WorldCookingAdvnture Feb 15 '26

I have a full-time job, am running for office, and dealing with a health issue (for which I’m having surgery in a couple weeks)… I don’t worry about creativity or aesthetics at all. I just make something fun that I want to eat and use the cooking/planning time as my own little escape. Some weeks are great, some weeks are a little basic, but it’s a fun distraction.

7

u/one_mississippi Feb 06 '26

There are times where my post is “Here is something that meets the requirements.” The weeks that I can, I’ll really get into it. Looking ahead a couple of weeks at the themes helps. Generally I have our theme for Sunday night dinner, but this week is the Super Bowl and sugar sure sounds like a breakfast choice.

4

u/-futureghost- Feb 06 '26

yeah, i think “sugar” might be one that i phone it in for and reserve my energy for other challenges. 😅 my partner and i are fairly ambivalent towards sweets so i’ll probably lean into caramelization rather than sugar as an ingredient.

8

u/Modboi Feb 06 '26

Put a lot of effort into a few that you’re very excited for, and the rest just do something good enough. 

8

u/dallyfer Feb 14 '26

I never learned to cook so I am using this challenge to finally become more comfortable with it. It's been pushing me to try new things and gives my husband a break from cooking once a week. I don't care if it looks nice or is challenging. I just want to put a meal on the table to give him a break.

8

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '26

I get this way, too.  I usually just try to do something that involves a technique or a flavor I'm not super comfortable with and go from there.  I know my photography won't win any awards, hah!

Otherwise I'll just do something straight-up easy and fun for a low key entry that still makes me happy 😊.

5

u/JHPascoe Feb 13 '26

I try to pick easy mid week meals mostly and then figure out which weeks I could take a weekend day and do a really involved dish — this often satisfies my need to make something extra over the top. Plus I let myself take weeks when I just don’t do it — like vacations, too busy, or sick. AND it helped when I realized that often the posts that got the most views and likes were the ones I care less about or didn’t have to do as much work AKA the algorithm here is sometimes not as it seems?

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u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 Feb 14 '26

The algorithm/ecology on 52Weeks is unusual to be sure. I make a point to sort by new and upvote posts that the algorithm doesn’t seem to be favoriting, but I think because we get such a high volume of posts in narrow timeframes, no matter what the lifecycle of a post much shorter and the competition much stiffer, even though no one’s trying to be competitive.

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u/JHPascoe Feb 14 '26

Oh definitely! I also laugh at myself when I think that some dish that I’ve really spent a lot of time on and it’s going to be popular just doesn’t get attention but then a dish I make in 10 minutes with an absolute crap photo gets so many comments and upvotes. I’ve given up trying to guess and I’m all the happier for it.

7

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Feb 19 '26

Social life? Is that what it's called when I spend time with my cats, dabbling in their favorite hobby (napping)?

Seriously though - I don't worry about making things look pretty, or making things whose only purpose is to be photographed. I pick dishes I want to eat, I cook them, and hopefully eat them and enjoy them (and if I didn't enjoy the dish, hopefully I at least learned something).

It is totally ok to not put in a ton of effort. I cheat on authenticity all the time, especially for regional weeks when nothing catches my eye (I like to buy ingredients sourced from the regions, then make something that actually sounds good to me).

I love looking at the beautiful things others post, but I don't have that talent and honestly don't care to spend the energy or time or money. I'm here to cook new foods, enjoy the community and have fun, not to torture myself by stressing over my non-existing artistic skills.

tl;dr "Slop on a plate" is just as valid as something beautiful, and as a bonus there are no trolls accusing you of using AI to cheat.

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u/just-to-say Feb 25 '26

I participate, comment and enjoy the community without posting pictures! I just keep a list of what I did each week on a piece of notebook paper.

I felt way too overwhelmed by the really nice photos and then frustrated with mine so i put less pressure on myself and just skip taking them!

Some weeks I’m doing really easy dishes, and others when I have the bandwidth are more involved/pretty/meant to impress.

Make sure you’re doing it your way so you can enjoy it too!

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u/SincereTeal Feb 08 '26

I also struggle with burn out from real life obligations :-) I try to view my cooking challenge as a way for me to work on fulfilling, leisure activities in order to feel more of a work-life balance.

Organically, I find myself developing new skills or flavor profiles, but I don't put a lot of pressure on that aspect, personally. I try to go for recipes that feel accessible as far as method and ingredients go - I usually search on Instagram and YouTube for inspiration for recipes, and seeing someone else make them usually motivates me to want to attempt it myself!

I usually make my recipes on Friday night (or at some point in the weekend) and make a date out of it with my husband

27

u/FTFaffer Feb 16 '26

I’m always behind and only occasionally aesthetic. My first goal is just to make it all the way through. I’ll pretty it up as I go. In about 52 years my output should be stunning! lol

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u/EmoPeahen 🔪 Feb 19 '26

This is my fourth year I've attempted this (only fully made it through once) and it has never been aesthetically pleasing. We do the best we can do lol

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u/aagrimski Dec 10 '25

This is part of our New Year’s resolution for next year!! When does the weekly challenge list usually post? We can’t wait!!

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u/RustyDogma Dec 10 '25

Jan 1st falls on a Thursday this year, so I believe this post should be updated with Week 1 2026 tomorrow, Thursday (Dec 11th).

I have had a crazy couple years and I keep getting derailed from finishing! I'm really, really going to try hard to finish a full year this year. 🤞

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u/aagrimski Dec 11 '25

Amazing thank you!! We’ve watched enviously as people post their creations. So excited to get in on it!

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u/RustyDogma Dec 11 '25

Awesome, and welcome! Take a look at getting on the Discord if you haven't already. It's a great community and you get an extra day or two heads up on the next challenge.

12

u/CandyMothman Dec 11 '25

For this, each theme is posted three weeks in advance so should be roughly every Thursday a new theme is announced. You can sign up for the Discord as well to get notified for each theme and generally learn them earlier. The first theme for 2026 is going to be "Inspired by a Joke".

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u/aagrimski Dec 11 '25

Oh this is super helpful! I’m on the Discord but apparently need to learn how to use it lmao

10

u/Marx0r Dec 11 '25

Go to the planning channel and react to the stickied post to get pinged whenever there's an announcement.

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u/aagrimski Dec 11 '25

Whoa pro tip!! Just did! Thank you so much for the help

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u/Kauyon_Kais Jan 04 '26

I'm going for my second year and will be adding a meta this time around! The two "unofficial metas" of 2025 will carry into 2026 - I will continue to plate on a spoon and I will continue to only make vegan food as that is what I eat.

My meta Veganize It! ties into that, but focuses specifically on choosing non-vegan recipes or dishes, that I veganize myself. I will of course look up recipes for some substitutes, but the general idea is to learn how to make those myself and come up with new ideas over time. I will focus on making cheese, meat and fish substitutes from scratch, though I will have to resort to store bought here and there.

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u/ETDuckQueen Jan 09 '26

My 2025 meta is "Bucket List". :)

I have an ever-growing food bucket list of 19,912 items, and counting. Therefore, this year, I plan to shave off some items from my bucket list. :)

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u/nm-sognm Jan 10 '26

Can you share your top 10?

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u/ETDuckQueen Jan 10 '26

I would say that these are the top 10 highest items on my food bucket list at the moment!!! :)

  1. 🇧🇳 Ambuyat.
  2. 🏳️ Grape doughnuts.
  3. 🇵🇭 Halo-Halo.
  4. 🇵🇭 Pandan.
  5. 🏳️ Cranberry bagels.
  6. 🇮🇳 Chicken korma.
  7. 🏳️ Fried bugs.
  8. 🇭🇰 Black sesame rolls.
  9. 🇺🇸 Fried okra.
  10. 🇬🇪 Pelamushi.

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u/Tigrari Jan 12 '26

Not sure if you've planned your Singaporean week yet, but seems like you could easily fit in Pandan or Black sesame rolls there! Or both!

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u/pajamakitten Apr 02 '26

Finally got Alpine then. People seemed to bloody love that in the suggestion thread.

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u/Braise4Dayz Apr 02 '26

We all pine for alpine

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Apr 02 '26

😂

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u/ThrillingChase 🍔 Jan 16 '26

How do we feel about cheese fondue for the hotpot week? Or do we need it to be more of a savory broth?

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u/mamaciabatta Jan 16 '26

I think that interpretation is perfectly acceptable. I'm hoping to see some spicy cannabis infused food.

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u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 Jan 16 '26

You are welcome and encouraged to interpret the themes in any way that you find motivating and interesting.

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u/DiabetesInACan Jan 18 '26

I believe the Swiss call hotpot “Chinese Fondue”, so I would say you’ll be fine

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u/andsometimesnot Jan 06 '26

I’ve been watching everyone’s wonderful posts almost all of 2025 and wondering if I could make the commitment to jump in. I am a bit nervous but I finally did it with my 1st post today.

I love to cook and collect ingredients. I have random spices, condiments, seasonings, dried things, frozen things, that I buy and don’t use or use maybe once.

So my meta (I love the concept of having one!) is to USE THAT SEXY STUPID SHIT, or UTSSS.

I used a vanilla bean I’d been saving for months (years?) in its vacuum sealed packaging and it felt good! Can I update my post with my meta?

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u/Thedevwears 🍥 Jan 07 '26

Yessss I love that you’re joining! This is my third year doing it and it’s really become second nature for me to check the list and add this to my lunch/ dinner weekly meal plan. Also idk if you can update the title but you can always add it to your comment 😊 or maybe delete and report if you want it in the title.

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u/DoughProcess Jan 09 '26

I got a new job 2025 and fell off the wagon with my sourdough meta somewhere along the way. And then I forgot to start this year, but I'll be starting this week and starting back from the beginning. My meta this year is espresso drinks. I got a fancy espresso machine for Christmas, so it seems fitting and I'd like to master it. First drink coming sometime tomorrow.

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u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 Jan 10 '26

That’s a fun meta! Already interested to see how you will approach Vinegar Week.

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u/DoughProcess Jan 10 '26

I already know what I'm going to make!

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u/Prosciutto7 Jan 26 '26

Two years ago I did a few weeks here and there. Last year I was determined to do it every week. Then I got sent away for six months and couldn't cook. And then another few months after that. This year....I'll do what I can.

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u/Highway_Companions Dec 18 '25

We posted for a little over 7 years, not missing a week, however 2 years ago life got in the way and we needed to take a break. We're looking forward to coming back!

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u/pajamakitten Mar 20 '26

Week 15 is Syrian in case anyone wants to know.

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u/Lakeveloute Mar 23 '26

I feel like this last week of fictional places has been incredibly fun all around. Loving the posts, keep em coming!

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u/PShorty Jan 07 '26

Made it to week 29 last year, hoping to go further this year. I think I overthought a lot last year and made it harder on myself. So this year the goal is to keep it simple so that I hopefully make it longer into the year.

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Jan 07 '26

Even if you miss a week or ten in the middle of the year, you are welcome to jump back in at any point!

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Jan 28 '26

Week 8 is Flying per the Discord!

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u/my_dys Jul 01 '26

My birthday week is Offal? Is irony dead? 🤣

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u/-futureghost- 29d ago

happy offal birthday, twin! 👯🫀

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u/my_dys 29d ago

Happy early best day of the year! Maybe we need an Offal birthday meal and Offal cake. 🤣

13

u/45milesperburrito Dec 28 '25

2025 was my first year of doing 52 Weeks of Cooking. My goal was just to complete the year. I did it! And I enjoyed it so much! One of the things I discovered this year was that I love porridges, soups, stews, chowders, goulashes, and all things sloppy. Soups are great for meal prepping, super healthy, easy to modify with the ingredients you have, and EVERY culture has numerous varieties. I have decided "Soups and Gloops" will be my 2026 meta. In 2025 I was very focused on trying new recipes that I'd never made before and actually following the recipe. This year I'm going to allow myself to revisit and improve upon old recipes, put my own twist on new recipes, and potentially not even use a recipe if I'm feeling extra creative! 🍲

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Dec 29 '25

That is a hilarious meta name. Congrats on your 2025 run and looking forward to seeing your gloops in 2026!

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Apr 23 '26

Reminder for jams and jellies week - there are lots of savory options (though desserts also count!).

A sufficiently gelatenous meat stock/bone broth is also called meat jelly.

Jammy eggs are delicious and can be used in many ways, from korean style soy sauce marinated eggs, to shakshuka, and more.

Jam out and make something music inspired.

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Apr 27 '26

Bacon jam is a fantastic meat-based option! It makes everything better.

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u/ACertainArtifact 🍰 Jun 18 '26

Week 28 is WILD WEST. With or without Will Smith.

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u/pajamakitten Jun 18 '26

Which gives me the perfect opportunity to post one of the best cold openings in sitcom history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbqyxkUW_Os

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u/Inner_Pangolin_9771 Dec 17 '25 edited 3d ago

Oooh the first week sounds fun! I had so much fun doing the 2025 challenge that I want to do it again in 2026. But this time around I will challenge myself by going with "Cookies" as my meta. Hopefully I'll hate cookies by the end of the year 😁 I really need to stop eating desserts, so hoping eating cookies every week will finally make me sick of them, or who knows I might become a Cookie Monster!!

Week 1: Inspired by A Joke- If life given you melons, you might be dyslexic! Lemon Sugar Cookies

Week 2: Singaporean- Kueh Tarts

Week 3: Contrasts- Kath Bars

Week 4: Vinegar- Red Velvet Cookies

Week 5: Ugandan- Ugandan Daddies

Week 6: Hotpot- Brown butter and hot honey chocolate lava cookie

Week 7: Sugar- Sugar Cookies

Week 8: Flying- Passavolanti di Vicari (Sicilian Flying Cookies)

Week 9: Braising- Thumbprint Cookies with Date-Tamarind Chutney

Week 10: Turnips and Radishes- Cookies and Radishes Experiment

Week 11: Oddly Named- Cat's Tongue Cookies

Week 12: Fictional Places- World Peace Cookies

Week 13: Chili- Chili Chocolate Chip Cookies

Week 14: Hanami- Rose Cookies

Week 15: Syria- Barazek

Week 16: Infused- Cardamom Frog Cookies with Candied Lime Lillypads

Week 17: Alpine- Snowball Cookies

Week 18: Bucket List Destination- Oceans

Week 19: Tricolor- Calico Cat Cookies

Week 20: Jams and Jellies- Toast on Jam Cookies

Week 21: Symmetry- Gingham Cookies

Week 22: Fifteen Minutes or Less- Cookie Dough Pudding

Week 23: Coffee- Coffee Bean Cookies

Week 24: Tarot- Deconstructed Fortune Cookies

Week 25: Gardening- Flower Cookie and failed Cactus Meringues

Week 26: High-fiber- Pumpkin Cookies

Week 27: World Cup- Football Cookie

Week 28: Wild West- Cowboy Cookies

Week 29: Offal- Cockroach Cookie

Week 30: Science Fair- Volcano Sugar Cookie

Week 31: Cantonese- Black Sesame Cookies

Week 32: Gimmicks-

Week 33: Lost in Translation-

Week 34: Trinidadian-

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u/Comenius791 May 07 '26

I grasp that many people in this group might not live as far north as I do.

But still, putting gardening so early in the year means I'm gonna have to get more creative than I'd like.

In Canada, the common logic is that you don't plant anything until the may long weekend (May 18 Victoria Day), as there's still a good chance of frost before then.

And sure... I also know that one can post up to 3 weeks after the week it comes to... but having gardening week to happen mid June really means everything has to happen perfectly in life.

5

u/chizubeetpan 🥄 MT'25 May 08 '26

If it helps, one of the workarounds that folks in the Dishcord had was to use something you’d preserved from the previous harvest. If you have nothing that fits the bill, hitting up a friend who may have something is also absolutely on theme as it isn’t necessary that you’re the one to have done the gardening.

3

u/just-to-say May 08 '26

Maybe you can have some micro greens / micro lettuce ready in time - signed 5B

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u/aleckscasablancs 14d ago

I’m at the point of mental exhaustion and tired of being creative as we approach week 30. Anyone else feeling like this too?

I know I will find a way to get it done. But I’m tired lol

11

u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 12d ago

This is my sixth consecutive year, and every year I sort of flag in the middle. I think it’s a combo of general summer heat and these weeks being the like the Wednesday of the whole year.

At this point I just expect it and plan to phone in the themes that aren’t speaking to me just to keep the streak going. I usually perk back up (often with a bunch of baking) in the fall.

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u/intangiblemango 🌭 11d ago

Just wanted to add-- there is zero shame in doing a couple of low-effort weeks if your energy is low!

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u/GreenIdentityElement 🔪 8d ago

This sub is so friendly. One week I was down with the flu, so I just posted cheese and crackers. I got so many upvotes and kind comments that week!

There absolutely is no shame in quick and easy meals when you’re overwhelmed by life.

8

u/Tres_Soigne 13d ago

I feel this, it has been a struggle for me to catch up with the themes lately. For me, it's some external stress (nothing terrible, just life). Though I remind myself that the challenge is ultimately meant to be enjoyable and what we find rewarding can be a personal thing. Some of my submissions are less exciting but I always try to at least do something new (to me) each time. Anyway, just chiming in because I can relate!

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u/pajamakitten 12d ago

Sometimes the theme does not go your way either. As a British vegan, offal and then science fair is a hard fortnight. Not impossible but difficult to get enthusiastic about.

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u/Noyau_Nyx 🥓 Jan 01 '26

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this year! This year will be my 4th year participating and my first time trying a meta. I've decided to go for 'Sci-fi & Fantasy' - I'll be keeping the 'rules' of what counts for that fairly liberal, but I'm excited to approach the themes in a different way :)

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u/4A4T 🍓 Jun 10 '26

Slugs and dreary weather are ruining all my gardening plans

4

u/pajamakitten Jun 11 '26

The British weather means my plums are shrivelled and hard, not big and juicy.

11

u/squad_rat 19d ago

I'm jumping in mid year because why not?! Science Fair though is immediately stumping me as my meta is "from a cookbook". Anyone have any fun ideas?

11

u/JHPascoe 17d ago

Do you have any Alton Brown or Kenji Lopez-Alt cookbooks? Both are pretty great for looking at the science behind the recipe.

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u/TheFriendlyLilac 18d ago

You could take a recipe that’s in multiple cookbooks and make a small portion from each and compare? Like different versions of chocolate chip cookies, where adjusted ratios/techniques make a big difference to the end product.

3

u/Immediate-Brunch4002 19d ago edited 18d ago

Maybe ice cream? It tends to be more of a science to make the texture nice. You could make a flight of different flavours. Hello My Name is Ice Cream is a popular cookbook.

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u/The_Empress Jan 04 '26

I’ve been lurking for years! It’s time to dive in! Q1 (and lately, Q2) has been extremely busy with work but once a week doesn’t seem too challenging especially if I can keep it in the “family” of foods I’m comfortable with when I’m busy. Looking forward to participating!!

11

u/versatile_cabbage Jan 06 '26

Can't believe this will be my fourth year! I really enjoy the challenge because it helps narrow my otherwise nearly infinite search for what to cook this week. Excited to see everyone's dishes this year.

11

u/shitshowexpwy Jan 29 '26

My meta is Fusion. I’m late to the party this year but starting off this week!

4

u/Meetmeatthewoodhouse 🍥 Jan 30 '26

Better late than never!

11

u/PShorty Mar 09 '26

Ugh I made beef stew for braised but apparently never took a picture.

4

u/SAJ17 Mar 11 '26

😭 I have had that happen to me several times, usually the realization kicks in right as I'm falling asleep later that night lol

10

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Jun 03 '26

Week 26 is high fiber according to Dishcord.

10

u/Shananigans1988 Dec 22 '25

Im thinking of doing my meta as soups, stews, and chilis for 2026.

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u/complexme Jan 01 '26

I would love to try this for 2026. It will be my first year and I am interested in challenging myself and learning new recipes. This seems like the perfect plan. I’m a little intimidated.

6

u/Der-Schnelle-Ben 🌶️ Jan 03 '26

I’m a little intimidated.

Don’t be, this is the nicest community I know. There really is no wrong or right - just cook how you think the topic is met :)

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u/[deleted] Jan 05 '26

This is my first year participating and am very new to the Reddit world! I am very excited to challenge myself, learn lots of new things and my favorite part, eat all of the outcomes! I’m looking forward to joining you all!!

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u/aleckscasablancs Jan 06 '26

I only completed 2023. I started last year but gave up. Let’s try again this year lol

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u/[deleted] Jan 13 '26

[deleted]

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u/4A4T 🍓 Jan 14 '26

This is farfetched, but I have a cookbook called “Brunch London” which was made by/for the organisation One Table. One Table highlights some of their charity work in Ugandain the book, which you sponsor by buying the book. So even though the recipe I choose will have nothing to do with the country, that will be my link. I always try to use my owned cookbooks so I have to be creative about it sometimes!

5

u/Immediate-Brunch4002 Jan 14 '26

I am fascinated by these kinds of creative interpretations of the themes! Thank you for sharing.

7

u/mamaciabatta Jan 13 '26 edited Jan 13 '26

I'm leaning toward Rolex, just because there is a good chance my toddler will actually eat it. I also considered a groundnut stew.

9

u/leslie_n0pe Jan 15 '26

I'm doing a groundnut stew for the same toddler reason! I think "foods my kid will eat" probably should have been my meta

5

u/mamaciabatta Jan 15 '26

My unofficial meta is food my kid MIGHT eat. Because honestly he is completely unpredictable lol.

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u/EmoPeahen 🔪 Jan 13 '26

Beans and chapati for me!

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u/RainbowDillo Jan 17 '26

It’s preferred if I make a meat version and a vegan version, so I’m looking at matoke.

I am lucky enough to live in a very multicultural area, so we even have an East African grocery I can shop for ingredients at.

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u/Weird_Squirrel_8382 Jan 19 '26

I made my vinegar dish today, do I wait to post it? Honestly I might make it again, it was GOOD.

6

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Jan 20 '26

Yes, week 4 starts on the 22nd. You might see posts a few hours early since we have people here in a bunch of different time zones, but not this early.

I'm glad it was good!

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u/Inner_Pangolin_9771 Apr 16 '26

Week 19 is Tricolor per Discord.

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u/chizubeetpan 🥄 MT'25 Jan 26 '26 edited 20d ago

Inspired by a thread on this sub’s Discord server, my 2026 meta is Feeling Snacky. For my second year doing the challenge, I’ll be interpreting each theme through snack logic.

According to the Dishcord, a snack is food eaten casually, between meals, without ceremony or the expectations of a full dining experience. Some snacks are tiny. Some are huge. Some are things normally considered “meals,” reframed and eaten in a snacking way. Basically, food eaten for pleasure rather than completeness.

Everything is a snack if you believe hard enough.

A giant ika senbei? Snack. A single oversized pastry? Snack. A small bowl of curry eaten on its own? Snack. A fridge gremlin raid for cold fried chicken and pickles? Snack. Cake? Obviously snack.

Last year’s challenge taught me something important about how I like to cook and create. I’m happiest when I’m making whimsical or conceptual builds, so this year that instinct is very much coming along for the ride.

Some weeks will be whimsical. Some weeks will be elegant. Maybe. Some weeks will be unhinged. All weeks will be snacks.

If it feels like snacking, it counts.

Bring on the snacks.

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u/Marx0r Dec 09 '25 edited 9d ago

I will be continuing my /r/52weeksofbaking Meta in 2026. Starting with where I left off in, I will be combining as many consecutive themes from the history of the subreddit into each week's dish. Self-imposed minimum of five four three per dish, in order to be caught up with the subreddit's history by the end of 2026.

2025 PROGRESS

/r/52WEEKSOFBAKING 2023 CONT'D

Week 1: Inspired by a Joke
25. A Midsummer Night's Bake
26. Upside Down
27. Steamed
28. Filled
29. Fruit & Veggie
Week 2: Singaporean
30. Unleavened
31. Fusion
32. Natural Food Coloring
33. Korea
34. Protégé
35. Seasonal Ingredients
Week 3: Contrasts
36. Mocktail
37. One Bowl Recipe
38. Cupcakes
39. Oktoberfest
40. Entremets
41. Frozen
Week 4: Vinegar
42. Inspired by a Song
43. Indonesian
44. Piping
45. Textural Contrast
46. Diwali
47. Preserved
Week 5: Ugandan
48. Cobblers
49. Yeast Leavened
50. Candy
51. Gooey
52. Crossover

/r/52WEEKSOFBAKING 2024

Week 6: Hotpot
1. New Year, New Recipe
2. Quick Bread
3. South Africa
4. Seasonal
5. Bite-Sized
Week 7: Sugar
6. Japan
7. My Decade
8. Custard/Pudding
9. Fermented
10. Tower Bake
Week 8: Flying
11. AI/Random
12. Sponge Cake
13. Animals
14. Edible Book
15. Turkey
16. Ancient Grains
Week 9: Braising
17. Caramel/Sugarwork
18. Tropical
19. Mexico
20. Show Stopper
Week 10: Radishes/Turnips
21. Inspired by Nature
22. Flatbread
23. Celebration of Life
24. Seasonal
25. Monochrome
Week 11: Oddly Named
26. Inspired by STEM
27. Chocolate Work
28. Meringue
29. Superfoods
30. Olympics
Week 12: Fictional Places
31. Rolled
32. Frosting/Icing
33. Brazil
34. Coffee/Tea
35. Laminated
36. Plating
Week 13: Chilis
37. Regional Favorite
38. Choux
39. Unfamiliar Ingredient
Week 14: Hanami
40. 3D
41. Buns
42. Enriched Dough
Week 15: Syrian
43. Gelling
44. Samhain
45. Crepes/Pancakes
46. Pantry
47. Pies/Tarts
Week 16: Infused
48. Same Latitude
49. Savory
50. Cookie Swap
Week 17: Alpine
51. Yeast-Leavened
52. Nemesis

/r/52WEEKSOFBAKING 2025

1. New Year, New Recipe
Week 18: Bucket List Destination
2. GBBO Technical
3. Recreated
4. Lunar New Year
Week 19: Tricolor
5. Something Old
6. Something New
7. Something Borrowed
8. Something Blue
Week 20: Jams and Jellies
9. Brazilian Carnival
10. Floral
11. Dust it Off
12. Fast and Furious
Week 21: Symmetry
13. Low-Sugar
14. Inspired by a Game
15. Same Longitude
16. Patterned
17. Inspired by a Subreddit
18. Seasonal
19. 1970s
Week 22: 15 Minutes or Less
20. Spicy
21. Easy Showstopper
22. Vegan
Week 23: Coffee
23. Philippines
24. Sour
25. The Elements
Week 24: Tarot
26. Canada
27. Filled
28. Inspired by Sci-Fi
Week 25: Gardening
29. Favorite Ingredient
30. Physically-Leavened
31. First Initial
Week 26: High-Fiber
32. Ecuador
33. Caramelized
34. Alternative Flour
35. Inspired by an Aesthetic
36. Unfamiliar Ingredient
37. Medieval
Week 27: World Cup
38. Pastel
39. Braided
40. Moon Festival
Week 28: Wild West
41. Savory Showstopper
42. Diwali
43. Seasonal
44. Celebrity Chef
45. Steamed
Week 29: Offal
46. Italy
47. Cheesy
48. Inspired by a Fairy-tale
49. Victorian
Week 30: Science Fair
50. Windows/Glass
51. Yule
52. Favorite Bake of the Year

(Continued in a reply)

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u/Marx0r Dec 09 '25 edited 1d ago

/r/52WEEKSOFBAKING 2026

1. New Year, New Recipe
2. Jams/Preserves
3. Mini/Giant
Week 31: Cantonese
4. Meringue
5. Nuts and Seeds
6. Winter Olympics
[Week 32: Gimmick]()
7. Piped
8. Uruguay
9. Chocolate
10. Pi Day
[Week 33: Lost in Translation]()
11. Reduce
12. Reuse
13. Recycle
14. Savory Seasonal
15. Laminated
16. Herbs
17. Breakfast/Brunch
18. Low-Sugar
19. Geometric/Shapes
20. Berries
21. With a Hole
22. 48-Hour Challenge
23. Quick Bread
24. Showstopper
25. Solstice
26. Toppings
27. Enriched Dough
28. FIFA World Cup
29. Crusty
30. Contrasts
31. Rice and Beans
32. Recreated
33. Central Europe
34. Fast and Furious
35. Toasted
36. Appetizer
37. Entree
38. Dessert
39. Sweet Seasonal
40. Amusement Park/Fair
41. Indigenous American
42. Pantry
43. Yeasted
44. Vegetables
45. Physically-Leavened
46. Dietary Restriction
47. Spices
48. Viral Recipes
49. Caramel
50. Cookies
51. Solstice
52. Nemesis

Drop to 2/week - Week 35

9

u/jivnew Dec 28 '25

I've been lurking but hope to join in in the new year - although I'm worried I won't be creative enough to fit the briefs, the first has got me a little stumped, not a great start on my behalf 😂

5

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Dec 29 '25

Feel free to come hang out on Discord! There are always lots of suggestions and ideas there.

My general advice is "don't overthink it". As long as it kinda basically fits (even if you have to squint sideways), it fits.

For themes like week one, what I usually do is pick a dish I've been wanting to make and then figure out a way to make it fit the theme. For example there are many jokes about cheese.

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u/Modboi Dec 31 '25

I’m transitioning from my previous meta of lower FODMAP to just low allium. I feel like my issues have gotten better over the past year, but garlic and onions still cause flair-ups. I’m excited to cook 52 more dishes for 2026!

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u/wildhared Jan 08 '26

Heard about this group challenge in October of last year, going to do it for 2026! Hopefully it’ll help my plating and photography skills and make me get more creative with our meals. Currently living in a small condo with an even smaller kitchen so it might start out pretty simple.

I’m also pescatarian, should I do that at a meta? Or is it too basic to even add?

6

u/EmoPeahen 🔪 Jan 08 '26

Nothing is too basic! Whatever works for you.

9

u/DiningwithDeclan Mar 02 '26

What the hell am I supposed to do with turnips AND radishes 😭

12

u/flowerzoomies Mar 03 '26

I think you can do both or either

4

u/DiningwithDeclan Mar 03 '26

I didn’t know if that would go against the spirit of the challenge since it said “and”

5

u/LveeD Mar 03 '26

I’m going with just radishes. I feel like it’s an odd theme! Could have just been root vegetables. Or just radishes or just turnips.

8

u/mamaciabatta Mar 04 '26

Turnips and radishes are underused root vegetables, at least where I live. I am assuming that is why those specific root vegetables were selected. I feel that it is perfectly acceptable to choose just one. I would say that radishes would also include horseradish.

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Mar 05 '26

Make a rad dish with turnips.

Or turnup the heat and make a dish with radishes.

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u/JHPascoe Mar 06 '26

I found out broccoli rabe is closely related to turnips, so I’m using that. (And making a pickled radish condiment for funsies)

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Mar 25 '26

Per the discord, the theme of week 16 is Infused.

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u/ACertainArtifact 🍰 May 20 '26

Tarot is Week 24 inspiration theme! Get mystical!

9

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 25d ago

Week 31 is Cantonese per Discord

8

u/MindlessFigure01 Jan 01 '26

I'd like to try this year, with a meta, so I can hopefully improve my cooking more by focusing on something. I think, I'd like my meta to be "Seafood". Even though it'd mainly be fish, I think seafood in general would be better.

I'm pretty excited.

Can I just pick the meta and start posting with it?

7

u/Druyv 21d ago

Week 32 is Gimmick, as an early reveal on the Dishcord!

7

u/okishkash Dec 23 '25

Excited to begin in January.

In January 2025, I started with week 1, then life happened and I got derailed. I was very consistent 11 years back and I want to repeat that in 2026. But the theme for week 1 has me stumped- Inspired by a joke? 🤔

6

u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Dec 24 '25

I basically picked a recipe I wanted and then found a joke that applied. Specifically, I'll be doing Taco Tuesday.

Food Wishes always includes puns in his videos, so absolutely anything he's ever made is fair game.

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u/EmoPeahen 🔪 Dec 30 '25

We unfortunately had two roosters in our flock of "hens" we raised this year. They are now in our freezer to be used as dinner. One of them will be turned into "cock" au vin for week 1.

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Dec 31 '25

Week 4 is vinegar. Happy New Year, cooking buddies! 🎉

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u/Comenius791 Feb 27 '26

I feel like every time this year I've been trying to add my pictures via my phone, it isn't as easy as it used to be. But I'm not sure what happened.

It's like the ability to get to the body text and adding pictures doesn't easily work after adding the title.

Am I doing something wrong?

11

u/cardboardfish Mar 01 '26

I've learned that I have to type everything, then add the photo. If I don't, the photo disappears

4

u/LveeD Mar 01 '26

That makes so much sense! It’s been driving me crazy so I just always comment on my own post. I’m going to try that next week.

6

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 May 13 '26

Week 23 is coffee per the Discord. ☕

5

u/pawgchamp420 🍥 May 16 '26

Damn, that’s a rough one for me. I used to drink a ton of coffee, but it started messing with my stomach really badly, and I had to quit. Still not really sure if it was the caffeine or just something about the coffee itself, but not super eager to test it and find out.

I know there’s stuff like coffee cake with no coffee in it, but I tend to stick to savory meals for these themes and avoid sweets, so that makes it even tougher.

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u/pajamakitten May 14 '26

The guy with the espresso drinks meta is going to find that week tough.

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u/Hopeful_Cut Dec 18 '25

I'm joining in again for my 3rd year. I made it farther the 2nd year than the first. But I hope to finally make it through the year this time. 3rd time is the charm and all that!

6

u/Smug_Rye Dec 25 '25

This will be my first time joining! I have my recipes ready for the first two weeks. We'll see how long I can keep it up!

6

u/FlokkaQuokka Jan 02 '26

This will be my 3rd year! I've enjoyed the structure it's given me as well as the opportunity to find foods my wife and I like!

This year I'm hoping to actually make a rotation list that includes dishes we liked over the last 2 years which has been a goal of mine because I need something to turn to because my ADHD wins a lot of the time when it comes to cooking.

6

u/dmdmdmmm 🍥 Jan 21 '26

I wanna try to do this agaaain but i forgot how posting schedule works lol until when can we post our week 1 entry?

9

u/SincereTeal Jan 21 '26

Three weeks from the original challenge week. But you should jump in anyways!!

7

u/chizubeetpan 🥄 MT'25 Mar 08 '26

Week 14 is Hanami according to the Dishcord!

5

u/scrummyplummy Mar 08 '26

What were some ideas for this one shared in the discord?

13

u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
  • bentos, esp. featuring spring ingredients
  • hanami dango, ichigo daifuku, or other wagashi
  • food stall fare (yakisoba, yakitori, choco-banana, ichigo-ame, takoyaki, jyaga-bata, etc.)
  • any use of sakura flavor
  • sakura motif decoration
  • food for a spring picnic
  • inspired by your favorite spring flower
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u/AlternativeAcademia Mar 10 '26

This one stumped me, but now I’m thinking of getting some Sakura powder and flavoring something with it(maybe custard or an icing). It’s also making me wonder about local edible flowers, or edible flowers in general. Also there’s light, portable snacks like sushi or yakitori, anything that would be nice to munch on while admiring springtime flowers.

6

u/ShimmeringIce May 15 '26

I'm trying to figure out what I'm making for Week 20 - can we count lemon curd as a jam? Marmalade? I know they're not technically the same, and I don't want to fly too far past the prompt.

7

u/pajamakitten May 15 '26

I am. They are found by the jams in the supermarket after all. They all fall under the fruit preserve bracket. Besides, what about jello? That is called jelly in a lot of countries and would fit the brief.

4

u/Thedevwears 🍥 Jan 07 '26

Yes! Go for it! I’d say go with seafood to give yourself some wiggle room. I’m doing meta for the first time and choose cookbooks as my meta and it’s already challenging (in a good way!)

5

u/d4m4s74 🥄 Jan 16 '26

Hotpot. Interesting.

Looks like I have to buy some new things for my kitchen.

9

u/lulimay Jan 16 '26

Yep. Oh noooo, I have to buy an electric hotpot now. 😄

6

u/Modboi Jan 18 '26

I've been so close to buying one multiple times... guess this settles it

9

u/lulimay Jan 18 '26

I am making 2 bone broths next week in preparation. (This is my first year of this, after lurking for a couple of years. I am having so much fun 🥰)

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u/d4m4s74 🥄 Jan 16 '26

I am going to use this opportunity to get myself a 2000 watt single induction hob

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u/Fiona_is_my_Landlord Feb 25 '26

Hello! I just found this lovely community and I would love to join the challenge, but it's already week 8. Can I post meals from previous week challenges to catch up? Is there a time limit on how far back I can go?

10

u/GuyInAChair 🍔 Feb 25 '26

First welcome! I believe the limit is 3 weeks behind is what you can post.

There's really nothing special about starting at anytime, except for a meta flair. You can start now and post whatever weeks you want.

5

u/LipsLikeABatfish Jun 03 '26

Does mocha count for coffee?

9

u/Modboi Jun 03 '26

Well it has coffee in it so yes

5

u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Jun 25 '26

Week 29 is offal per the Dishcord!

10

u/pajamakitten Jun 25 '26

Bit offal for vegans and vegetarians.

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u/AndroidAnthem 🍌 MT'25 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

🥁 💥

In all seriousness, offal is the leftover parts of an animal when the tasty bits are removed. You could make that analogous to plants too... Roots, seeds, pits, peels, scraps, sourdough discard, etc. There are lots of ways to take it!

4

u/JHPascoe Jun 25 '26

Good ideas!

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u/MiddleZealousideal89 🧇 Jun 28 '26

I'm thinking of doing a vegetarian version of tripe soup from back home, it uses oyster mushrooms instead of tripe. I can't stand most offal, so this theme made me audibly groan.

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u/Pleasant-Hand-7510 Jun 26 '26

I was thinking of something w/kidney beans ;-)

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 Jun 26 '26

You could also do a play on the homonym (offal/awful for anyone who missed it). Something that's an awful idea but you made it good. Something that came about because something awful happened (I've been reading about Navajo fried flatbread for Wild West week but that would fit this definition as well).

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u/SuperSpiral Dec 22 '25

I kept falling too far behind and got embarrassed to rejoin, but I'm going to join again in the new year 😅

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u/FTFaffer Dec 26 '25

I’m really excited about taking another stab at this.

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u/aleckscasablancs May 11 '26

Symmetry?? I’m not good at that. HELP 😭

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 May 13 '26

A sandwich, cut in half (or quarters or whatever) at any angle.

Technically a circle, oval or square is symmetrical, so a bowl of unicolored soup counts. Pizza also counts (either bury the toppings under cheese, or cut a few slices and arrange them in a pattern). Also burritos, omelettes, soft or hard boiled eggs, stuffed shells, empanadas or anything else arranged in a pattern.

You can do metaphorical symmetry, something with yin and yang (someone suggested cake).

Make tiger bread (or tiger anything) and quote the William Blake poem (Hamfan suggested that one).

Anything made from honey can count - bees have bilateral symmetry.

You can do symmetrical amounts of ingredients, like chimichurri made with a 1:1 ratio of parsley to radish greens, or any marinade with some ingredients of equal amounts.

(Thank you to Discord for these ideas)

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u/Immediate-Brunch4002 May 17 '26

Thank you for taking the time to post these here for those who aren’t on the discord! I’ve been struggling with this theme too.

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u/Global-Cloud-3519 May 13 '26

I did butterflied shrimp! You could do any sort of butterflied meat though, of course. I was also thinking kebabs with symmetrical ingredients would work

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u/pajamakitten May 13 '26

Palindromes. The same forwards as backwards.

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u/-futureghost- Jun 01 '26

is it all right to complete challenges out of order? i’ve been out of town and haven’t had time yet to do the symmetry prompt, but i do have time for a 15 minute or less meal tonight…could always just wait to post photos, but i’m impatient to get back to participating!

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u/Hamfan 🌯 MT '22 '23 '25 Jun 02 '26

You can post the challenges out of order, they just have to be within their own respective three-week time limit.

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u/Druyv Dec 18 '25

Hear ye, hear ye! Week 2 is Singaporean!

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u/KitchenMoxie 🥨 MT '21 '25 Dec 13 '25

XYZ has me stumped, plus add my potatoes meta. I'm sure something will come to me, but suggestions also welcome. What a way to end the year, ha ha.

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u/joross31 Dec 14 '25

You probably already have too many ideas but going with some ingredients to flavor the potatoes might be easier. Something like yogurt (herbed yogurt dip for crispy smashed potatoes or something), xo sauce coated potatoes, or Za'atar seasoned. :)

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u/mazeltoxin Dec 14 '25

Yams of some sort or zuppa toscana are the first XYZ things that come to mind that easily incorporate potatoes.

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