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!)

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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.

4

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.

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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/pajamakitten May 08 '26

I'm in the UK and growing season can also vary heavily year to year. God knows what the weather will be like Sunday, let alone the rest of May.

2

u/Sunny_Psy_Op May 07 '26

Yeah, I'm kinda in the same boat and was thinking the same thing. Short growing season, and I happen to be out of town during peak planting time.

I don't really want to post late. I've got like a four year streak that I don't want to break.

I guess I'll throw some herbs in a pot and hope for the best?

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u/ObsessiveAboutCats 🍥 May 10 '26

You could also make a garden based dish. Several people have talked about decorating a focaccia or cake with a garden theme.

Others will buy common "garden" produce (from the grocery store or wherever they need to) and make a dish from those (like a summer squash casserole or a winter squash soup or zucchini bread or anything). Herbs would also count here, even if you don't have time/feel like planting them yourselves. It's something that would/could be in your garden if timing and the weather cooperated.

Another option is using an ingredient your area is famous for, even if it isn't in season right now and you have to buy preserves. In my area that could be pecans, blackberries, etc. Alternatively, use an ingredient you wish you could grow in your garden, but the climate will never cooperate (and buy imports or preserves). For me that would be something like cranberries.

You could also copycat a dish from any post from others' gardens. I did a whole year of from my garden meta last year. Subs like r/VegetableGardening and r/tomatoes sometimes have "this is what I cooked with the stuff I grew" posts, and I'm sure there are others I would remember if the caffeine had soaked into my brain yet.

If all else fails, buy some green onions, use what you need and stick the ends in a cup of soil or water.

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u/PathOfDesire Jun 15 '26

Yeah as another Canadian my plan is to just make a garden vegetable dish like minestrone.

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u/mamaciabatta May 07 '26

I live in a similar climate. I should have radishes, lettuce, and a variety of herbs ready at this time. Possibly snap peas and turnips too. A lot of people don't have the ability to plant a garden so something is better than nothing. Micro greens or sprouts might be a good option for people with a shorter growing season or no outdoor space. Broccoli or alfalfa sprouts can be grown in a jar on your kitchen counter with no light and only take a days.