One Small Change for 2026: Adding Fermented Foods to Your Day - January 2026 News from Gut Healthy
Published 3 months ago • 2 min read
January 2026
A simple daily habit for digestion & overall health
January has a way of making us feel like we need to change everything all at once. New routines. New rules. Big promises to ourselves.
But instead of aiming for a full reset this year, what if we focused on one small, nourishing change, something simple, supportive, and actually sustainable?
One of my favourite places to start is with fermented foods.
Fermented foods have been part of traditional diets across cultures for thousands of years. They’re not a trend. They are a practice rooted in food preservation, flavour, and gut health.
When enjoyed regularly and in small amounts, fermented foods can:
Support a diverse and resilient gut microbiome
Aid digestion
Add flavour and vitality to everyday meals
And perhaps most importantly: they encourage us to add nourishment, rather than restrict.
This doesn’t need to be complicated. Think small and consistent, not perfect.
A forkful or two of sauerkraut or kimchi with a meal
Miso stirred into soup
Tempeh added to a stir-fry
Fermented vegetables alongside lunch or dinner
Even a teaspoon counts. Over time, these small additions can gently support your gut, your microbiome, and your overall relationship with food.
If you’re curious to try fermentation at home, I have a simple sauerkraut recipe up on my website that’s beginner-friendly. It’s one of my favourite ways to introduce people to fermentation. It’s affordable, forgiving, and incredibly versatile.
And if you’d prefer to learn hands-on, I’ve been considering offering a fermentation cooking class later this year. If that’s something you’d be interested in, I’d love to hear from you, just reply to this email or send me a note.
Health doesn’t have to begin with big overhauls. If you’re choosing one small change for 2026, let it be something that feels supportive, not stressful.
Be well and best wishes for the year ahead, Peggy
PS: If you've been reading my newsletters for a while, you might remember the one I shared in September on protein. As a follow-up, I recently came across this TedX Talk that's well worth a listen.
WFPB Dessert Cream
As I’ve been reading my favourite food bloggers share their top recipes of 2025, it got me thinking about my own kitchen highlights from the past year. Without a doubt, this one takes the top prize. This simple WFPB dessert cream was my most requested recipe and for good reason: it’s creamy, naturally sweet, endlessly adaptable, and comes together in minutes!
Vegan Carrot Cake topped with Dessert Cream
Upcoming Events
Cooking Classes
Panorama Recreation:
Soup’s On! Warming Plant-Based Recipes for Winter, Tuesday, January 20 (Almost full!)
Taco Night! Plant-Based Flavour Fiesta, Tuesday, February 17
Book Review: Food Eat What Elephants Eat by Dominick Thompson
If you’re feeling stuck for plant-based dinner ideas or wondering how to ease into vegan eating, I’ve added a new cookbook review to my website that may offer just the inspiration you need.
I came across a great podcast interview with the author on the PlantStrong Podcast, where he shares more about his story and philosophy, offering extra insight beyond the book.
January doesn’t need big resolutions to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s the smallest, most consistent habits that make the biggest difference. If adding a little fermented food to your day feels doable, that’s a great place to start.
March 2026 Getting the Most Out of Your Greens March always makes me think of green, St. Patrick’s Day, the first hints of spring, and of course all those beautiful, fresh, spring green vegetables that do so much good for our bodies. Leafy greens and green vegetables are true nutritional powerhouses. They’re rich in fibre that feeds the beneficial microbes in our gut, helping support digestion, immunity, and even mood. They’re also packed with vitamins, minerals, and protective plant...
February 2026 The benefits of chocolate and the difference between cacao and cocoa Chocolate has a reputation for being indulgent, even “off-limits,” when we’re talking about health. But here’s the good news: high-quality chocolate can absolutely have a place in a balanced, gut-friendly life. When we focus on quality, sourcing, and how chocolate is made, rather than restriction, chocolate becomes something to enjoy with intention, not guilt. At its best, chocolate is far more than a treat....
December 2025 December Isn’t Always Easy December is often painted as a season of joy, twinkling lights, full tables of food, cheerful music, and togetherness. But for many of us, it can be one of the heaviest months of the year. This time of year can stir up grief, loss, and longing. We may miss people who are no longer with us, feel the regret of relationships that have changed, or carry the weight of a difficult year coming to a close. Darker and shorter days, colder weather, and disrupted...
