ins and outs for 2025

what are we welcoming and what are we saying goodbye to.

Eat Drink Man Woman. Directed by Ang Lee. July 1994.

Thank you to the 26 new subscribers who’ve joined in the last few days! Welcome to our table :)

As a Scorpio sun with strong opinions, I give myself one opportunity every year to share my honest thoughts, both good and bad. I like ins and outs lists and I love how they’ve become a part of end-of-year reflection culture. They make for great conversations and are a fun way. As a Pisces moon, I’m also sensitive especially when I feel like my yum is yucked so apologies in advance if something on my lists doesn’t tickle your fancy. Let’s get into it!

INS

• the lunch combo- soup, salad, and sandwich

• the art of the casual hang

• weekend baking projects

• intergenerational friendships

• photo albums (the analog kind)

• shenanigan spreadsheets

• group project energy

• thoughtful vlogging

• gatekeeping

• the self-published zine

• cookbook clubs

• matchmaking

• century rides

• intentional sustainability

• any and all physical media

• digital sabbitcal and not telling anyone you logged off

• investing in your hobbies

• having a story behind your purchases

• having a guy for stuff (tailor, dry cleaner, baker)

• financial chats with the homies

• nostalgic birthday parties

• indie media (TV, movies, zines)

• birthday letters

• bad photos, good memories

• picnics

• monthly donations to community efforts

• complimenting strangers

• leaving your phone at home

• process- style content

• doing things for the bit

• language classes

• sharing economy

• stoop hangs

• linking and building

• plotting and scheming

• travel essays

• annual physical

OUTS

• Instagram follower count as social currency

• quiet luxury (live within your means!)

• trending audio

• dating apps

• only knowing one seasonal produce item

• not eating vegetables

• Omakase when it’s not sushi

• Duolingo streaks

• “Two people on a mic” style podcasts just to yap

• Celebrity cookbooks with no credit to the ghostwriter

• personalities tied to internet trends (cottagecore, whatever core, etc)

• not reading

• underpaying freelancers

• being inconsiderate

• showing no respect to waitstaff (please and thank you are the magic words)

• Detty December being the only time you visit Africa

• documenting your first-class flight experience

• pretending that you don’t remember someone

• judging without context

• waiting in line just because

• not following up

• only reading non- fiction

• RIP [famous person], you would have loved [modern-day social platform]

• professional pickleball

• “what’s the recipe?”

• making a travel guide when you’ve been there once (you can give us recs but it ain’t a guide)

Okay now you tell me your ins and outs for 2025! I want to hear them all!

Eat well and be well!

Cheers,

Your Friend in Food, Abena