Akwaaba, my people. As the first harmattan winds of 2026 brush across Ghana, carrying the scent of dust and change, our minds naturally turn to renewal. We scribble goals in new diaries, join queues at the gym, and pledge to become “better.” Yet, so often, these resolutions feel foreign—imported plans that wilt under the weight of our vibrant, demanding reality. They ask us to shrink, to subtract, to live in lack.
But what if this year, our blueprint for “eating well and living well” wasn’t found in a distant magazine, but right here? In the very soil of our farms, the chatter of our markets, and the wisdom of our grandmothers’ kitchens? True wellness in Ghana is not about restriction; it is about returning and reimagining. It is about recognising that the most powerful ingredients for a thriving life have been here all along, waiting for us to see them with fresh eyes.
So, let’s set resolutions that taste like home. Resolutions that nourish our bodies, sustain our communities, and spark joy in our souls. Here is your guide to Ghanaian Food Resolutions for 2025.
1. Resolution: Eat More Whole Foods. The Ghanaian Way: Rediscover Your Roots & Greens.
Forget expensive, imported “superfoods” wrapped in plastic. Our true power foods are the colourful, gritty, and glorious whole foods that have sustained generations.
- The Why: This is about reconnecting with the energy of the earth. It’s about fibre, vitality, and the deep satisfaction that comes from food in its most honest form.
- The How:
- Celebrate the Humble Tuber: Let’s move beyond just boiling yam or cassava. Discover the creamy richness of yakeyake (pounded yam) paired with a light, nutty nkatenkwan (groundnut soup) loaded with mushrooms. Roast sweet potatoes with a drizzle of local honey and a sprinkle of sorghum pops for a textured, wholesome snack.
- Make Greens the Star: Our leafy vegetables—kontomire, aleefu, ayoyo, gboma—are nutrient-dense wonders. Move beyond using them as mere soup ingredients. Sauté ayoyo with garlic, ginger, and a dash of dawadawa for a stunning side dish. Make a vibrant gboma salad with sliced onions, fresh tomatoes, and a tangy lemon-shito vinaigrette.
- Embrace Local Grains: Seek out fonio, the ancient, gluten-free grain that cooks in minutes. Try it as a savoury porridge or a fluffy base for stews. Rediscover aprapransa (ground corn) not just as a breakfast, but as a savoury, spiced dinner bowl.
The Experience: Last Tuesday, at Madina Market, I watched an auntie deftly separate the most beautiful bunches of aleefu. I bought one, took it home, and cooked it down with smoked turkey, garden eggs, and a hint of chilli. That single pot, eaten with a small ball of fufu, was more grounding and nourishing than any fancy salad I’ve ever ordered. It was food with a story, food with soul.
2. Resolution: Support Local, Radically.
Our food choices are economic votes. Let’s invest in the ecosystem that feeds us, from the farmer to the fishmonger.
- The Why: This builds food sovereignty, keeps money in our communities, and ensures fresher, more nutritious ingredients on our tables.
- The How:
- Commit to the Market: Dedicate one Saturday a month to your local market. Go to Kaneshie, Makola, or your community hub. Talk to the sellers. Learn what’s in season. Smell the fresh peppers, feel the firmness of the fish. This isn’t just shopping; it’s a sensory immersion in abundance.
- Know Your Fisherman: Bypass the frozen aisle. Find the fresh fish stall. Ask for ako (mackerel) or kpanla (dry fish) from our waters. The difference in a soup is profound—a depth of flavour that stock cubes can only dream of.
- Choose Ghanaian-Made Pantry Staples: Seek out locally produced palm oil, shea butter for cooking, dawadawa cubes, and sea salt from the Ada Salt Flats. These products preserve traditional knowledge and have a lower environmental footprint.
The Experience: I’ve started buying my tomatoes from a specific woman at Agbogbloshie who gets hers from her farm in Dodowa. They are imperfect, sometimes blemished, and burst with a sweet, acidic flavour that the uniformly round, imported ones lack. That relationship—that direct line from soil to pot—tastes like integrity.
3. Resolution: Master One Heritage Recipe.
In the rush of modern life, we risk losing the art of our own cuisine. This year, choose one dish and learn it with reverence.
- The Why: It’s an act of cultural preservation and personal pride. The confidence that comes from knowing you can create a foundational dish is unparalleled.
- The How:
- Go Beyond Watching: Don’t just watch your mother or auntie. Cook with them. Ask “why.” Why do you fry the onions first? Why do you add the dawadawa at that stage? Take notes, not just on ingredients, but on technique and intuition.
- Choose Your Dish: Is it the perfect, smooth okro stew? The art of frying kelewele that’s crispy outside, soft inside, and perfectly spiced? Is it your family’s specific method for jollof, the one that involves a particular layering technique?
- Source the Best Ingredients: Make your mastery project special. Seek out the best rice for your jollof, the freshest okro, the ripest plantains. Honour the dish by giving it the best you can find.
The Experience: My project this year is omuo tuo (rice balls) and groundnut soup—not just any, but the specific way my grandmother from the North made it. It meant finding the right, coarse-ground peanuts, slow-roasting them myself, and learning the patience to stir the soup to its perfect, creamy consistency. The first successful pot was more than a meal; it was a communion.
4. Resolution: Reinvent Your Leftovers Creatively.
We are a nation of abundant cookers, which means we are a nation of leftover experts. Let’s move beyond mere re-heating and into the realm of creative revival.
- The Why: It fights food waste, saves money, and sparks culinary creativity. It’s a sustainable practice rooted in respect for the food we’ve been blessed with.
- The How:
- Jollof Arancini: Shape cold jollof rice into balls, insert a small cube of mozzarella or wagashi (local cheese), roll in breadcrumbs, and deep-fry. Serve with a zesty shito mayo.
- Waakye Breakfast Patties: Flake leftover waakke and mix with a beaten egg, finely chopped onion, and chilli. Pan-fry into crispy patties. Incredible with a cup of sobolo.
- Fried Plantain Salsa: Chop overripe plantains into small cubes and pan-fry until caramelised. Mix with diced tomatoes, onions, fresh coriander, lime juice, and a hint of chilli. This is a revelation on grilled fish or as a dip.
- Soup Remix: Blend leftover light soup or groundnut soup into a smooth, thick sauce. Use it as a pasta sauce, a braising liquid for chicken, or a flavourful base for a new stew.
The Experience: Last weekend’s leftover grilled tilapia and banku became Monday’s star lunch. I flaked the fish, mashed the banku, mixed them with an egg and herbs, formed them into cakes, and pan-fried them until golden. Served with a quick salad, it was a triumphant rebirth of a Sunday supper.
Let’s Walk Into 2026, Full
These resolutions aren’t chains; they are wings. They don’t ask you to abandon who you are, but to become more of yourself—healthier, more connected, more skilled, more resourceful. They are invitations to a deeper, richer relationship with the land that feeds us and the culture that defines us.
So, as you step into this new year, carry this with you: the most profound wellness is not a destination to be reached through deprivation. It is a feeling to be cultivated daily, in the markets, in our kitchens, and around our shared tables. It is the joy in a perfectly spiced bite, the pride in a mastered recipe, the connection in a locally-bought ingredient.
Here’s to a 2026 where we Eat Well, Live Well, and Thrive—the Ghanaian way.