In episode 486, Megan chats to Janessa Heck about 10 ways to manage health issues and diet restrictions while food blogging.

As an avid cook, baker and food blog reader, Janessa long dreamed of starting her own food blog and finally took the plunge in December 2020. Janessa focuses on easy, healthier recipes made mostly with whole food ingredients as well as oat flour baking. After a year of plugging away at it as a hobby, she decided she wanted to treat it as a business and started to learn about SEO in January of 2022. The Nessy Kitchen grew from less than 1000 visitors in February 2022 to over 100 000 monthly visitors 18 months later. Janessa lives in Alberta, Canada and in her free time you can find her enjoying yoga, reading or in the Rocky Mountains skiing in the winter and paddleboarding or hiking in the summer.

In this episode, you'll learn how you can carry on blogging throughout health obstacles including selecting a group of trusted taste testers, exploring non-recipe content and selecting recipes that align with new dietary recommendations.

- Trusted Taste Testers: During times of reduced appetite or illness, having a group of trusted taste testers can help ensure the quality of recipes even if the blogger cannot taste them personally.

- Consistency with Adjusted Frequency: Bloggers can maintain consistency by adjusting the posting frequency.

- Non-Recipe Content: Explore non-recipe content to provide valuable information to the audience without the need for recipe testing and tasting.

- Update Old Recipes: Revise and update old recipes, leveraging existing content and photos.

- Publish Previously Tested Recipes: Share recipes that have been previously tested, even if not initially pursued, as a way to maintain consistency and offer unexpected surprises.

- Consider Dietary Changes: Explore recipes aligned with any dietary changes the blogger may be experiencing.

- Outsourcing: If feasible, consider outsourcing tasks like photography during times of reduced well-being to lighten the workload and maintain blog activity.

- Avoid Comparisons: Refrain from comparing one's blog progress to others, as each blogger's journey is unique.

- It's Okay to Take Time Off: Recognize that it's acceptable to take breaks when needed to prioritize well-being and avoid burnout.

- Make Peace with Pivoting Plans: Be flexible with goals and plans, acknowledging that unexpected changes may lead to new and positive outcomes.

Connect with Janessa Heck

Website | Instagram