Celebrating 17 Years of Kalyn’s Kitchen!
Kalyn’s Kitchen is turning 17 years old, and I’m sharing some thoughts and expressing appreciation to readers who give me such kind feedback! And if you have time to leave a comment I’d love to know how you found my blog and how long you’ve been following me.
Every April I celebrate the day in 2005 when I typed out my first post, and Kalyn’s Kitchen was born. And every year I re-emphasize how glad I am that I started this site and how much it changed my life! And even though this type of anniversary post is old-fashioned in the high-tech, highly competitive world of food blogging 2022, I love having the chance to reflect on how blogging has changed and what changes might be ahead for me.
Mostly, just still so Grateful!
I always want to give a heart-felt thank you to the many readers who follow this site by e-mail, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and even a few of you on YouTube! Without your support, I would never have kept the site going for so long. And extra thanks to the people who leave thoughtful comments and ratings showing me how they have enjoyed a recipe! It makes me happy to know I’m helping people cook healthy meals that are also tasty.
How Blogging has Changed in 17 Years:
But, I am not going to lie, every year blogging gets more challenging. Not only are there more blogs competing for traffic, but search engines keep getting more demanding and social media sites are constantly changing and adding new requirements for blogs to conform to. And it’s discouraging to notice how the competition for search traffic has killed some of the creativity that made blogging so fun. How I miss the early days when bloggers used to support each other more and not compete against each other so much!
I’m Trying to Keep Up!
I’ve never been that technologically savvy, and each year I feel more overwhelmed by the need to make changes and learn new things. And I’m also old enough to be retired, so I don’t want to spend huge amounts of time learning obscure internet stuff. Currently I’m focused on systematically improving favorite recipes from the past by adding new photos and updating them to conform to what search engines now require. But almost daily I worry about things I’m not able to keep up with!
What’s Ahead for Kalyn’s Kitchen?
However, I do want to emphasize that as long as technology doesn’t change so much that it’s no longer operational, I have no plans to ever take the site down! (People ask me about that frequently.) And I am not planning to “retire” right away either, although I may start slowing down. I’m grateful to have a few family members who help me keep the site going, thankful to the generous readers who give me the incentive to keep at it, and thankful I still enjoy doing it after all these years!
Kalyn’s Kitchen Through the Years:
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns One
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Two
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Three
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Four
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Five
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Six
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Seven
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Eight
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Nine
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Ten (!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Eleven (!!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Twelve (!!!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Thirteen (!!!!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Fourteen (!!!!!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Fifteen (!!!!!!)
- Kalyn’s Kitchen Turns Sixteen (!!!!!!!)
115 Comments on “Celebrating 17 Years of Kalyn’s Kitchen!”
I had no idea! Keep those recipes coming! Thanks for all you do!
I found your blog around 16 years ago when I was living in Utah and changing to a healthier way of eating after struggling to lose weight after baby number two. I found it via internet search. I loved and was inspired by your own weight loss story. The recipes were delicious and I lost the weight. I have yet to try a recipe I haven’t liked. I like how real life your blog is and how relatable. I’ve continued to use your blog for recipes all of these years and I’ve referred a lot of people to it as well.
I found you when you were a part of the Weekend Herb Roundup. I was looking for more cooking content and stayed because it’s always interesting. Cheers on your Anniversary.
How fun to remember that event! Thanks for the good wishes.
Congratulations, Kalyn. What an accomplishment, and how much the blog (yours) and the blogging world have changed in those 17 years. You’ve learned to move with the flow and with lots of spin-offs to boot. Good for you!
Thanks Carolyn! It has been quite a ride for sure. I’m glad we got to meet!
I found your blog around 2009 right after I graduated college and wanted to learn how to cook for myself. I have PCOS so I needed relatively low carb meals. I’m much better at cooking on the fly from tips I’ve learned from your blog, and I’m a friggin master at making soups!
How fun Genelle. I am so happy I have been a part of you becoming a good cook!
I have been blogging since 2008 and you are one of the blogs I’ve followed. In fact, I’ve made a few of your delicious recipes. Like you, I’m a bit overwhelmed with how food blogging has changed. It’s definitely become so competitive– and I don’t know how to make those one-minute videos (it’s on my list of things I’d like to learn). I miss the sense of “family” I once had with so many fellow food bloggers. Nowadays, people do leave less comments. Sadly, some people troll and leave mean-spirited comments. Still, 14 years later, I’m still keeping up with my own food blog simply because it’s my creative outlet. I’m glad to know you have no immediate plans to quit. Your recipes and photos are top notch! Congratulations for sticking with it.
Thank you for those very kind thoughts. It is discouraging for sure, and I agree that I miss the fun collegial relationships I used to have with other bloggers. But I still enjoy so many parts of the process, and really don’t want to quit. Glad you are hanging in there too.
Congrats, Kalyn! I think I’ve been following you for almost all of those 17 years and have enjoyed many of your recipes over the years. Cheers!
Thanks for the support Julie!
17 years!! Well done, Kalyn. It certainly isn’t easy to keep up the momentum, is it?
I too am old enough to retire but haven’t given into stopping blogging yet. It was not long before March 2006 that I became aware of your wonderful series “Weekend Herb Blogging”, back in the heyday of blogging. All I do know is that 12 March 2006, for WHB#23, was the second time (of many) that I participated, featuring bay laurel and Old Bay Seasoning. What a great series WHB was, introducing so many of us to new people and new recipes!
Hi Elizabeth! How great to hear from you! Those really were fun times weren’t they (and we learned a lot too!) I miss the days when search engines didn’t control everything.
They were indeed great times. It makes me so happy to see you still blogging. Every time I see ginger mint popping up, I think of your beautiful raised beds garden. (Mint is just about to peek up here, but the chives have braved this cold cold spring and are very happily standing up high and waving in your direction.)
Yes, sadly I am selling that house right now and moving to a condo. But I have fond memories of those gardening days!
Container gardening, Kalyn. Container gardening! Herbs love growing in pots. I hope your new condo allows/encourages it. Happy packing up the house! (We always joke that we’re NEVER moving because it would mean packing.)
No container gardening for me, I don’t have a source of water on my patio. And I don’t want to be tied down to watering or have to water by hand either.
Kalyn, I LOVE your recipes! They are clean, healthy, often times low carb and simple to follow! Who doesn’t love a good casserole?! Your casseroles are not only delicious but they are healthy, not heavy and yet they still leave you thoroughly satisified! Thank you, thank you!!!
Best,
Heidi Steinike
Thanks for that nice feedback Heidi! So glad you are enjoying them!
I found your blog while searching for low carb recipes. I love your site because the recipes you offer are almost all relatively easy to make and they require ingredients that are easily obtained. So many are also comfort-food casseroles without the carby components. Win-win for me!! Please keep this blog up for many years to come, and congrats on sticking with it for so many years!!😘
Thanks for that kind feedback! Trust me when I say I am always aiming for easy + tasty! And I do plan to keep it up for a while longer for sure!
Congrats, Kalyn! I remember when you started this and were still teaching school. Time flies. I now have a granddaughter at WBE. I love your recipes and have made many and use them time and time again. Here’s to many more tasty recipes and years!
Thanks so much Melissa! And I love hearing about the grandaughter at WBE. I see the grandkids sometimes on Instagram, very fun!
Congratulations Kalyn. I miss the old days and the new ways we seem to have fallen into! I wish we had the chance to meet back then. Maybe sometimes. Always enjoyed reading your posts and your thoughts. All the best!
Srivalli, I agree. You are one of a few bloggers from back in the days I would have loved to meet in person. Best to you too!
Congratulations, Kalyn! You are an inspiration! Thank you for always being a supportive fellow blogger! Cheers to many more years of delicious recipes!
Anna, my pleasure. I try to support other bloggers as much as I can. I miss the days when everyone did that!
Congrats, Kalyn! I don’t remember when I started following your blog, but I would say maybe 15 of the 17 years? Because I started my blog 13 years ago and I used to read yours long before that
I intend to share some thoughts on blogging when my anniversary comes (June), but I can tell you that I admire those who blog with traffic and google-ranking in mind. I just cannot do it.
You are a pro at this and one of my sources of inspiration!
Sally, you were such a loyal follower and commenter from the beginning. Thank you for that. I having fun admiring your cookies; that is a talent I just don’t have!
The traffic and google nonsense is just such a headache these days. But it did allow me to retire from teaching and still have something interesting to occupy my time!
Congratulations on 17 years! I am so glad we were neighbors way back when. I will never forget your amazing garden:) Blogging has changed a lot but I am glad your site is still going strong. I hope all is well.
Thanks Maria! I do miss that garden sometimes. And I do miss the early days of blogging, but I am hanging in there. I check in on your blog sometimes to see how the kids are growing. I am well and hope you are too.
I think I started following you about 14 or 15 years ago. My husband and I started the SBD and I was searching for recipes. You quickly became my go to source for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have several recipes that have become family favorites and get requested frequently.
So happy to hear that. Thanks for all the support for so many years Irene!