Two weeks ago I sent out my first reader survey, and it’s been a joy reading your responses. You are seriously the best. Downshiftology has evolved over the last year and a half, so I wanted to confirm I’m still publishing the recipes and content you care about most.
These days I’m publishing far more recipes than when I started—roughly two to three per week. I’ve discovered how much I genuinely love recipe development. I’m also increasingly passionate about food photography (which inspired my trip to Portugal in May). As a former corporate professional, I never expected food and photography to become such a satisfying creative outlet. I’m loving every minute of it.
Many of you who purchased Roaming Free know that healthy travel is another big passion of mine. I wanted to know whether travel content interests you as well, whether you’d like city or regional guides with dining recommendations, or whether you prefer wellness and lifestyle posts—or a mix of everything.
Below I’m sharing highlights from the survey and what you can expect to see more of on the site.
Before diving in, I must say how grateful I am for each of you. I wouldn’t have this website or the opportunity to do what I love without your support. Your feedback, comments, and personal emails mean so much. When you make my recipes and send photos or notes, I still have to pinch myself—it brings a huge smile to my face. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Here are a few insights from the survey:
You’re a diverse group — and that’s wonderful
I expected the results might cluster into a few large segments, but it’s been great to find readers from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and entry points to Downshiftology. There wasn’t one single dominant category, which is encouraging and energizing.
How would you describe your eating habits?
Most of you identify as gluten-free, which aligns with Downshiftology’s gluten-free focus. Many readers also follow grain-free, dairy-free, or paleo diets. While I’m not dairy-free myself, a large portion of my recipes already are, and I’ll aim to keep most future recipes dairy-free or dairy-optional.
At the same time, many of you don’t adhere to a specific label and simply focus on whole, real food—which I fully support. Progress over perfection is my mantra. I also want to welcome vegans and vegetarians: I publish many plant-based recipes, and sites that highlight vegan recipes bring a lot of traffic here. There’s something for almost everyone.
What would you like to see more of on Downshiftology?
Recipes were the clear favorite—no surprise. You asked for more breakfasts, slow-cooker dishes, meat and seafood recipes, desserts, and soups and stews. Close behind recipes were how-to posts. I agree that practical how-to content is incredibly valuable, especially for readers new to a healthier lifestyle. I’ll be working on more how-to posts and some instructional videos in the future.
How often would you like to be notified of new posts?
Most readers prefer a weekly notification rather than daily—roughly a 70/30 split. If you prefer immediate notifications, I recommend following me on blog aggregation services where you can receive daily updates from favorite blogs.
Are you interested in travel posts and smaller city or regional dining guides?
Yes—many of you are travelers, which thrills me. After Roaming Free launched, I had planned small city ebooks for places I’ve lived for a month or more, such as Sydney, Chiang Mai, and Bali. The challenge was keeping restaurant recommendations up to date. Rather than paid ebooks that require frequent revisions, I’ll publish free blog posts with “where to eat” recommendations and regional notes. I have extensive travel notes, so expect several dining guides soon.
As for future travel, readers most often requested Rome, followed by Paris and London. After returning from Portugal, a longer European trip might be tempting.
What do you like most and least about Downshiftology?
Your open-ended responses were deeply touching. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and your kind words, encouragement, and positive feedback gave me warm-and-fuzzies for days. Below are a few representative responses readers shared:
- Thanks for being part of my health journey. My battle with autoimmune diseases left me feeling isolated for a long time. Now I know I’m not alone. I feel part of an awesome movement!
- I like your clean recipes and reading your stories about your adventures.
- Your recipes and photographs are beautiful. You have some of the best food photography on the web. I love that you live in SoCal where your produce translates well to other West Coast markets. I also appreciate the inspiration you provide—from travel to transitioning out of corporate life and building your own business.
- What I love most: the high-quality writing, photography, and genuine voice in each post.
- Your honest approach to a well-balanced lifestyle.
- How your personality shines through your posts. Love the recipes too!
Your responses were anonymous, so I can’t thank you individually, but please know your kindness has had a huge impact on me. I’m sending big virtual hugs. What’s become clear over the last year is that Downshiftology is more than a collection of healthy recipes and lifestyle posts—it’s a community. A supportive, positive group of people who uplift one another, and that fills my heart.
There’s lots in store for Downshiftology this year. Make a green smoothie and stick around—more great content is coming. xo