...it’s not just because it’s delicious. It's called baking for self-care, my friends.
Over the course of the last few weeks, people have been putting their hearts and souls into kitchen projects - and as a card-carrying member of the My Heart Is In The Kitchen Society, this sets my heart aflutter. All the banana breads, sourdoughs, stew, soups, pickled veg happening out there? I see you and I love you.
Now listen, this may seem like an odd phenomenon of this bizarro time that we live in. But there’s actually a really good (scientific!) reason that we’re all baking so much now. It’s not because treats are delicious (they are!). Or simply because going out is harder (it really is). And it’s not even because we’re bored (though that’s part of it).
It’s this:
We’re cooking and baking so much right now because it’s therapy.
Plain and simple.
Cooking and baking is for self-care.
The idea of cooking/baking as a therapeutic activity has become a hot topic in the past few years and something that I’ve been interested in for quite awhile. In fact, this is a blog that I’ve been meaning to write for almost a year now.
Obviously, not the quarantine part… who could have predicted this particular mess we’re in...
But I’ve been wanting to write this piece to talk about the wellness benefits of baking and cooking. To explore what it means to cook for necessity versus cooking for self-care (these are different!). To encourage you to get into the kitchen and play around. And to use your time there as an act of joy, meditation and SELF-CARE.
Baking is an incredibly effective self-care activity in normal times, and especially now.
Why? Well, for a few very interesting reasons:
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Baking encourages mindfulness.
Focusing on the feel of the ingredients, the smells of the sauce, the sizzle of the aromatics brings you right into the present moment. The repetitive nature of chopping and whisking, smashing bananas with a fork, whipping together batter has a soothing effect on your otherwise busy mind. And when you do find your mind wandering in the kitchen, the smell of that burning onion will bring you right back to the task at hand.
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Baking gives you a creative outlet.
Riffing on a recipe can give you a sense of control and empowerment. Even if you’re following a recipe, you may find that you don’t have quite enough of an ingredient or your medium sized saucepan is dirty. That forces you to think creatively about how to accomplish the task as best you can given what you have.
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Baking provides you with a sense of purpose.
You need to feed yourself. It’s among our most basic human needs. So setting yourself upon a task that will end with (hopefully delicious) nourishment for your body will make you feel productive and accomplished.
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Baking can create a sense of deep connection.
...even to others when they’re not with us. Chances are that you’re baking a recipe someone shared with you. Or that you’re baking to share your creation with other people. Even if those people aren’t physically with you, that social bond is there. The act of providing a necessity for survival to others (yes, those CC cookies count here!) is one of our most basic forms of human nurturing.
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Baked goods can provide chemical benefits to our brain.
Certain nutrients like Vitamin C, Complex Carbs, Magnesium and Omega-3 Fatty Acids have been shown to relieve stress. (Source) So simply by incorporating whole wheat flours, nuts and seeds into your recipes, you’re helping keep your brain chemistry in balance to maintain low stress levels.
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All of this goes for both baking and cooking. Mixing up a batch of banana bread and making a pot of soup can both be approached from a place of self-care.
So during this time of uncertainty, confusion, high anxiety and low social interaction, baking and/or cooking can provide an amazing outlet for self-care. We can double down on those positive feelings of creativity, purpose and productivity, while actually nourishing our bodies.
Looking for some recipes to get into the culinary therapy zone? These are some of my favorites - and most are made from pantry staples, so you don’t have to wait until your next trip to the store!
Great Recipes for Quarantine Baking/Cooking Projects:
- Soft Pretzels
- Lemon Poppyseed Scones
- Blueberry Muffins
- Carrot Cake with Creamed Cheese Frosting
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Beef Bourguignon
That said, there’s also a big difference between cooking for necessity and cooking for self-care. For all of us, there are times that we can’t or don’t want to make another meal as busy parents, millennials working too many hours, people juggling multiple jobs, etc. I see you.
Not every meal will be a blissful Julia Child-esque episode, but striving to take some of your time in the kitchen to relax can be really therapeutic. For starters, it helps to have a base level of comfort in the kitchen... even if it's just boiling water and making mac and cheese from a box. (Side note: there are few things in this world that aren't made better with a box of Annie's Mac and Cheese.)
The more you do this, the more you'll start to feel comfortable, and even joyful, in the kitchen!
From there, try turning on some music and finding a recipe that you know/love. Maybe it’s something your grandmother made or the first recipe that you learned to cook. Gather all your ingredients and equipment and have fun!
That’s what baking/cooking therapy is all about anyway!
To read more about culinary art therapy and cooking for self-care, I highly suggest these articles:
- How Cooking Dinner Helps You Bounce Back from a Tough Day
- The Very Real Psychological Benefits Of Cooking For Other People
- How Something Called 'Culinary Arts Therapy' Can Change Your Life
- WSJ: Culinary Therapy & The Road to Mental Health Through The Kitchen
Do you find baking/cooking to be a stress-reducing activity? What do you think about this?
P.S. Of course, I have to recognize the privilege in approaching cooking/baking as self-care, versus as a necessity. There are huge issues surrounding food availability, accessibility and affordability here in the US and around the world that can’t be overlooked.
That’s why I’m a big supporter of organizations helping to provide food for those in need. World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry are two organizations working especially hard right now as there are more and more people out of work, and obtaining groceries becomes increasingly difficult.
sandra Z kowalski says
Great article and we have been doing our self care part trying lots of new recipes. Wanted to try baking bread but our local store which has had pretty much everything else we needed, has had a continual shortage of yeast.
sipandspice says
Thank you - it felt good to finally write this piece! Exploring new recipes is also a great way to "travel" through food, when we can't do it physically. And yeast just popped back up in our store last week... hope you can find it soon. Or maybe a fairy may find a way to get some to you 🙂