How Cooking Can Be Therapeutic.

It is often hard to think of cooking as a way of relaxing, especially after a long day of work. One usually tends to believe that grabbing a quick meal or salad is the best way to go so that the kitchen can be avoided as best as possible. However, research indicates that several types of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety can be tackled by cooking. Furthermore, the simple fact that it is a fulfilling and rewarding activity makes it an enjoyable experience. Here are several ways in which stirring, and folding can become therapeutic while chopping and beating can be mentally relaxing.

Way to Relax and Unwind

After spending hours at work, doing complicated tasks or looking at screens for long periods of time, people often find that cooking a quick meal is an easy way to unwind. This can be done with comfort foods such as baking snacks that are prepared in minutes or taking time slow cooking a hearty dish. Cooking is a prime activity where all five senses are put into play. The aroma of a freshly baked pie, the sizzling sound of fried food, or the beauty of melted chocolate as it oozes out of a lava cake all add up to provide a fulfilling experience in the kitchen.

Way to Have a Combined Activity

Cooking is a fun way to spend time with a group of people. Although sometimes people prefer to do it alone, it is enjoyable to cook together with friends and family members. Children can be given easier tasks to manage, allowing for a nice family bonding experience in the kitchen. Simple cooking classes are also offered in many places, so that people can perfect their cooking skills while learning from and engaging with others. Therefore, it is a great social activity as well, with food being one of the best ice breakers as a conversation starter and for creating new memories.

Way to Hone Creativity

Dishes can be improved by constant practice and recreating the recipe multiple times. However, some recipes are flexible and bring about a creative new side to cooking. People can experiment with ingredients depending on their own preferences. They can develop a stronger palette for the right kind of flavor combinations this way. Apart from preparation and taste, creativity also shows in how well the meal is presented. Maintaining that creativity ensures that food and cooking are not treated as a job, but as art. Food derived from inspiration always has a story behind it.

Way to Focus

Preparing a dish instills a greater sense of focus in a person. For example, for some baking recipes people need to follow exact measurements in order to achieve a satisfactory result. Sometimes, mixing flavors can be a tricky task as one has to make sure that a certain kind of taste is not too overpowering, or that the dish is not too bland. Overcooking and undercooking are also common mistakes in the kitchen, so through practice people can also get a better sense of time management.

Way to get Physical Activity

Much of the preparation done for cooking is physical work, which makes it a healthy activity. Buying ingredients, chopping, shredding, washing etc., all involve the use of hand and muscle. However, cooking does not necessarily have to be a rigorous task which is overly hard to manage. Serotonin levels are increased by not just eating, but also preparing healthy foods. It is a great way to pass free time along with ensuring that one remains active, and the end result is always rewarding.

Way to Practice Patience

Presentation is an important part of a meal, especially for large gatherings. People always prefer to eat a dish that is visually appealing. By focusing attention on the looks of a dish, one can achieve precision as well as patience. Nowadays, many people are combining food and art to create some spectacular looking dishes. Even an activity as simple as cake/pie decorations can be very relaxing for some people.

Way to Experience Nostalgia

Food and cooking is a huge cause for nostalgia. This is because certain flavors, tastes and smells remind us of family and friends with whom we have grown up eating foods we love. For this reason, cooking and preparing meals is often also about rituals, traditions and culture. The positive vibes that emanate from the kitchen can help one feel calm, happy and channel their own energies in a positive way as well.

Way to Feel a Sense of Accomplishment

Finally, creating a dish gives people a sense of accomplishment. Whether it is on a beginner, amateur or professional level, one feels proud to create a tasty meal. Cooking helps you acquire a lot of important skills and can be a very relaxing experience. The best part about this activity is the diversity; a meal can be made in 15 minutes or 2 hours, for one person or for a large group. One can decide exactly what kind of dish they want to prepare as there are no hard and fast rules to cooking. Once finished, the results are worth it, since it comes out of creating something on your own.

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