Do Cooking and Baking Reduce Stress and Anxiety?

Many of us have spent more time at home than ever before the past year and in a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty that the pandemic brought, have turned to find solace in the kitchen. Whether you’re looking for a way to pass the time, keep your brain busy or simply just whip up some tasty treats or meals, cooking and baking is a great way to keep your mind active and give you a distraction from day to day life. With so many things out of our control at the moment, channelling this energy into cooking and baking can be a real lifeline, especially when it comes to stress and anxiety. When people feel stressed or anxious, they often look for something to distract them and baking and cooking can do just that. Many psychologists say that cooking and baking provides us with comfort, giving us something to look forward to and also provides us with a delicious end result. With this in mind, here are some ways that cooking and baking can reduce your stress and anxiety.

Edible and Emotional Results

Baking and cooking are two very different things but have the same effect - they can be totally calming for most but for some, it can be a skill that is just hard to grasp. If you’re just starting out, then it's best to start with simple recipes and ones that are less complex. Try to pick one that feels right for you and if the ingredients are ones that you like, then give it a go! Bakery products are one of the most popular at-home creations, but it’s often worth getting acquainted with the items that you want to create first so that you can make your own version at home. If you’re new to cooking and baking, then have fun with it and find your rhythm. Whilst cooking and baking might seem expensive at first, ingredients can go a long way, so be sure to choose ingredients that can go towards a few staple recipes that you can turn to when you’re needing a bit of a boost. When you have an hour or two free, taking some time for cooking and baking can leave you feeling relaxed and you’re left with something to show for your efforts.

Hobbies Can Be Effective Forms Of Therapy

The important thing to remember when using cooking or baking to combat stress and anxiety is to be mindful. Be mindful when it comes to the steps you take, your technique and of course, the finished product. Remember that everyone is different and whilst cooking dinner might be relaxing for you, it could be someone else’s worst nightmare. Baking can be really relaxing and stress relieving, with the right recipe of course, but if you’re an inexperienced baker then there can be some recipes that are just too detailed. However, developing a new hobby, and one which you are using as a form of relaxation and reducing anxiety, does mean that there are likely to be some twists and turns along the way. It's important to remember that, with cooking and baking, you are getting two different end goals - food and relaxation - so it is a really beneficial hobby to take up. Baking and cooking require numerous different steps, from preheating an oven or pan to measuring out ingredients, there are numerous things over which you have control over. This can provide much-needed levels of distraction and can take your mind off of what is going on in the world. More so than cooking, baking is seen as a form of science, so requires some different levels of attention and timing, again more elements of which you have control over. This can be hugely beneficial to your mental health.

Improve General Wellbeing

When you are in an anxiety or stress slump, cooking and baking can often be the furthest thing from your mind and list of priorities, often leaving you to snack on junk foods or rely on take out foods. Using baking and cooking as a hobby from which you get some form of therapy means that it then becomes effortless energy - meaning that the challenge is not too high and not too low. When your skillset is ok, then you can improve your mental and general wellbeing with the activity itself, as it becomes something which not only allows you to switch off, but create a tasty food or baked snack as a result. This then allows you to rely less on processed and junks foods, improving your general health and giving your mental wellness a boost.