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Kitchen Therapy

howremarkable

New member
Did you know cooking can help alleviate stress and anxiety?

That's what I've experienced, anyway. And I don't mean super-complicated dishes. I'm taking about simple cooking.

Pancakes, mashed potatoes, casseroles, brownies, and more... Making any of these is a quite pleasant task. It doesn't matter if you make them from scratch, or use a mix from the grocery store.

Another thing you can do is change the way you do little things:

• If you normally eat a sandwich whole, try slicing it in half. Instant sophistication! Or, at least, a hint of class.
• If you eat your fruits whole, try slicing bite-sized chunks off with a knife, and eat it one piece at a time (just don't hurt yourself).
• If you like to talk to tomatoes, if a squash can make you smile... Wait...

(I know this post seems really silly—but simple cooking really can help with stress. I do it all the time. Share your experience!)
 

jay05

New member
I find that cooking can be like meditation, and it's a rewarding endeavor for the type-A personality who likes to have control of things. There's a discrete beginning (gather the necessary ingredients), middle (the, you know, cooking part), and end (time to eat!), which means a built-in reward system: you see (and smell!) the fruits of your labor as you cook. Focusing on the food, the mixtures and spice levels and flavors and aromas, makes it a sensory overload in some ways, but also allows the mind to eliminate all clutter in others. The extraneous falls away as the mind focuses on perfecting the meal at hand. Throw in a well-made cocktail for the chef and some relaxing music, and you can find yourself lost in a world of your own creation for at least a little while.
 

natjacobsmeier

New member
I think you are absolutely right about this! Cooking/baking is a relaxing task because there are many different and simple movements to it. Slicing, blending, whisking, pouring, it is all so simple and satisfying to where you get so caught up in it that you forget what was making you stress. I’ve done this multiple times with just a box of cake mix, or simply cutting up my veggies. Give it a go!
 

aawaldron

New member
I have never been into food. I used to eat to live, not live to eat. I never grew up with my mom and dad cooking and showing me how to cook, so it just was never of interest to me. It wasn't until I became a mom and a homemaker and was forced to make food not only for myself but my family. I went from not knowing how to peal a potato to making full blown meals! It's given me a new confidence knowing that I can cook and prepare foods. My favorite part about cooking is not only eating delicious meals but plating the food perfectly. If I see a recipe with a picture I try to make it look just like the photo...Then post it to social media, of course. I no longer stress about what I'm going to eat throughout the day or what we are going to have for dinner because I can now COOK!
 

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