This time of year is full of warm spices and comforting baked treats. But those holiday favorites aren’t just feel-good to eat. As it turns out, there are several proven emotional and psychological benefits to cooking and baking.
And while we know baked goods are already delicious, Scotty’s makes baked goods better for you, with health-conscious ingredients that won’t weigh you down or throw a wrench in your healthy meal plan.
The Scotty’s Everyday Team wants to encourage everyone to get back into the kitchen this season and even after the holidays are over to reap the benefits of baking without the added net carbs. Ahead, here’s why baking and cooking aren’t just filling, but also fulfilling.
1. Connects You to Others
There’s nothing wrong with the baked goods sold at your grocery chain, but they’re missing that one special ingredient (you know the one).
Giving food to others helps satisfy both a survival need and the primal social urge to help each other. Food is a way to show love and care for our family and friends, especially when we attune the food to their needs (our keto baking mixes and pantry essentials can help).
2. Makes You Happy
Cooking your own food is also a creative activity. According to a 2016 study that followed 658 people for two weeks, small creative tasks like cooking each day made people feel that they were “flourishing,” a term used to describe personal growth and emotional functioning. The researchers found that small, everyday kitchen projects made subjects feel more positive about their pursuits the next day.
3. Helps You Relax
The stress of the day, and even more so at the holidays can be overwhelming. Believe it or not, cooking can be a meditative act. So much of our day is taken up with abstract worries, online correspondence, and daily clutter. In a largely digital world, doing something in real life—with your hands, can help you unwind at the end of the day and transition into an evening of calm.
4. Boosts Your Confidence
A 2022 study of 657 healthy Australian adults found that a 7-week cooking program significantly improved cooking confidence and satisfaction, the ability to overcome lifestyle barriers, and general and mental health, compared to the control group.
By “increasing goal oriented behavior and curbing procrastination,” cooking can help you feel more in control over what you eat and more empowered in your abilities.
5. Improves Your Focus
Cooking and baking can help you enter a “flow” state, by getting you to focus on the task at hand. The Wall Street Journal reported that these activities can fall under a type of therapy known as “behavioral activation.” Entering that flow state through cooking can help you feel more present in your day. Instead of being able to worry about hypothetical anxieties and tomorrow’s to-do list, you’re tuned in to what you’re mixing, measuring, or stirring right in front of you.
Happy Baking and Happy Holidays from all of us here at Scotty’s Everyday to you and your loved ones. May you find joy and peace during the holiday season and beyond, especially in your kitchens.
Sources:
The Journal of Positive Psychology, Everyday Creative Activity as a Path to Flourishing
The Guardian, Can Baking Improve Mental Health?
Southern Living, The Emotional Benefits of Cooking
The Wall Street Journal, A Road to Mental Health Through the Kitchen
