We get it. In these times, it’s difficult for you to avoid ordering some pizza or having some fast food delivered to your door.
With that said, cooking can be a great way to improve your mental health. Let’s look at some reasons why that is.
It’s Healthier
Well, for the most part. Obviously, if you’re deep-frying all your food, it isn’t going to make a difference if it’s fast food at home or if it’s fried in your deep fryer. However, cooking at home tends to be healthier. It’s easier to cook more wholesome foods and leafy greens. Not to mention, you can cook just enough for you and you don’t have to worry about having too many portions.
Eating healthy is just one way out of many your mental health can improve. Obviously, it’s not going to relieve your depression magically, but it’s just one step you can take.
It Costs Less
In general, cooking at home will cost you less. Purchasing the ingredients or the cookware may be an initial investment you have to make, but once you have everything, you can save quite a bit of money. A good example is making coffee. A cup of coffee that costs $2 at a store can cost pennies when brewed at home.
Another example is a hamburger. Some bread and ground beef are a lot cheaper when you buy it at a store as opposed to getting a single one served to you. How much money you can save? It varies. You may save hundreds, if not thousands, each year. Having extra money can give you some peace of mind, hence improving your mental health.
It’s an Exercise in Creativity
Another reason why cooking is good for you? Being creative. Taking a creative approach in cooking can improve your mental health and teach you to think outside of the box.
We don’t even necessarily mean making your meals from scratch; creativity can entail you changing around already established recipes so you can try something new. As you try new recipes and experiment a little, it can boost your confidence by quite a bit.
It Requires Organization
One way your mental health can fall is due to being disorganized. This isn’t to say your home can’t be a little cluttered. However, if your kitchen is a disorganized mess and you’ve fallen behind schedule, this may be a sign of depression.
One way for you to improve your mental health is to start organizing your life a little better. And one way to do that? Cooking! When you cook, you have to write down ingredients and have everything ready to cook.
You need to make sure everything is ready to go, and you need a way to mark down the time it takes to cook the food. This can help you to be a little more organized, thus helping you improve your organization.
It Can Be a Bonding Experience
Another way cooking can be an improvement for your mental health is if you’re cooking with your partner, your kids, or anyone else. In some cases, this involves you and your loved ones getting out and grabbing the ingredients, making it a fun little bonding experience.
However, there are times where it could involve your kids cooking with you. They are learning, and cooking with them can make you feel much better.
It Teaches You Patience
One downside of cooking is that it can take a while. Modern technology has certainly streamlined the process, but there is still a lot of work that needs to get done. For example, you still need to wait a while to preheat the oven, and mixing the ingredients can take a while, too. Not to mention, perfecting the recipe.
There may be times where you think you got the recipe down, only for you to end up failing it. What you thought was supposed to turn out okay ends up being burnt, or not tasting as good. Some people end up giving up and order pizza.
However, an experienced cook starts to learn the value of patience. They realize that it is worth it to keep trying and perfecting the recipe. Eventually, you get it correct, and when you do, your patience is rewarded.
It Just Feels Better
Cooking just makes you feel better, and it makes you feel accomplished. This isn’t to say that every meal needs to feel like some epic act has been accomplished; there’s also nothing wrong with ordering takeout every once in a while.
However, adding more meals you cook can make you happier and improve your mental health overall. Cooking doesn’t have to involve the kitchen, either. It can involve grilling burgers at your pool. As long as you are cooking and feeling good about yourself, you will see the mental health improvements.
Of Course, It’s Not Magic
Cooking at home is a way for you to improve your mental health, but it’s not going to treat your mental health problems. If you are having issues, you should seek help from a therapist.
Therapy is important, as some people are so depressed, the idea of making a microwave dinner is too much for them. A therapist can help a person make small but effective goals, which is important if you want to cook bigger and better things.
Online Therapy Can Help
With so many services that deliver food to your home, you’re in luck to know that therapy can also be delivered to your home. Online therapy services allow you to get the help you are looking for without having to leave your house. You can speak to a therapist online through text, video, or voice, and they can offer you advice tailored to your problems.
One service you can try is BetterHelp, which is a leading name in online therapy. For more information about BetterHelp, and to also learn how they can help your kids, click the link below:
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/what-is-childrens-therapy/
Leave a Reply