Therapeutic Cooking?

[kltcarley]

Does anyone else cook/bake when you are feeling down,angry etc.? It always makes me feel better and I was wondering if anyone else felt the same way. What do you cook/bake when you feel this way? I always go for the chocolate!!! Brownies seem to be my favorite thing to bake.

[pmmahan]

definitely! Cooking is a big stress reliever to me. Chopping veggies and measuring flour takes my mind off the little stresses of the day. Enjoying the end result certainly helps too!

[lorilei]

Cooking is definitely my therapy. I suppose it's like writing or painting or anything else which requires a bit of emotional investment -- it heals. Cooking for me is a chance to contribute to something beautiful and complex, and by doing that I'm able to expel any negativity I might be harboring. I especially like making long-cooking soups and stews -- the tasting and seasoning makes the journey all the more wonderful.

I'm ALWAYS telling everyone at work that I bake when I'm stressed. It's gotten to the point that whenever I bring in goodies, people tend to tiptoe around me http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[cookgirl]

It's nice to be able to take something from its beginning stages all the way through to its finshed stages (a very creative and productive process)in such a short period of time. That's hard to acheive in the other facets of life.
It's even better when the finished product tastes wonderful. To make it the best experience, I make something I already know by heart. I measure the ingredients with just my hands. Then I treat it like a gourmet meal, with cloth napkins and a glass of wine.
I have a particular dish in mind when I write this. It's lemon pepper chicken over fettucini with homemade marinara sauce...and I always tend to make it when I need to feel good about myself!

[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 08-30-2000).]

[MrsReber]

I love to cook all the time, but WHAT I cook probably depends on my mood. On a rainy kind of day, I like to bake things. On cold crisp fall days, it's apple baking time. On lonely days, I like to take my time to make a nice dinner so I keep myself occupied and can create a masterpeice (hopefully an edible masterpeice). Cooking and baking does make me very happy so I suppose it is therapeutic as it keeps me from being down and it's something I'm passionate about, a creative outlet. It's the whole experience of cooking, say a glass of wine while making a pizza or a beer on the porch while grilling up dinner on a hot day. I find it to be very relaxing. Just wish I could find someone who found cleaning up to be therapeutic. Then I'd be in heaven.

[LIsaP]

I realized this summer just how theraputic cooking is for me. My sister is living with my husband and I temporarily while she is waiting for her house to be built. At first I thought how nice it wuold be to have dinner made when I got home. After a few weeks of her cooking some of the meals I noticed that I was feeling unusually stressed and uptight. I realized that I really missed the time usually spent by myself after work cooking! It is a way to unwind, do something fun and productive and make something that is enjoyed by others-very satisfying!

[Vanessa]

Yes cooking is a great project when one is stressed. I like to bake and listen to music as I start my baking mode. When one is cooking one tends to focus on it and one puts the rest of the problems on the back burner. One thing before I start I have to make sure I have all the ingredients at hand!

[valeriek]

Cooking is a very big stress reliever for me. I think it focuses my attention on one task (I tend to be scatter-brained!) and lets me calm down. My mind is not thinking of all the different things that need to be done or all the things my boss did to irritate me that day. I am focused, and thus soothed. It helps to have a nice CD is the stereo while creating my (sometimes) masterpiece!

[BeckyM]

ABSOLUTELY!!! Cooking is definitely a stress-reliever for me. When I'm cooking just to relieve stress or feel better, I almost always turn to baking -- usually sweets. Some of my favorites are brownies & chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes I'll try new recipes, but usually I want something tried & true that others will definitely like. I think besides the relaxation and satisfaction of creating something with my own two hands, I also get a lot out of the compliments that come afterwards. Having someone really appreciate my cooking makes me feel even better than just cooking on its own, though that is definitely therapeutic.
Sometimes on a Sunday afternoon my husband will go out to run some errands, and I'll stay home to get things done around the house. Invariably when he gets home, he'll find me baking something. It's gotten to where he just expects it now -- even if I've had a billion other things I needed to get done. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Ohioan]

Cooking is an art form. Sometimes even in the middle of the day, I'll find myself planning my evening's cooking -- not just the food, mind you, but the actual cooking: handling the food, working with it, juggling the seasonings and utensils and pots, watching the colors coalesce and smelling the flavors emerging, everything in its own lovely rhythm....

Sorry, I got carried away. But producing a good meal -- no, producing a meal, period, does refresh and soothe me after a stressful day, and even the thought of the cooking that's yet to come helps me get through some of the stresses of the day. At the end of it all, I tell myself, my stove is waiting for me.

Sigh, Phoebe

[karen w]

I could not agree more. Cooking is a stress reliever to me too. And like most of you, I tend to bake when I am stressed, mostly cookies.I love cooking all of the time-even when I am not stressed. I think some people just don't understand that, too. My in-laws were always suggesting we go out to eat every time thay visited. At first I was paranoid it was my cooking, but I thought my cooking was pretty good. And my husband loves it. Finally, my husband told me that they feel it is too much work for me to do, especially with 3 kids (4, 3, and 1). I think they are beginning to understand that if I did not cook (for my relaxation and I like eating too, of course)I would go nuts taking care of my kids. Everyone needs an outlet for their frustrations, stress etc... Since, I found out my in-laws actually brag to their friends back home that I take care of my three children with no outside help(nanny etc....), and still have time to cook wonderful meals when they visit.

[Beth Y]

Ditto for me. As I noted in my reply to the three heads topic, cooking, as compared to my work, gives me a sense of accomplishment. I can work hard on something, and then, I hope, it comes out great and I and my family enjoy it! Nothing like rewards for a job well done. Something that it is often hard to find in other parts of our lives. It also gives me time to be by myself, think and relax. Until my two year old says "Mommy, hold you" which is generally when I give her a hug and ask her if she wants to watch Mommy cook. Then I put her up on the counter and we talk about my cooking and she helps smell all the spices and taste all the ingredients (sometimes for a shock, i.e. fresh garlic, etc). Maybe she will be a great cook someday.

[Susann]

Cooking is very often the best therapy I could ask for! Very often I find that I really NEED to be in the kitchen creating something after a day of teaching, motivating, and encouraging 11th and 12th graders. I tend to feel sort of out of balance if I do not have time to creat something in the kitchen.

I would also like to say that right now I am so excited because I actually have time to visit the BB again! The county I work for has installed internet in our classrooms. Yipppeeeee!!!!

[Wendy w]

Cooking is relaxing for me and it does good for others. One of my friends says that my mission in life is to feed people.