This Has Nothing To Do With Food
...Well Not Exactly
One of the most valuable things I've learned about baking has nothing to do with food.It has to do with my mental health.
Spring, with all the fun things to look forward to, can be stressful especially if you have children in school with all the end of the year papers and projects.
There is a reason people bake when they are stressed. It can really help. It has helped me personally when I needed an outlet.
The thing about baking for stress relief is that there is no age limit. People young and old have found serenity in the process of baking.
So yes, one of the most valuable things I have learned in my baking journey, is how therapeutic it can be. Here's why:
Direction: There is a direction from the beginning to the end. The recipe tells you exactly what to do step by step. You are not required to make decisions. In a world where you are constantly wondering what to do, you are told exactly what to do.
Working with your Hands: With technology's ever growing presence in our daily lives, many of us subconsciously long to work with our hands to complete a task just as our ancestors have. Working with your hands can allow your thinking mind to check out for a moment. You deserve a break.
Consciousness in the Present: When we are stressed or anxious, it is easy to start borrowing tomorrow's troubles. Baking requires your attention to be in the present. It forces you to slow down, be present, and focus on the task at hand.
Triggering 5 Senses: The smell of the ingredients, the feel of the dough, the sound of
Dough Whisk scraping against the side of the bowl, the sight of the separate ingredients combining into one, and the taste of the end product. Baking can be so captivating that it has the potential power to melt away stressors, even if it is just for a minute.
Accomplishment: At the end of the baking process you have a tangible item to be proud of. You have successfully accomplished your task at hand and you can close your cookbook feeling content.
We would love to hear how baking has helped you de-stress and what recipes you especially like. Have you joined our Baking With Heritage Grains Facebook group yet? I’ve gotten so many ideas from the things people post and the tips they’ve shared.
Do you know someone else who needs to de-stress? How about giving them a gift card? You can order it online and it will go straight to them.
All for now,
