Are you cooking enough? Do you even enjoy it? Perhaps you’re a fan of ready-made meals and takeaways, or your partner is the resident chef. In any case, if you don’t cook often, you may wish to start making a little more effort. This is because, there are many mental health benefits that come from cooking. So, if you struggle with your mental health, or have been feeling down lately, then open that recipe book, stock up on some ingredients and get your cook on!

1 – There’s a reward at the end

The beautiful thing about cooking is that it is never time wasted. When you cook, at the end of it you’re rewarded with some delicious (hopefully) food! Enjoying cooking for the reward at the end if called “behavioural activation,” or in other words: finding meaning in your actions.

2 – Creativity feels amazing

What people enjoy most about cooking is experimenting with different ingredients. Sure, you should follow a recipe relatively closely. However, there’s great fun to be had putting your own twist on various dishes! This can make a person feel valuable, capable and above all: happy!

3 – Improves self-care

Sure, it’s fun to indulge in cooking monstrous fatty contraptions such as a burrito, wrapped in a pizza, topped with seven different types of cheese. However, for the most part, cooking is about nourishment and self-preservation. This is why you should endeavour to cook more! So that you can create delish dishes that are good for your health, whilst saving money and cutting back on take-out food.

4 – It’s relaxing, a meditation of sorts

Cooking is often referred to as a form of meditation, as you get lost in the moment, focusing only on the task at hand. If you want to get into a good flow and to find peace and serenity in life, then its valuable enjoying half an hour or so of cooking every day!

5 – It brings people together

There is nothing more satisfying than cooking a dish that other people can enjoy and compliment you on. In fact, if you’ve never properly cooked for someone before, we highly recommend that you try it because it feels amazing! Not only will this improve your personal relationships with others, but you’ll have a huge self-esteem boost when they all tell you what a talented cook you are. Hopefully, they will be being honest when they tell you that its delicious! So, go on, and improve your feeling of self-worth.

6 – Spend less = less stress

Cooking can save you an awful lot of money, which can only lead to a reduction in stress. Buying ingredients for food is often much cheaper than eating out in a restaurant or ordering a takeaway. In addition to that, when cooking a dish there is almost always leftovers!

Invest in a new kitchen

If you don’t cook often because you’re not happy with your current kitchen, for whatever reason, then perhaps it’s time that you invest in a new Kitchen Essence to inspire you?  A brand-new kitchen which has been well-designed and optimised well can make you feel amazing, and get you excited about the prospect of regularly cooking. Do it! You won’t regret it!

 

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