It’s always going to be easier to order sushi off of Grubhub than spending the time and effort to prepare the Japanese delicacy. But is easier always better? Taking the time to make a home cooked meal, channeling generations of chefs from before, is equally important as a means as it is an end. We may be proficient in making ‘get by’ meals like omelettes, pasta and delicious chicken nuggets, but how much further can you go? What is your full potential in the realm of the kitchen and how much further can you go? The lessons we learn in the kitchen can be applied to our lives in a very valuable way.

 

Let’s start with patience. In life, there’s the easier route and the more difficult route. It always seems more convenient to take the easier way, but what lessons, skills and know-how do we learn. Taking two hours of your day to buy a steak, prepare it and enjoy the fruits of your labour may take longer, but it will teach you patience and purpose along the way.

 

Cooking is a practice like any other discipline. It teaches you about how many different tasks you have going on at the same time. At the end of the day, the product and outcome truly matters. The accessibility of cooking only makes it easier, and is one of the few hobbies that actually saves money in the long run, rather than spending money. 

 

The feeling of pride that comes from starting something and finishing it is shown and proven to increase feelings of pride and self-belief. Cooking and baking is a form of stress relief that can combat chronic disorders like depression, anxiety and ADHD.

 

A few other ways that cooking can be a very therapeutic action are:

 

  • Providing an escape for people going through troublesome periods in their lives
  • Wake up your senses and stay present to the moment at hand
  • Learn more about different cultures and gain empathy
  • Encourages you to learn new skills and widen your knowledge base
  • Customize and add your own touch to your favorite meals