Can Baking Make You Happier?

Baking and cooking has proved incredibly popular of late with everything from MasterChef to The Great British Bake Off dominating our TV screens. Food apps are popping up left, right and centre and with an abundance of cooking bibles on the shelves it would be hard not to find a decent recipe in a matter of minutes. In fact, you can even buy a range of swanky cookery kits and baking accessories from sites like Craft Superstore but can knocking up a tasty treat or two really make you happier?

Well, according to reports, the very act of weighing, stirring, folding and whisking can alleviate all kinds of ailments including depression. Yes, that’s right folks, cooking is thought to be good for the soul, but whether it’s got healing qualities or not, there’s certainly something beneficial about creating a culinary masterpiece. After all, cooking can be wonderfully relaxing. Of course, if you’re not particularly talented in the kitchen the smell of burnt chocolate can wreak havoc with your mood, but on the whole knocking up something yummy is often therapeutic.

 Whipping out your apron now and again can also be extremely rewarding. Imagine this, you’ve invited your in-laws round for a Sunday roast and have promised to cook everything yourself – including a crumble for pudding. Your heart is pounding and your hands are sweating, but you’re determined to get those spuds cooked to perfection as if your life depends on it. The broccoli’s steaming, the cauliflower cheese is baking, the parsnips are browning and as you stir the gravy into a beautiful, glossy accompaniment you realise everything’s gone to plan. Even the topping of the crumble is sitting nicely over the filling waiting to go in the oven – how cool is that?

Unless you have a complete disaster and end up with raw chicken and soggy veg, there’s a high chance you’ll produce something that’s edible – if not extremely tasty – and that’s something to be proud of. What’s more, as you grow in confidence, you can set yourself bigger challenges and break boundaries you never knew you could. When you look at it like this, it’s easy to see why baking can bring a smile to your face! After all, your hard work is usually rewarded with a full tum and that’s something to be grateful for.

Practice your skills and you could even find yourself offering to bake a birthday or wedding cake – no, it’s not impossible. There are many different skills to learn when it comes to baking including nailing a light and airy sponge and creating icing that won’t drip, but that’s all part of the fun. There’s something juicy about finding new recipes and giving them a shot and if they work, it’s even better! Be bold, be brave, be experimental, but most of all expect mistakes. If you do these things, cooking could transport you to a happy new world you never knew existed.

So, while there seems to be a wealth of scientific reasons as to why baking can improve your mood, there are also far simpler explanations. Cooking is fun. It’s not for everyone, but done with a light heart and an open mind it can be a great laugh. So, “If you’re feeling a little bit down, a bit of kneading helps”. So Mary Berry says – and she’s the Queen of Cakes!

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