Cutting veggies, stirring gravies: Here’s how cooking can enhance your emotional wellbeing

A few months back, I had to head to Coorg to help my mother with some renovation work at our home. It was a full month of chaos, dust and intense decision-making. Amidst all that, one thought kept niggling at me; what was my husband managing to eat? Cooking had never been his strongest suit and at best, he could put together a bowl of instant noodles.

So, when I finally returned to Bangalore after four weeks away, I was worried if he had fallen sick of all the processed and overcooked food he may have ordered. But as I unlocked our main door, a familiar aroma greeted me. The fragrance of my favourite bamboo shoot curry and jeera rice wafted through my nostrils! I stepped in, surprised. My husband smiled, “Hey, you are home, welcome back. Go freshen up while I serve lunch in a while.” I was stunned.

All my confusion melted away and I was pleasantly surprised when I took the first bite of the food cooked by him. It was delicious! During my absence, he had not only learned to cook but had started enjoying the process too. Over a yummy lunch, he told me how he had gotten tired of ordering food from restaurants and started cooking simple items like steamed rice and dal at first. What he hadn’t expected was how therapeutic the process had become for him. It had taught him to slow down, focus and find joy in the process of creating something nourishing with his hands. His words stayed with me for the next few days. It made me reflect on how many of us saw cooking as a chore while for many others, it was a kind of self-care.

In fact, there are several studies on how cooking can be therapeutic and contribute to one’s emotional wellbeing. For instance, a review published in the journal Health Education & Behavior examined 11 studies and found that cooking interventions, whether in hospitals or group settings, tend to enhance self-esteem, quality of life and mood of people. Another  research, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology in 2016, revealed that cooking and baking helped motivate people and gave them something to look forward to in life. These studies suggest that cooking can not only nourish our bodies; it can also nurture our hearts and minds.

National Nutrition Week is celebrated from the 1st to 7th of September every year. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, India, in a bid to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition, healthy eating habits and overall wellbeing.

National Nutrition Week serves as a reminder that good health begins with good food and informed choices about it can lead to lifelong benefits. On this special week, join us as we explore how preparing meals can enhance our emotional wellbeing.

Encourages mindfulness

In our fast-paced world that is filled with distractions of all sorts, cooking offers us a rare and wonderful opportunity to slow down and simply stay in the present. The process of chopping vegetables, stirring the pot and watching the gravy simmer requires our full attention. Doing so encourages mindfulness, a practice known to reduce stress and anxiety. When we are fully engaged in the task at hand, our mind lets go of overthinking stops us from spiralling into negative thinking.

Cooking can have a grounding effect on our mental state too. Emmanuelle Turquet, founder of Cuisine Thérapie, a personal development approach rooted in cooking, emphasises on this connection. According to her, cooking offers us a chance to reconnect with ourselves through physical and sensory awareness. Her method encourages freestyle cooking without recipes and shares how this can lead to having mindful experiences in the kitchen.

Boosts creativity and confidence

“Cooking requires confident guesswork and improvisation – experimentation and substitution, dealing with failure and uncertainty in a creative way.”– Paul Theroux. Here, American novelist Theroux captures the essence of cooking as an art form. Unlike rigid routines, cooking requires us to be on our feet, figuring out what to do when we might be out of ingredients in the middle of it—like when the sauce may not taste right or when the dish may not taste as expected. This process of problem solving actually boosts our creativity and adaptability.

Experimenting with different flavours, ingredients and new recipes taps into our imagination too. Whether it’s following a recipe or giving an old recipe a new twist, cooking boosts creativity.

Offers sense of relief

We are all aware of how journaling, painting and taking a long walk can help us release our emotions, but a little known fact is that cooking can do the same. After a tough day at work or outdoors, the simple act of kneading dough, stirring sauce or chopping vegetables tends to offer a sense of relief to many. These tasks help release built up tension and provide a constructive way to process complex feelings that we may not understand right away.

The act of preparing food is also known to channel our energy into something creative and meaningful. According to research conducted by the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension, engaging in cooking when we are stressed can help reduce feelings of isolation, improve mood and even increase feelings of happiness.

Strengthens bonds, builds connections

Food has always been a universal language of love. Whether you are preparing breakfast for your partner or with them, teaching baking to your children or making something special for your parents and friends, cooking creates a wonderful opportunity for emotional connection and care.

Research also supports this concept—a study published in the National Library of Medicine found that shared culinary experiences enhance family connection and emotional resilience. Mealtime rituals contribute to better communication and emotional bonding. In fact, a survey conducted by Gallup in 2022 reported that people who enjoy cooking and eating together are more likely to report higher overall life satisfaction and emotional wellbeing.

Encourages healthy routines, positive habits

Cooking regularly encourages discipline and planning, things that are extremely important for mental health. By doing things like making a grocery list and prepping for meals scheduled for the whole week, we learn to structure our day and bring a sense of purpose. Moreover, home-cooked meals support better nutrition and that can positively influence our mood and energy levels.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity in 2019, those who cook often tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, which in turn, is beneficial for their health.

So, cooking is more than just a means to fill our stomach. It can be a great way for emotional release. It can also act as a form of therapy. Whether one is a seasoned cook or a curious beginner, the process of preparing a meal has the power to bring joy, reduce stress and even help reconnect with one’s true self.