Does Scratch Cooking Reduce Stress?

Once you have set up your healing kitchen by decluttering, simplifying and rethinking tools and materials, you will see the benefits, some may surprise you!

The Benefits

Aromatherapy benefits of chopping a pile of fresh herbs, zesting and pressing citrus’, the spices that fill a home from cooking a stew for hours and baking a quick bread with cinnamon, all have their own therapeutic aromatherapy benefits.
Economic benefits of cooking from scratch significant, it is much less expensive than purchasing prepared food, take out or eating out that can come with a big price tag.
Health benefits of being in control of what you put in your body are too many to list, most importantly you eliminate processed foods that are filled with unhealthy fats, sodium, sugar and chemicals. in your body.
Time benefits of making big batches of food that often don’t require much more effort ends up being a big time saver. This leaves you with leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day or to freeze for a ready made meal later.
Nothing compares to the quality, freshness and flavor of food made from scratch.
Meditation benefits are probably not something that most people would view while preparing food. Chopping a pile of vegetables can be a stress relief as well as a meditative experience. The definition of meditation is “to make your mind empty of thoughts, or to concentrate on only one thing, in order to relax or as a spiritual or religious exercise,” (Macmillan Dictionary). Preparing food can put you in a state of “flow”, the state you get in when you’re completely absorbed in something. Have you ever been working on a project and completely lost all sense of self and time? That’s flow. It reduces anxiety, boosts your mood, and even slows your heart rate.
Creativity benefits of preparing food are underestimated, I have been surprised to hear people tell me that their creative outlet is when they are cooking. Transforming raw materials into appetizing meals to serve at your dinner table is art. Some days more artistic and creative than others. Daily creative outlets have the same benefits to mediation.
Benefits to children who witness cooking from scratch is a learned skill that they will have their whole lives. They will appreciate and understand all the above benefits. Being a good example to our children by cooking from scratch, is an invaluable skill that will foster an appreciation for quality food, giving them the confidence and ability to cook for themselves.

Decluttering

Decluttering makes all the above benefits possible. Studies find that a cluttered kitchen can nudge us to overeat, in particular sweets. Clutter creates depression and fatigue, increasing our levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Clear counters creating more space to sprawl out when chopping and tossing piles of vegetables. It is discouraging and stressful to face cluttered countertops when it’s time to prepare a meal. Remove everything from countertops that is non essential to daily food preparation. These cleared counters are easier to wipe down and keep clean.
Purge cabinets (this is a tough one but worth the effort) remove the contents of each cabinet and only put back what you use. Think about what a relief it will be to have what you need at hand and easy to access. Be ruthless with what you keep, no need for doubles, missing lids or anything that needs to be repaired.

Create a welcoming, more enjoyable, calming space that will lower the overall stress. When we reduce stress we heal.

Drawer organizers keep utensils and knives neat and off your precious countertop space rather than in utensil jars and knife blocks.

Go no dish rack, replace it with a heavy cotton dish towel. When the dishes are dry, the towel can be hung near your sink to dry for future use. Yes, it encourages you to put the dry dishes away. Dish racks create more work and clutter. They have to be cleaned regularly and they become a catch basin for misc kitchen stuff. Less work, less stress.

Rethink Tools and Shortcuts

French presses are low tech, using a quarter of the counter space of most coffee makers and makes “superior cup” says Bon Appetit

Toaster ovens are more versatile than microwave ovens. It is an undeniable fact that cooking food in a toaster oven gives food better texture and taste as compared to a microwave oven for cooking and reheating. A toaster oven gives extra oven space, as an example when my both my oven racks are being used, I can count on my toaster oven to broil a pan of asparagus. At the holidays, I can cook a pie in the toaster oven. Microwave ovens reduce the nutrients in food because it cooks food fast, destroying most nutrients in the process.
Stove top popcorn makes for better tasting popcorn then microwave or air poppers because you are in control of the oil and butter used which makes it healthier than fake alternatives. Making your own popcorn costs less money and packaging than microwave popcorn.
Hand held can openers do not take up any counter space, high quality brands are easy to use and clean vs an electric can opener.

Small appliances are not always so small, they can take up a lot of essential work space in our kitchens.

Store in cabinets Blenders, food processors, mixers, etc, should all be stored in base cabinets because of the infrequent use. They will take up a lot of valuable cabinet space.
Mini electric choppers are perfect mincing a lot of garlic, ginger, nuts, making salad dressing and pesto. I use mine daily they making chopping quick and easy.

Clean while you cook. Many of the tools we use really just require a rinse with hot water. We all know what it feels like to have a sink filled with dirty pots and pans.

Reduce the work, reduce the stress.

Steaming baskets are a healthier alternative to boiling vegetables, to retain vitamins and minerals that would otherwise end up in the boiling water. They just need a good rinse under hot water, with some jiggling to dislodge any trapped vegetable pieces.
Glass storage containers with plastic lids are essential for serving, storing and reheating leftovers, they eliminate the concerns of storing and reheating in plastic food storage containers.

Functional Design

Fruit bowl Storing fruits and vegetables like bananas, tomatoes, avocados, mango’s, pears, for ripening in baskets or wooden bowls. Displaying food in this way reflects the abundance of fresh food, a visual connection to nature and the added beautiful natural colors in a variety of textures.

Design with a purpose.

Decanting in clear jars makes for easy access to healthy snacks such as nuts, seeds, dried fruit in a variety sizes and texture.
Plants such as rosemary, in kitchens are not only a beautiful natural live addition to a kitchen, they also serve a purpose. It is wonderful to have and smell fresh herbs in close proximity to food preparation. I love to keep bouquets of fresh cut herbs such as parley, cilantro and basil close by in water filled jars.
Shelves or glass cabinets displaying beautiful serving pieces and tableware that are used daily make for easy access.