Four Ways Baking Can Be Good for Your Mental and Physical Health

Rich Chicks is always thinking about prosperity–things that make you feel rich. One thing that make me feel rich is baking and giving beautiful cookies as gifts. I love to bake cookies for the holidays. I like to try at least one new recipe every year from the cookie contest winners selected by our local newspaper.
So about the second week of December I put on my Cookie Fairy Crown and get going. It is work, but also fun. And surprisingly relaxing. This got me thinking about the many benefits of baking–besides the obvious one of Delicious! Here are a few benefits.

Baking Is Good for the Soul
Imagine walking into a home that smells like homemade bread, cookies or cinnamon rolls. The scent envelopes you and makes you feel like a child again. Baking, it is said, is good for the soul. Not only because the aromas and flavors can take you back to childhood, but also because it can help you find focus and joy. This holiday season, consider taking time to bake and experience the great pleasures this simple act can provide.

Baking as a Family Tradition
Children love to bake. They love to eat too! Baking cookies and holiday treats is a tradition in many families. You can set aside an entire day or weekend to bake with your family. Make a list and create a plan. Who is going to bake what? Who gets to decorate the cookies? What kind of cookies and treats will you make? Get everyone involved in the baking decisions and process. Even the youngest children can contribute. They certainly have a favorite cookie and their decorating skills are unmatched!

Baking as Meditation
Being able to focus on a task is meditative. Baking allows you to be in the moment and to focus only on what you’re doing. One of the most meditative types of baking
you can do is to bake bread. The kneading by hand is perhaps the most meditative aspect of the bread-baking process. You can bake bread as gifts or simply as something to enjoy with friends and family. Imagine a gorgeous loaf of homemade bread coming out of your oven.

Baking as a Way to Relax
There’s something simple and joyful about baking. It cannot be hurried. You must follow directions. Everything is laid out for you in a recipe, yet there’s a creative element to it as well. Baking for your cookie-monster friends and family doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It can be a real pleasure. During the holidays in particular, baking is a fantastic way to unwind. You can spend an afternoon or an entire weekend filling your home with the delicious aromas of fresh-baked goodies. 

Remember when you’re baking that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of the best recipes are also the easiest. Bake a loaf of banana bread. Make sugar cookies. Enjoy the holidays and all the simple pleasures that come with it. Bake to find focus, bake for pleasure, bake to de-stress and bake to connect with your loved ones. Happy Holidays!