Our Sunset Bay Academy Students achieve something that some of us see as a daily habit or routine; they achieve some of the most delicious dishes, treats, desserts that we can imagine. They do this in their weekly cooking class! Yes, our students are learning how to cook and bake and they are extremely good at it. This new workshop has inspired a lot of students in joining and trying out something new, some of them were hesitant due to the fear of failing however now that they joined with an open mind they realize that anything is possible.
“Cooking is a great de-stressor because it serves as a creative outlet,” says Debbie Mandel, author of “Addicted to Stress.” “And while stress can numb your senses, cooking activates them. It’s a sensory experience with aroma, taste, touch, visual delight and even sizzling sound.”
Many people claim that cooking is a de-stressing activity. It is certainly a great activity for mindfulness with all of the sensory information (kneading dough, smell of cinnamon, steam and heat, color, etc.). And cooking does have many therapeutic values. Physically, it requires motor coordination, range of movement, and muscle strength in the arms, hands, and everywhere else (from standing). The physical sensory information during cooking is also important. Cooking is often viewed as an art form as much as a science.
As to why people regard cooking as de-stressing, cooking can increase self-esteem, competence, pride, and perceptions of abilities. A sense of humor and light-heartedness about one’s own limitations may occur when a mistake is made or things just don’t quite turn out to be edible, so they are learning to simply try it all over again until they get the result they are looking for!
