No matter what kind of differences we have, some things are completely human. It’s one of those feelings you get when you walk into a house and smell your favorite food in the kitchen.
As we enter the final hours before the superbowling meal of another Thanksgiving – it’s the perfect time to explore why cooking, mindful eating, and mental health are more connected than we might think.
The science behind comfort
There is something unique about how certain scents can transport us back to another time or place. The sweet smell of warm cobbler fresh from the oven may remind you of childhood, waiting (not patiently) for your grandmother to tell you that your dish told you to bite.
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The first taste of a perfect curry dish can take you back to that holiday when the food was as good as the vibes. And the undeniable smell of the “Holy Trinity” -Because, bell peppers, and celery-sautéing in Roux can remind you of your mother creating one of her classic workers.
This kind of emotional moment isn’t just nostalgia, it’s neuroscience. When you smell, that information goes directly to your Amygdala, the part of the brain that helps regulate emotions, and to your Hippocampus, which plays a major role in storing memories. It is the same natural mechanism that makes aromatherapy so effective and explains why a funnel cake can make an adult feel like a child leaving a carnival or amusement park after a long day of fun.
During the holidays, when kitchens are busy and family routines take center stage, these emotional and questioning associations become even stronger. It’s not just about food; it’s about memory, comfort, and connection.
Cooking Supports Mental Health
If you are someone who enjoys cooking, preparing meals can be a form of stress relief. There’s something compelling about following a recipe or sitting through the burning process of chopping, roasting, stirring, and tasting. In nature, cooking can change from a munda activity to a medicinal practice.
First, set the scene with a clean, well-equipped kitchen with all your fresh ingredients handy. Get out the tools you need so you don’t have to whip up a whisk at the worst possible time. Next, pour a glass of your favorite drink to sip and line up a playlist that best matches your current mood (or the mood you’d like to be in). Decide if this will be a Solo event or a group project enlisting your spouse or family members as SOUS Chefs. Either way, make sure you allow enough time to prepare the food you’re waiting for.
Mindfulness – bringing your attention to the present situation – is one of the most effective techniques for calming the nervous system. Cooking provides the perfect structure for this. By paying attention to all five of your senses while cooking, you can easily incorporate mindfulness.
Check the color of the fried chicken as the cloiting of the flour turns from white to brown (see). Listen for the oil to sizzle as you slowly drop each piece into the pan (hearing). There is a foul odor that fills the air like cooked meat (smell). Feel the subtle crunch in your mouth with all of them perfectly prepared (touch). Try to find each season used as you experience the finished product (taste).
Even repetitive tasks can feel surprisingly therapeutic when you let them slow down. Stir in the sauce. Wash the veggies. Chopping onions. These small actions can help quiet anxious thoughts and bring a sense of order to the mind.
And then there’s the sense of agency. In a world where so many things feel out of our control, cooking allows us to make decisions, express creativity, adjust flavors, and shape experiences from start to finish. A simple sense of empowerment, even in small veins, can have a positive effect on our spiritual well-being.
Eating and emotional eating
Cooking is one of the most universal ways to connect people. Preparing food for someone is an act of care, an act of love. That is why many cultural traditions focus on food: Family gatherings where many generations share a meal, weekly potlucks, Sunday dinners, double cooks where the role of grill master must be acquired through experience and trust (skin competitors). Food brings people together. It creates memories. It strengthens the connection.
Preparing a meal with your family or loved ones can be a must. The act of participating in others can foster a sense of working together as a team to produce positive results. It can be a time to bring down favorite recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, to share by playing the stories of being more prepared. Even if your holiday isn’t traditional or your family structure has changed, preparing and sharing food creates a sense of community and healing.
From a private perspective, cooking can boost self-confidence and self-esteem. Completing a particularly challenging recipe provides an opportunity to prove that you can master something that you once doubted your ability to do. And reserved for the boss of macaroni and cheese? Yes, that’s a big stamp of approval.
Bringing it all together
As we move into the holiday season, pay attention to your emotional responses to food and cooking. Notice what smells evoke memories, what dishes make you smile, and what parts of cooking help you get into the zone and feel calm. Whether you’re preparing a favorite family recipe, trying something new (but hopefully not showing off!), allow the experience to be nothing more than another element of your holiday experience.
Cooking can take more than your body. It can provide a foundation, Spark Design, Foster Connection, and provide a reminder of the simple joys we love to experience. These days, in a world that can feel chaotic and unpredictable, those times matter more than ever.
Eboni Williams, Psychotherapist and life coach license Based in Los Angeles, she is committed to reducing mental health stigma surrounding mental health, especially for people of color. As an alumnus of Howard University, she loves all things culture, traveling the world, and spending quality time with her loved ones..
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