As part of our 12 Days of Self Care blog series today we are highlighting another easy way to care for yourself during this stressful time. Today we are talking about cooking! If you are a cooking newbie or had bad experiences in the past I hope the following points will change your mind!

1. It’s a great creative outlet.

   I’m not gifted creatively. I can’t paint, I can’t draw, I can’t dance. That's why cooking is so special to me. It lets me play with flavor, colour, texture, taste. It’s really fun to experiment!

2. You can eat better tasting food for less money

   I love eating! If I could eat all day and never get full, I would. Unfortunately my budget won’t allow that! Luckily cooking is a great way to stretch your money. Not only do you save money but it also lets you customize your meal to your liking, unlike restaurant food.  

3. It’s a skill you can use to impress you family, friends or crush.

   Cooking delicious food doesn’t have to be hard, in fact it’s best to start simple. Think about your favourite comfort food. Chicken noodle soup? Spaghetti and meatballs? Broccoli  Cheese Soup? Grilled cheese and tomato soup? Chicken Fingers? All of these meals are comforting and fairly affordable. Making a meal for someone shows that you care and is pretty impressive as well!

4. It’s relaxing!

   Cooking uses all of your senses which forces you to fully focus on the recipe. I feel like this is so important in our super busy world, we are almost always doing more than one thing at a time. Use cooking as an opportunity to slow down!

5. You don’t need to be an expert!

   There are so many free recipes online available in so many different formats. You can watch videos, just read the recipes, or read and look at pictures that accompany recipes. There is something for everyone! My only piece of advice would be to fully read over the recipe before you get started, that way you don’t run into any surprises while you’re cooking!

6. It’s better for the planet!

   Fast food involves a lot of chemicals, packaging and transportation over long distances. Cooking for yourself/your family can decrease waste.

7. Learning a new skill will increase your confidence

   Start out with a few simple recipes and master them. Once you feel comfortable cooking them you will feel prepared for any situation. Friendsgiving?! Bring it on! Meal prep? No problem!

8. Baked goods and meals are great gifts!

   The holiday season can be expensive. Cut costs by cooking or baking for someone. It’s special to receive a homemade gift, especially if it’s tasty and made with love.

If you want to start your cooking journey check out the following blogs/resources:

• https://www.dietitians.ca/Media/Nutrition-Month/Recipe-Ideas.aspx

• https://www.supercook.com/#/recipes

• http://www.cookspiration.com/

• https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/tips-healthy-eating/eat-well-recipes.html

• https://minimalistbaker.com/

• Your local library has lots of cookbooks you can peruse to get some inspiration!

• Also Pinterest!

This is not an exhaustive list. Once you start exploring you will be able to hone in on your preferences and go from there.