When I was little, I spent hours watching my mom cook. Perhaps I’m biased, but I think her to be the best cook in the world. She’s not a professional chef, but she might as well be based on the quality of her meals that were regularly cooked from scratch and ready for little old me to eat after a long day of school and extracurriculars. I helped her cook/bake, pretended I was on the Food Network’s Chopped, aspired to be Ina Garten on Barefoot Contessa, and over time, I started to take on the kitchen by myself and present my cooking proudly to my family for fun.  

There is something serene about spending time consciously preparing meals in the comfort of your own home. Intentionality, care for the ingredients you consume, and the act of sacrificing time to feed yourself, or loved ones are some of my favorite aspects of cooking.  

As I have gotten older, I have started to take cooking more seriously, trying to learn new skills in the kitchen and become able to take a recipe, put my own spin on it, and develop my own recipes (or just throw things together until they taste good!). Some of my most fun memories with friends have been baking and cooking while listening to some oldies and jams in the kitchen. 

 Cooking has been found to have many mental health benefits as well, seemingly something we hunger for in a sick culture. Cooking redirects focus, provides a sense of accomplishment, and promotes creativity. Most interestingly, in a 2012 study published in Occupational Therapy International, researchers found that cooking has been found to help engage and develop executive function skills such as initiating and preparing tasks and problem solving.  

Home cooking is a total sensory experience. Sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste are all engaged. Chopping, seasoning, sizzling, vibrant colors, and effervescent flavors make this life skill one of my favorite hobbies. I have made sautéed and seasoned potatoes and fancied myself Remy from Disney’s Ratatouille in the infamous soup cooking scene. Cooking engages memory and connection. It is amazing how smells and flavors bring back specific memories and moments from any point in one’s life (Think of Anton Ego’s flashback to his mother’s meal in Ratatouille). That’s why I believe it is so important to cook with and for loved ones. Spending time in the kitchen with loved ones having fun and then sitting down to eat a meal together creates fond memories that can transport you back in time.  

College is a prime time to develop cooking skills. This is a time when we begin to look towards the future. Not only is it important to be self-sufficient, but being responsible for what you put into your body (and your future family’s bodies) is an exciting aspect of growing up. You get to choose all ingredients and nutrients to keep yourself healthy and your taste buds happy. Cooking is a fundamental life skill that can help you save money as well. Meal prepping is an application of this idea. Buying enough food at the beginning of the week to cook, prepare and set aside meals prevents unnecessary food and snack purchases later in the week. Meal prepping is a great way to be intentional about what you are eating in both nutrients and portion control. It saves time and stress. By meal prepping, you get to make home cooking a regular part of your week.  

Cooking is a hands-on experience filled with color, life, and fun. Everyone should try to make home cooking a regular part of their life to set them up for success in all areas of life. Simple meals can so easily be made exciting by finding how to incorporate your favorite flavors. I would encourage people who don’t think of themselves as creative in a traditionally artistic way to give cooking or baking a good, honest try. They may find that it is therapeutic and a great way to experiment creatively. The joy of cooking is found in the activity itself, the memories made, and the ample benefits that seep into every aspect of one’s life.