I think this is the norm for me. My cause of death may be suffocation by post-it notes!
This month’s energy is devoted to becoming more mindful when cooking. The risk of not doing this is forgetting ingredients, or even injury due to burns or knife cuts. We also risk food safety concerns when not being mindful because we might forget to wash cutting boards or switch knives in between, for example.
With all the daily demands and rush to get it all done, cooking is an OPPORTUNITY to be mindful and aware. It’s a chance for us to center ourselves and enjoy the moment.
So… a few tips:
- Remove distractions (or as many as you can). If your children aren’t helping you, are they set up with an activity? Is your phone on vibrate?
- Positive mindset… I think of my meal prep as a challenge, so when I run out of ingredients, I try to do without or find a replacement (Or going to the neighbors’ is also a viable option, LOL)
- FUN! I put on music that fits my mood at the time. It could be loud music with an upbeat tempo or piano instrumentals.
- Prep ahead by laying out the ingredients so the cooking process is less hectic. It also minimizes running around looking for stuff while your crème brulee BURNS!
- Engage your senses! Sometime this means ditching those fancy kitchen gadgets and diving in with your hands. Take time to smell the fresh basil you’re cooking with! This enriches the cooking experience. And don’t forget to TASTE–I also invite my family members to sample 🙂
- I set aside a regular time to cook and do it at a time when I feel my best, if possible. For me this is at night or Saturday afternoons for the following week. It’s harder to focus and achieve mindfulness if I’m feeling depleted.
- I enjoy cooking recipes from my family sometimes-ones from 100 years ago! Even though I rarely follow the recipes exactly, I enjoy this part because it connects me with people. If you don’t own any, talk with family members about their favorites, or go to the library and look at Betty Crocker cookbooks from the early 1900’s!
- Delegate so you can focus on the things you like to do. I do not like to chop things, so I delegate to our sitter on Tuesdays and then I can more easily and quickly assemble things.
Whatever you do, BREATHE 🙂 Focus on breathing as you chop, stir, and measure. It will help you stay in the present (and it will also keep you alive so you can keep cooking yummy stuff!)
Mindful cooking gives us a much-needed oasis amidst daily stress and distractions and gets us in touch with the food we’re eating. A heightened sense of awareness is bound to make everything taste better too! TRY IT!
Here’s a yummy recipe to practice with: Avocado Chicken Salad Wraps
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