25 Jul Fear of Failure? Here’s Why You Should Cook Anyway

In a world of Uber Eats, instant mixes, and microwave dinners, why bother? Any cooking enthusiast will tell you that planning, prepping, and cooking a meal takes time and serious effort – more so for dishes like say, risotto, which requires constant stirring, or traditional boeuf bourguignon, which consists of no less than 17 ingredients, as per American Chef Julia Child’s classic version.

But then there’s the very real fear of cooking for those who do not find it relaxing at all. On the extreme end of the spectrum, there’s Mageirocophobia, or the irrational fear of cooking.

This article will explore our complex feelings about the seemingly mundane act of cooking – and why we should cook anyway.

Why do people love to cook?

There are many reasons toenjoy cooking:

• It helps you relax – According to the Huffington Post, mental health experts believe that cooking can help alleviate anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues like eating disorders. Some have even pushed for it as a form of behavioral therapy akin to art therapy.

The repetitive act of slicing, chopping, and whisking can take on a meditative quality. Cooking is also a form of behavioral activation, something that requires you to be mentally present and engaged (i.e. waiting for those drumsticks to turn into a nice golden brown color, or checking and adjusting the temperature of the stove) – in other words, it’s an act of mindfulness that pulls you away from ruminating over life’s negatives.

• It’s an act of altruism – Very few people will say that they enjoy eating alone. We cook not just for ourselves, but for the people we care about. Altruism helps us feel connected to others in a meaningful way. It also makes us feel good about ourselves.

Cooking is a form of nurturing and offering sustenance that is essential to people’s well-being. It can also be a form of entertainment – showing off their cooking and presentation skills can give people a confidence boost and wonderful memories with friends and family.

• It allows you to experiment – Not everyone follows the recipe to a T, and a good dose of adventure can help them discover new and exciting food concoctions. It can be as drastic as trying to gut your own fish, making your own bread at home, or substituting one ingredient with another.

• It lets you work with your hands – Working in an office might create a sense of unreality about one’s life. The artificial environment of glass, steel, air conditioning, and blue light can make people feel disconnected. Cooking presents an opportunity to work with your hands, allowing you to rediscover different textures and temperatures that ground the senses.

• It’s a way of preserving tradition and culture – Food is closely tied to history, culture, and tradition, and keeping traditional recipes intact is a way of preserving our legacy. Families alsosave heirloom recipes, like grandma’s special apple pie filling or dad’s top secret barbecue sauce, to honor their loved ones and to keep their memories alive.

Our fears and anxieties around cooking

The fear of cooking can take on different forms. A person might only be afraid of cooking for large gatherings, while another might be deathly scared of cracking eggs open. This fear often arises from one or severalaspects of cooking, including:

• Food poisoning – People are afraid of being sick due to undercooked or contaminated food. However, this can be prevented with proper food storage, reading food labels for expiry dates, and using correct cooking methods.

• Bad food –Sometimes, people are simply afraid that the meal will turn out bad. But refining your palate and developing the ability mix the right flavors can help boost your confidence.

• Injuries and accidents – People are afraid of cutting themselves or accidentally setting the house on fire while cooking. Using the right cooking tools and observing basic kitchen safety can help prevent accidents.

• Complicated recipes – Some recipes are just flat-out intimidating, especially when they require complex techniques and exotic ingredients. Just remember that practice makes perfect, and that even the best chefs had to go extensive training to get where they are.

Mageirocophobia, or the fear of cooking, is only diagnosed when your fears interrupt with daily functioning.

Why we should cook anyway

Cook anyway, because it’s the only way you can overcome your fears and improve your cooking skills. Even celebrity chefs have to deal with their own kitchen disasters from time to time.It’s how they get better.

And did we say that some of the best-tasting foods in the world were invented by accident? The popsicle was invented when an 11-year old accidentally left a soda mixture out on the porch overnight, while the first batch of potato chips were made after a customer complained that the chef’s chips were too thick. So who knows what you might invent?

Learn to cook better in a fun and safe environment. Get in touch with Victors Food today to get started.