We all spend some time in the kitchen daily. But are you aware and present with what you are doing? Or has it become a process of doing your cooking on autopilot, moving from one task to another, not even knowing what you are doing?
With our busy lives, often and without even realising it, we are cooking mindlessly, not really present when cooking.
By cooking mindfully, which then leads to eating mindfully, you can lose weight and get healthier. I wrote an article about this in the Yoga Magazine, do get your copy of the magazine.
Below are some tips on cooking mindfully that I wanted to share with you.
Gratitude. Being grateful for the food, recognising the efforts for growing, harvesting and bringing into your kitchen what you will make into a meal.
Senses: Use all your senses to stay present and focused on your task. You can make cooking a relaxing time when you are aware and in the moment using your sense of taste, sound, touch, smell and sight. It can be noticing how the food looks, it’s colours and shapes, how it feels, the textures, the smells you get before and after cooking it, the taste of the ingredients versus the taste of the cooked food and the sounds involved in cooking it.
Slow down: When we rush a recipe or are multi tasking, we feel disconnected and overwhelmed with what we are doing. Make time and slow down when cooking.
Organised: Being organised in the kitchen is the best thing you can do. Knowing what ingredients you have and where they are will make cooking quicker because you don’t spend half your time looking for flour or spices you were convinced you had in the cupboard!
Meal plan: Being mindful in the kitchen doesn’t mean spending hours on cooking one meal. You can meal plan to know what you’re cooking and this results in saving money and less wastage.
Batch cooking is one of my favourites. It saves you so much time because you cook once and eat two or three times and left overs can be frozen. That’s a meal already made for you if you have a busy day and no time to cook.
Save time. Use your appliances to help you cook, whether it’s a rice cooker, slow cooker or air fryer.
Make it a habit to be mindful when cooking. It’s important to be present and focused, enjoying the cooking process, whether it’s chopping, stirring or washing up.
When cooking mindfully, it calms the mind as you are being present.
If you are looking to get healthier, get in touch via email or I’m happy to speak with you.