Why Everyone Is Turning Into A Baker During The Pandemic
And I am one of them
CBC News has recently stated that pandemic baking is now turning flour into white gold! Sure economics teaches us that based on supply and demand, price increases as supply decreases.
I understand why people are hoarding toilet paper, eggs, milk.
But heck, since when is flour such a staple in the household? What prompted the whole nation to stock up?
When the lockdown began in the middle of March, I got a little bit excited. Not because of the terrifying news that is going on in the world, but because of time.
With my own business that is currently closed as it has been deemed “non-essential”, I experienced an epiphany that I suddenly had so much time in my hands to do anything I ever wanted.
I decided to check my social media to get some inspiration on how everyone was dealing with the unprecedented upheaval.
So I went on YouTube, all food. Browsed Instagram, all food. TikTok, all food.
Maybe it’s my third-party cookies spying on me? Or is this the kind of content everyone is interested in during a lockdown?
Shouldn’t everyone be watching The Walking Dead instead to prepare for survival mode?
And there I went to Walmart during the early days of the pandemic, innocently purchasing only one bag of flour to avoid hoarding. Strategically attempting to keep necessities for families that might need it more.
What makes baking so comforting?
1. Convenience
This may be an obvious one. Longing for some butter cookies to go with your coffee? Or running out of bread in the household?
During the pandemic, grocery shopping can be a hassle, especially when you don’t drive (like me). So you might as well kill some time in the kitchen. It could be a rewarding experience for yourself.
And isn’t homemade supposed to “always” taste better?
2. Time
All those recipes that call for “proofing” your dough overnight, even better.
Time is an essence in baking, now that we are blessed (or cursed) with plenty of time, baking the desserts of our dreams becomes easily attainable.
3. New Skills
Sure, many of us could be baking our usual family go-to recipes, but where’s the fun in that? Like I just mentioned, we have time on our hands. All of a sudden, there’s plenty of room for trial and error.
Craving for some delectable cookie dough cheesecake? Done deal.
In a qualitative study published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy, mental health participants were interviewed on their views of baking.
The responses suggested that baking improved participants’ confidence and concentration.
While the opportunity to acquire new skills was highly regarded, participants also reported how empowering it was to produce an end product. The baking sessions were also said to have a therapeutic environment.
4. Empowering
According to Bruno Feldeisen, a judge for The Great Canadian Baking Show who has struggled with severe anxiety, baking can be therapeutic. This is similar to the aforementioned study.
It helps us feel like we are in control of our own lives, and it also helps build great memories.
Aside from that, when baking something particularly challenging:
It provides a sense of empowerment and makes us want to show it off with pride.
While baking as a coping mechanism can serve as a mere distraction to the realities beyond our habitation, it helps us feel secure and confident with our loved ones.
5. Happiness Boost
We all recognize that warm feeling when we get a whiff of the cinnamon from the pecan pie baking in the oven. Just like it’s already Christmas.
When we bake for others, it also gives a sense of altruism. A contribution to the greater good.
In a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, researchers investigated cooking and baking as creative activities to boost subjective well-being.
The more participants engaged in daily creative activities; the higher positive psychological functioning was experienced. Thus, suggesting that people who frequently engaged in small, yet creative tasks, felt happier.
While not directly linked to baking, it does provide scientific insight that could be investigated further in the future.
Researchers in another study explored the effect of clay therapy and its effect on anxiety, depression, and happiness in people with physical disabilities. Clay therapy involved the act of kneading, squeezing, and cutting clay. Just like how we would treat our dough.
The results of the study suggest that participants reported higher happiness scores after completing a clay therapy session, making it an effective potential therapy to reduce anxiety and increase the happiness of people.
6. Social Network
And of course, why not show off our delicious cinnamon buns for the world to drool over? Or flaunt the Dalgona coffee trend that took the internet by storm? (Not really baking, but still worth a try!)
When all our family and friends are sharing their homemade masterpieces using the hashtag #quarantinebaking, it sure makes us hungry, but can also inspire others to try it out.
All in all, baking can certainly be a productive way to spend your time during a pandemic. Bonus points added too for mental health benefits.
Although finding flour in your local grocery today can be a tough cookie, it is not too late to jump on the bandwagon.
Go ahead, pick a recipe, turn up the music, pre-heat your oven, and start kneading.
Have fun!