A beginner's guide to: Cooking (mindful)

mindful cooking, intentional cooking, mindful meal prep, cooking with care, food mindfulness

Cooking mindfully is about fully engaging with the process of preparing meals. It emphasises awareness, intentionality and enjoyment, turning cooking into a deep sensory experience.

In a hurry and don't have any questions?

  1. Check out our safety recommendations.

  2. Decide what dish or meal you are going to prepare.

  3. Collect the ingredients and cooking tools you need.

  4. Put on an apron and put aside all other distractions so you can focus all of your attention on the process.

  5. Once you are set up, head to our Practice Guides and get started.

Looking for detailed practice guides? Hang tight, they are coming soon!

What is mindful cooking?

Mindful cooking is more than just preparing food – it’s about being present and connected throughout the entire process. From choosing a dish, finding a recipe and selecting ingredients to stirring, chopping and tasting, each step offers an opportunity to slow down and engage with your senses. By paying attention to the smells, sounds and textures, you transform cooking from a routine task into an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. This approach encourages you to cook with intention, recognising the nourishment and care you’re providing to yourself and others.

Whether you're creating a simple dish or an elaborate meal, conscious cooking can elevate the experience, allowing you to appreciate each moment. Ready to turn your kitchen into a space for creativity and reflection? Let’s dive into the essentials of mindful cooking.

Why cooking mindfully is good for you

Mindful cooking improves physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing by encouraging focused attention, intention and a deeper connection with food. For more excellent reasons to get into this activity, take a look at the research!

Reduced stress

Emotional well-being

Enhanced enjoyment of food

Self well-being

Improved nutritional choices

Physical well-being

Emotional fulfilment

Emotional well-being, Self well-being

Increased creativity

Self well-being

People who love cooking

Jamie Oliver

Person

Zoë Kravitz

Actor

Richie McCaw

Sports

"Chef's Table" (Netflix Series)

TV Show

Real people's experiences

Starting cooking mindfully? Read this first

Ready to start searching for recipes? Hold on! Before you dive in, there are a few important things to consider. While cooking consciously is quite straightforward, the following info will ensure your first mindful cooking moment is just the beginning of many more great experiences to come.

Safety

⚠️

Maintain a well-ventilated and organised cooking area.

What you might experience

🤔

"What am I supposed to focus on first?"

😬

"Why am I getting distracted?"

😌

"This is taking longer than I thought."

🤷‍♂️

"I wonder if I’m doing this right?"

🙂

"I actually feel pretty good!"

Getting started guides coming soon...

Are you ready to start cooking mindfully?

We are busy working on detailed getting started guides and individual practice guides to follow.

What you need to know about cooking

Wondering whether you should start on your own, in a class, or 1:1 with a teacher? Explore the table below and discover everything you need to know to get your practice started right now.

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Recommendation for first-timer

Availability

Average cost per session

Special equipment required

Potential for socialisation & community

Safety & skill building

Space or privacy required

Ease of scheduling

Setup time

Active practice time

Unexpected advantages

Ancestry, history, facts and other trivia

Julia Child was known for bringing French cuisine to the American public through her TV show.

Honey stored in sealed containers never spoils and can last hundreds of years.

The Maillard reaction is a chemical process between amino acids and sugars that gives browned food its unique flavor.

The first recorded recipe dates back to around 1730 BC and was written on a cuneiform tablet.

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3 facts

Popular memes

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11 memes

Academic research we rate

A Dyadic Cooking-Based Intervention for Improving Subjective Health and Well-Being of Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline and Their Caregivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Yu, R., Lai, D., Leung, G., Tong, C., Yuen, S., & Woo, J. (2023). A Dyadic Cooking-Based Intervention for Improving Subjective Health and Well-Being of Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline and Their Caregivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, 27(10), 824–832. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1990-1

Impact of Cooking and Home Food Preparation Interventions Among Adults: A Systematic Review (2011–2016)

Reicks, M., Kocher, M., & Reeder, J. (2018). Impact of Cooking and Home Food Preparation Interventions Among Adults: A Systematic Review (2011–2016). Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 50(2), 148-172.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2017.08.004

Psychosocial Benefits of Cooking Interventions: A Systematic Review

Farmer, N., Touchton-Leonard, K., & Ross, A. (2017). Psychosocial Benefits of Cooking Interventions: A Systematic Review. Health Education & Behavior, 45(2), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198117736352

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7 research pieces

Introduction guides from around the web

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