For many, the kitchen is a source of extreme distress and disorder. The whole process, from deciding what to eat to grocery shopping and cooking, can be quite stressful, especially for someone with an anxiety disorder. However, you can flip the table on this and turn it into a source of comfort rather than discomfort. And in this day and age, in which anxiety has noticeably increased, finding a way to turn something from a source of anxiety to that of comfort is of utmost importance. Just as activities like walking and morning execerise can reduce stress, meal prep can be an activity that reduces stress.
In this blog, we look into how food preparation and cooking can be used to reduce anxiety.
1. Reducing the Daily Tension of Decision Making
If you asked anyone who has to cook on a daily basis (whether for their family or for themselves), what's the hardest part of cooking? Their answer will probably be “choosing what is for dinner." Growing up, my mother used to ask us now and then what to cook for dinner, not because she wanted to cook something that we desired, but because sometimes she just didn't know what to cook. She always said that we have no idea how hard it is to choose what to cook every day, that it literally was the hardest part in the process. Now, as an adult who has to cook for herself every now and while, I know exactly what my mom meant back then. Sometimes I skip a meal because I couldn't decide what to make, and that affected my health because when I got so hungry I didn't care about the quantity or the quality of food I'm eating.
For someone with an anxiety disorder, this is just a hundred times worse, to say the least. To have to make a decision every day, not knowing what to go with—all of these increase their already high levels of stress. Food prep can spare you a lot of that hustle and reduce the anxiety related to having to make a decision every day.
Making decisions for the future can be easier than having to make them at the moment because the pressure of limited time and resources is not present. So it's most likely that you will find it much easier to decide what you will eat for the next few days than to decide what to cook for the day.
2. Reducing the Stress Related to Grocery Shopping
Part of the stress of deciding and cooking every day is grocery shopping. Sometimes you finally manage to make a decision about what to eat only to find that, in fact, you do not have that in your fridge. After that, you are left with two choices: one is to go shopping, and the other is to think again and go through the same process.
This is less likely to happen if you make a meal plan. Because, after you make your plan, you will shop accordingly. In other words, you will be sure that you have what you need and that your ass is covered for another week, and that can bring some relief from the daily stress.
3. No Need to Stress Over Cooking After Work
That is a struggle that those of us who have to work and come back home to cook understand well. Imagine a scenario in which you are at the end of your shift and you are just exhausted. All you want is to get back home, take a shower, and just jump to bed, but then the fact that you have to decide what is for dinner and then cook it strikes you, and you realize that you will not rest anytime soon. Just this idea that you won't be getting the rest that you terribly need soon can increase your level of stress; not just that, it can actually make you feel mentally exhausted.
Food prep spares you this additional trouble and stress. You already have your meals planned and cooked for several days to come; all you have to do is just get home and go to that tempting bed. This is what my aunt and my mom did when they were working; at the weekend, they would make a meal plan for the week, cook the food, and then store it in the refrigerator.
4. Clear your mind
Engaging in this activity in a mindful way can help you clear your mind and forget about your worries for some time. This can improve your mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
5. No Impulsive Eating
I already told you about what I did when I could not decide what to eat. I would just wait and wait until I am very hungry, then I would just do whatever is easier to prepare (aka instant noodles). Of course, there are a lot who do this. This kind of behavior leads to a lot of problems, such as malnutrition, weight gain, and all the problems that can come as a package with those two. To sum it up, impulsive eatings mean that you will eat unhealthy food and probably in larger quantities.
You might be asking yourself now, What does this have to do with anxiety? Well, it does. Eating healthy food is connected to lower levels of stress and anxiety, and that is something that food preparation can give you. The idea is, when you are preparing your meal, you will be mindful to add healthy food to your plan, if not daily, then every couple of days.
There Are No Rules
Meal prep does not have a plan that is written in stone. A lot of people who choose to go with meal prep prefer to do it at weekends, as that is the time in which they have more time. Also, a lot of those prefer to cook all the meals for the week, or at least most of them. That does not have to be the case for you. Find a day that works better for you, and if you want to prepare meals for a couple of days ahead, three days, or four, you are the judge. Choose something that you feel would work best for you and that you are more likely to commit to.
The Bottomline
Anxiety can be suffocating, especially when everything now seems to be a source of anxiety in our busy lives. Cooking for a lot of people is nothing more than an added source of stress and anxiety, and that's mostly because of the daily decision-making and having to deal with cooking beside other daily stress. Food prepping can give you a reprieve from the daily stress of cooking and reduce stress and anxiety.
FAQ for How Food Prepping Can Reduce Anxiety
1. How can meal prep lower decision-making anxiety?
Meal prepping eliminates the daily stress of deciding what to eat. By planning meals in advance, you reduce the need to make decisions under time pressure, easing stress for people with anxiety.
2. Can meal prepping help with grocery shopping stress?
Yes, meal prepping helps create organized shopping lists. Knowing exactly what to buy in advance reduces the last-minute stress of figuring out ingredients and making emergency trips to the store.
3. Does meal prep affect impulsive eating habits?
Absolutely. By preparing healthy meals in advance, you avoid impulsive, unhealthy eating habits caused by waiting until you're too hungry to make good choices.
4. Can cooking itself reduce anxiety?
Cooking mindfully can act as a therapeutic activity, helping to clear your mind and reduce anxiety, allowing you to focus on the task and forget other worries.
5. Is meal preparation time-consuming?
It can take some initial effort, but it saves time and energy throughout the week by eliminating the need to cook daily. You can adjust the frequency and type of meal prep to suit your lifestyle.
6. What are the long-term benefits of meal prepping for mental health?
Consistent meal prep leads to healthier eating habits, which contribute to better mental health by reducing stress and anxiety over time. Eating nutritious meals supports overall well-being.
References and Citations
Osdoba, K. E., Mann, T., Redden, J. P., & Vickers, Z. (2014). Using food to reduce stress: Effects of choosing meal components and preparing a meal. Food Quality and Preference, 39, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.08.001
Aucoin, M., LaChance, L., Naidoo, U., Remy, D., Shekdar, T., Sayar, N., Cardozo, V., Rawana, T., Chan, I., & Cooley, K. (2021). Diet and Anxiety: A Scoping Review. Nutrients, 13(12), 4418. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124418
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