Wellness Wisdom: Cooking, Creativity, Confidence, and Connection!

Did you know cooking has the potential to expand social connection, increase self-esteem, and enhance creativity?

The process of cooking has many social interactions involved and supports the social dimension of the wellness wheel. Most people start with looking for a delicious recipe online. Whether this be reading reviews of a recipe on a blog, watching a Tik Tok video, or finding an enticing picture on Pinterest, there is social connection in trying out a recipe with a community of other people. Next time, invite a someone over to cook a meal and enjoy together!

Very Well Mind informs readers, “cooking is clinically proven to be a significant confidence booster.”Cooking requires problem solving, innovativeness, learning, and benefit finding. When preparing a meal, sometimes things go in a different direction then planned. All of these pop ups have the capacity to make us problem solve or get creative. After finding a solution, you should be proud of what you are able to put on the table despite the obstacles along the way. This feeling can be a major confidence booster!

While cooking has many health benefits there can be many challenges that come along with the process. Cooking can be a financial expense for many and purchasing foods that are found in many fresh recipes can be taxing. Not to mention, learning how to cook can be daunting too.

Luckily, FGCU has some great resources for students. For some help learning how to cook, check out FGCU Cooking Club! You can find them on Eagle Link and their handle is @fgcu_cooking on Instagram. For food assistance, check out the Food Forest located near the FGCU Welcome Center for some fresh ingredients and the FGCU Food Pantry if you are experiencing food insecurity.