The act of cooking offers the chance to unwind and create something special, whether you’re planning to feed a crowd or just yourself. And while you may have noticed feeling good after whipping up that perfect pie or braise, there’s actually a lot of scientific data to suggest that cooking can have a positive impact on mental health. 

One meta-analysis (a report of pre-existing research) from the National Institutes of Health looked at 11 studies and found that “cooking interventions” — encouraging people to follow certain recipes or giving people cooking classes — can improve a person’s mental well-being. It specifically found that people who participated in cooking interventions reported having better self-esteem and quality of life, as well as a more positive emotional state after the fact. Another study even discovered that baking can help raise a person’s confidence level. 

All this data and more have sparked a newer form of mental health treatment known as “cooking therapy,” which recent research out of Hong Kong Polytechnic University says “promotes mindfulness and provides opportunities for self-expression and social support.”  

Of course, there’s a difference between needing to put a meal together quickly and actually having the time to savor the process. But mental health experts say there are definite perks to spending time in the kitchen. Here’s what research has found about the benefits of cooking — plus why therapists suggest everyone try this technique for improved mental health. 

What is cooking therapy and how does it work?

There is a range of cooking therapy, and not all sessions are alike. However, cooking therapy usually involves a patient cooking alongside a therapist. “By doing an activity the clients enjoy, they may be more likely to feel relaxed and engage in the discussion,” says Hillary Ammon, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Women’s Emotional Wellness.

During the cooking session, the therapist will ask questions to help support the patient’s mental health, Ammon says. “In addition to addressing their mental health challenges, cooking therapy may increase clients’ confidence in the kitchen, it may help them create new routines related to cooking, or it may motivate them to eat healthier and, ultimately, be healthier,” she says. 

How does cooking help with mental health?

Cooking can serve both purpose and pleasure, Ammon says. “It is a hobby that can provide a sense of purpose — nourishing your body or cooking for others — and a sense of pleasure, in that it brings you joy or satisfaction,” she explains. “When we consider some of the basic tenets of treating depression in therapy, we are often looking to ensure people have both purposeful and pleasurable activities in their lives.”

Nicole Farmer, MD, the section chief of the Dietary Behaviors and Biopsychosocial Health Section at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, who has researched the impact of cooking on mental health, says that there are certain “neurological processes” that are utilized when you cook. “Similar to other tasks, cooking can involve planning and recursively going back over the steps that we have to do,” she says. This process uses your executive (i.e. planning) function, which can help regulate your emotions when you’re cooking, Farmer says.  

Cooking can also shut down rumination and other anxious tendencies, says Yvette Sheline, M.D., director of the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. “As the person engages in these activities, they shut out the anxieties and worries that might otherwise be present,” she explains. 

But cooking also usually means that people are eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, Farmer says. “These foods are shown to have the important nutrients that can positively influence mental health,” she says. 

What mental health conditions is cooking therapy best for?

Cooking can help people with a wide range of mental health conditions, Ammon says. “Research supports cooking as a beneficial hobby for many, including those struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, or even signs of psychosis and schizophrenia,” she says. 

People with post-traumatic stress disorder may benefit from cooking therapy, too, Sheline adds. 

What is the value of cooking therapy?

Cooking therapy, in which patients are asked to do certain cooking activities, is a new area of therapy, says Farmer. “It may have potential value in facilitating discussion or assisting therapists to gain insights about their client,” she says. Cooking can serve as a “third thing” in a therapy session that people can experience together, creating a gentler way to communicate versus sitting and talking, Farmer explains. 

How often should you cook to reap its mental health benefits?

Farmer says it’s tough to give a blanket recommendation right now. Some people may get immediate benefits from cooking, while others may get the most benefit from consistently and repeatedly being in the kitchen, she says. 

It’s also crucial to take your own needs into account, Ammon says. “It is always important to consider the cost-benefit analysis of a hobby and strike a balance for what works for your lifestyle,” she says. “You do not want cooking to become a stressor. If planning and cooking intricate meals every night feels stressful, it may no longer be beneficial.” 

Cooking one new recipe from scratch once a week may be helpful for some, while others may prefer a different frequency, she says. “Consider what makes it joyful to you: Is it the act of cooking? Is it cooking with family or friends? Is it the theme of the meal or trying a new ingredient? Is it the connection of eating the meal with others afterward?” she says. “Focus your habits around what is important to you.” 

But if you find that cooking doesn’t make you happy, that’s OK, too. “Cooking will not be therapeutic for everyone,” Sheline says. “If it is a task squeezed in on top of other tasks and adds time pressure, it will definitely not be relaxing.”