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Take 60 seconds to scroll through your Facebook and Instagram feeds. Go ahead, we’ll wait.
If our collective networks are any indication, you probably saw oodles ofcoronavirus news stories, some cute snapshots of parents homeschooling their kiddos and plenty of mouthwatering images of baked goods. But why is everyone suddenly getting the urge to break out their beaters?
Turns out, baking can be an active form of therapy.
“The process of baking, and the end result, often bring up positive feelings and thoughts from the past that can be soothing and comforting during periods of increased stress,” saysNicole Beurkens, Ph.D., author ofLife Will Get Betterand the founder and director ofHorizons Developmental Resource Centerin Caledonia, Michigan.
“Plus, making things for other people also brings in positive feelings of gratitude and helping others that are known to improve mood and reduce stress,” Beurkens says. So even if you have to drop your loaf of bread or batch of brownies off on a friend’s doorstep, you’ll still reap those benefits.
We’re all craving connection right now. Oh yes, and carbs too. In place of dreamy vacation images, our social sharing landscape has become a lot more real, a lot more homey, a lot more about making the most of what we have…and a lot more about making little moments sweet in tiny ways.
An easy baking recipe—likebanana bread—is the perfect fusion of all those things: It’s an easy win (a batch of thequick breadis often done in less than an hour, with no yeast required), and makes the most of past-their-prime bananas from yourpre-quarantine shopping tripthat you didn’t have time to snack on before they turned brown. Once it’s baked, banana bread is cozy and comforting to eat, yet showy enough to want to capture photos of and post on social media. Plus it’s nearly endlessly customizable.
Your Food and Coronavirus Questions Answered
We’re not alone in our adoration of banana bread. Compared to other all-American foods like hot dogs and apple pie, and other baked goods of the moment, like sourdough bread, banana bread has seen a massive spike in search trends in the last three months, according toGoogle Trends.
While we lean into non-perishable staples, fret about how long produce lasts, what to eat first, and how to store fruits and vegetables to extend their lifespan, the magic about bananas used in these sweet bread recipes is that they actually get better with age. As thestarch breaks down into sugars, their natural sweetness intensifies.
What a sweet way to make the most of what we’re lucky to have a lot of now: time.
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