When the pandemic started, everyone was confused. Things happened so fast because of the spread of the coronavirus. Public establishments were closed. Employees were forced to work from home. Classes were canceled and eventually continued online.
Understandably, people felt exhausted and uncomfortable. To improve their mood or to distract themselves from everything that’s happening, they found new hobbies. Many turned to video games. Others became plant parents. But one extraordinary thing that became so popular is baking. In March 2020, a flour company’s sales skyrocketed by over 2,000 percent. For some time, flour was sold out in grocery stores and even online stores.
The popularity of baking during the time of a pandemic is warranted. It has many benefits that make it a worthwhile hobby during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mood-booster
Baking requires commitment and attention. You need to put your full focus and attention on what you’re doing. Following instructions require full attention. When you mix ingredients, you need to stay focused to make sure that you’re putting the right ingredients in the right amounts. You also need to be focused while you mix ingredients so that you don’t make a mess.
Based on these experiences, baking is a form of mindfulness activity. Being mindful and living in the moment can help you have better control of your emotions. So you can reduce your negative emotions through baking and improve your mood instead.
Creative Outlet
Creativity isn’t only exercised through traditional forms of art. Just because someone can’t draw, paint, or play musical instruments, doesn’t mean they’re not creative. There are other ways to express creativity, and one of them is baking.
Baking is an art form. If painters use paint and a canvas to create art, bakers use flour, sugar, flavoring, and other ingredients to make art, in the form of cookies, cakes, pies, and other baked goods. They can vary in flavor, texture, and color, just like how art pieces vary in color and emotion.
Engaging in creative activities like baking does have its perks as well. For example, a 2016 study found that people who engaged in creative activities felt happier.
Self-expression
In addition, baking can be a form of self-expression. You can bake whatever you want to bake. And you can do it whenever you want.
You can also express your emotions with the way you deal with the ingredients of the goods that you bake. For instance, say you’re baking cupcakes. You can express yourself when you decorate them. You can use different colors in the icing, add candies and other charms on top, and so on.
Self-expression is very important. It’s a way to live your life the way you want to. It can also allow you to embrace who you really are. And this acceptance can help you flourish into the kind of person you want to be.
Potential Source of Income
If you learn how to bake, you can eventually turn your baking hobby into a business. Baked goods are quite popular since they’re considered comfort food by many.
Selling them online won’t be that difficult if you already have social media platforms. You can simply post photos of your baked products with details in the caption. If you want to extend your market, you can also contact a local food blogger and ask them to write a review on your baked goods for promotional purposes.
Better Connections
Baking can help you make meaningful connections with new people. It can also help you strengthen the relationships you already have. For example, you can give whatever you make to your family and friends. Baked goods are considered handmade gifts. And this carries a sentimental value that your family and friends will appreciate.
Also, since baking has become popular during the pandemic, there are many online communities you can join. You can exchange recipes with people in those communities. Or you can simply share baking stories and find validation in one another. Even if these connections are only online, they can still give a sense of belongingness. This is very important, especially during a pandemic where it’s almost impossible to meet people face to face.
Hobbies are important since they keep people occupied. Baking, as a hobby, can do more than just passing time. It’s a great way to be mindful, be creative, express oneself, make meaningful connections, and even earn money. Given these benefits, it’s easy to see why people turned to baking during the pandemic. And the baking craze will likely continue even after.
