Food triggers memories, as many people in these comments shared. As clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Whitbourne tells the BBC, these memories typically bypass our conscious awareness.
“You can’t put those memories into words, but you know there is ‘something’ that the food triggers deep within your past,” she said, adding that these mental souvenirs go beyond the dish itself.
Because food memories form without our conscious awareness, they include every situation in which they were acquired. As Dr. Whitbourne explains, it’s why we also remember almost every step of the cooking process, the ingredients, and the people involved.
“The chocolate cupcakes a close family member taught you to make when you were young become part of a larger experience with that person,” she stated.
Cooking is a labor of love, but as some of the comments on this list show, it isn’t easy. As for why, author and food historian Rachel Laudan broke it down in an article for her website.
As Laudan explains, part of the process is getting acquainted with the apparatus you’re using. In her case, this made her rethink her skills in using a microwave oven.
Then, there is the tedious process of gathering the ingredients for the recipes you intend to make. It includes considering the requests and needs of the people you’re preparing these meals for.
“(You must have) A mental inventory of recipes so that you can use all your ingredients effectively, substitute for ingredients you have forgotten, (and) adjust to the needs and preferences of those you are cooking for,” she wrote.
But ultimately, cooking provides fulfillment. Research has shown that home-cooked meals make people feel better than eating out or ordering in.
As the study's authors concluded, “The home is a privileged environment that nurtures healthy eating and in which healthier food choices trigger and are triggered by more positive emotions.”
