Promoting Student Wellbeing
The link between cooking and mental health
- Cooking is good for our wellbeing
- Cooking is good for our mental health
- Cooking makes us happy!
Food Technology at VUSC
Some of the key aspects of Food Technology in the curriculum at VUSC is to explore how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating, analysing how the characteristics and properties of food, determining preparation techniques and presentation. In addition to this, did you know that cooking is also good for our wellbeing and mental health, and it makes us happy?
Cooking is good for our wellbeing
Research suggests that cooking is not only an altruistic act - making others feel happy and connected to others - the act of cooking can also boost our confidence and self-esteem. Learning to master a new dish creates opportunities to build skills such as time management and multi-tasking, and overcoming challenges; all helpful to promote self-reliance and self-assurance. When cooking for ourselves, it is a form of self-care (making sustenance for ourselves and sending a message that we are important!).
Cooking is good for our mental health
Cooking is reported by some to be an act of patience and mindfulness, an outlet for creative expression, a means of communication and helps to raise our self-esteem. Cooking is sometimes referred to as culinary therapy or culinary mindfulness, and is great for our mental health!
Cooking makes us happy
The act of cooking is reported to improve our wellbeing, and is a predictor of subjective happiness. The process of cooking and baking reportedly improves our mood, can ease stress and restlessness, as well as enhance mindfulness. So get cooking today!
The students at VUSC study Food Technology as part of our curriculum. Here are some of their fantastic creations!
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A message from the Mental Health Practitioner
Hey folks, Siobhan here, VUSC’s Mental Health Practitioner. I hope you’re all keeping well.
Promoting mental health and wellbeing at VUSC
A big part of my role is about promoting mental health across the college community, and I’m really passionate about ensuring that the strategies I implement are in line with what students want and need.
That’s why last week I asked students to have their say about how we can promote mental health and wellbeing as a school community. I sent out a survey on Compass asking for student perspectives and I’m still looking for more responses, so here’s the survey link - I ask that parents and carers encourage their young people to follow the link and take two minutes to give me some really valuable feedback. Also, if you as a parent/carer have ideas of your own you’d like to share with me, feel free to email me at siobhan.neyland@education.vic.gov.au.
Resources for parents and carers
If you’re looking for support and resources to help you to meet the needs of your teen, check out parents.au.reachout.com/ for a wide range of options – self-help content, community forums, one-on-one support, and information about a bunch of different issues that young people are facing at the moment. Hope you find something useful there.
Until next time, stay warm!
Siobhan
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Mental Health Services and Support
The school community is welcome to access these services for mental health support:
Headspace
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthhub
https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state=vic
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