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How Shared Baking Experiences Leave Lasting Impressions

How Shared Baking Experiences Leave Lasting Impressions

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No offense to game night, but I believe baking is the perfect activity for creating happy memories.

It’s just too multisensory to take a back seat to board games or family night movies.

Curious? Read on as I explain more!

Why Baking Is Good for Leaving Lasting Memories

Baking is a sweet, memory-making symphony. The smells, the colors, the feel of flour on your fingertips, and the taste of freshly baked goods all play a role.

Here’s how:

Aroma

The sense of smell is a powerful thing. It’s so powerful, in fact, that scientists believe that it’s closely linked to memory.

So ask yourself, what do good memories smell like?

I’d say it depends on the occasion and general vibe.

For instance, most would agree that Christmas smells of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. That’s the good ‘ol gingerbread cookie.

Meanwhile, Valentine’s Day is closer to roses, strawberries, and chocolate.

Either way, you can use baked goods to reinforce happy memories of your family’s traditions.

Visual Appeal

You’ll attend lots of birthdays over the years. Most of them will likely feature the reliable (but admittedly basic) cake mix.

But the one time you baked an absolute showstopper? That birthday is going to be really hard to forget.

I mean, the compliments you’ll reel in alone should help etch the day in your mind!

Fun, Hands-on Process

A survey found that over half of millennials (~59%) would bake just to spend quality time with their loved ones.

If I were to guess, I’d say this is because:

  1. Baking doesn’t require a ton of culinary experience (see: the reliable cake mix).
  2. It’s a low-consequence environment, so who cares if you mess up?
  3. It could be done from the comfort of your own home.
  4. It’s fun.

Yes, I know baking in a group can also be very messy. I have baked with my kids before, after all.

However, it’s a good, fun sort of mess!

Sweet, Memorable Gifts

Remember the survey I just mentioned? Well, it also found that nearly half of adults would like homemade baked goods for their holiday gifts.

Can you guess which treat has the greatest gifting potential?

Cookies. The answer is always cookies.

So, even if you can’t actually bake with your loved ones, you can still use your baking skills to share a sweet, lasting memory.

3 Ways to Make Extra Memories Out of Your Baking Experience

Lucky for you, there are ways to add even more sentimentality and fun twists to your baking experiences.

1. Open the Door for Outdoor Fun

Your family could tag along while you go shopping for baking ingredients. But you don’t have to stop there.

Plan a berry-picking trip and make a tart.

This way, you’ll have fun outside, fun in the kitchen, and a little bit more fun when you sit down to eat your dessert around the fireplace!

2. Embrace the Failures

Don’t ask me how I know this, but baking catastrophes can be funny when you share them with loved ones.

Dumping flour with the mixer turned on and getting a flour face? Funny.

A Bundt cake that looks like a total car crash? Sad but still funny (and just as delicious).

A sourdough that rises so much it looks like it’s about to grow legs and crawl out of the kitchen? Also funny.

All these are exactly the sort of memories that you’ll bring up at every family gathering.

3. Turn Shared Experiences Into Heirlooms

Baking as a family won’t only help you bond with your kids. It can also bring you closer to many generations to come.

Think of the baked goods passed down to you through your grandmother. These are all pieces of the family history that you keep alive every time you pick up that tattered recipe book.

And if you decide to share a prized heirloom recipe with a friend or a soon-to-be in-law, you’re officially making them part of the family!

Final Thoughts

Whenever I feel like baking solo, I remind myself that I’ll be missing out on precious quality time.

What about you? Will you join your family in the kitchen tomorrow to whip up some memories?

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