The psychology of baking

Handmade food, especially baked goods, has long been a gesture of love, support and community in trying times. But why is it that so many of us turned to baking during the chaos, stress and anxiety of the pandemic? We take a look at the psychology behind baking and meet the foodies who have turned their passion into a profession.

- GEORGIA NELSON

Sourdough. Banana bread. Baked oats. The pandemic saw many of us begin to master a new hobby: baking. In fact, a 2020 Canstar survey of 1024 people revealed that one third of Australians (the equivalent of 6.3 million adults) turned to baking or had someone in their household take up baking during the COVID-19 lockdowns, fuelled by trend-catching social media platforms Instagram and TikTok of course. It seems this was a global trend too, with the Home Baking: U.S. Market Trends & Opportunities report finding an increase of 24 per cent in the sales of baking-related products.

According to the Canstar survey, around 32 per cent of those who jumped on the baking bandwagon wanted a new hobby, while 15 per cent simply got caught up in the trend. You may remember the great Australian toilet paper shortage, but the flour and baking aisles were also often left empty as many of us raced to try our hands at the latest baking craze.

As it turns out, the craze continued beyond simply #quarantinecooking. Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary institute that specialises in patisserie courses and has campuses all over the world, released a series of five-week short courses, Les Fondements, following the baking boom in 2021. All classes in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne were quickly filled and the demand was so high that classes will be launched in Adelaide this year. But what’s the driving force behind this rush to the kitchen?