Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how this holiday season will be different because of COVID-19. For me, cooking with family members, sharing meals together, and passing along food traditions is a big part of the holidays. No matter which winter holiday(s) you celebrate – for example, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Réveillon, Christmas, and Kwanzaa – food usually plays a central role.
We know that sharing meals together has huge benefits to our mental health, so how can we connect over food this holiday season while physically apart?
I wanted to share an activity my family has been doing recently. Leading up to the holiday season, we’ve done two interactive baking sessions over video chat. Each household gathers the recipe, ingredients, and equipment necessary, and we follow the steps together. For me, this has been a great way to bond with family members in a low pressure, fun way. So far, we’ve made two family recipes as a group: Christmas puddings and peanut butter balls.
I encourage you to think about special food moments you normally enjoy – whether it be making latkes, preparing homemade cranberry sauce, decorating gingerbread houses, or countless others – and consider how they can be revamped safely for 2020.