Baking bread offers a sense of normalcy during times of stress

Instead of running to the store, people are baking bread in their kitchens. From simple recipes to complex ones, it is time to let the dough rise and start baking.

Have you started baking bread? Usually people just open a bag, grab a slice and enjoy a bite. Whether used in a sandwich, transformed into French Toast or just eaten with a little butter, bread is a pantry staple.

Given the current climate, running to the store to grab another loaf of bread is not practical. With convenient shopping replaced by fewer grocery store trips, people are looking for alternatives. It is time to dust off that KitchenAid, grab some flour and get to kneading some dough.

According to Chicory, the company who pioneered shoppable recipes, there has been a huge surge in searches for bread recipes. From a basic bread to even sourdough starters, it seems that bread just might be the most craveable comfort food. Maybe that low carb diet trend has finally jumped the shark.

Joey Petracca, Chicory’s COO and Co-Founder said, “basic bread and its infinite variations are staple pantry items that offer a sense of normalcy. Homemade and hearty recipes always see a surge during cold, flu and allergy seasons and we’re seeing the same pattern now as people look for ways to self-soothe.”

In many ways, baking is offering that sense of accomplishment. A group of simple ingredients are transformed into something tasty. It is more than just entertainment or even necessity. There is something satisfying about completing a task from start to finish. In a world so out of control, this task is something controllable.

As more people search for baking bread ideas, it shows home cooks that bread making is simple. From a basic bread to a banana bread, there are a variety of recipes that even the novice cook can easily accomplish.

More importantly, learning to bake bread is a great skill. Once a home baker can master this recipe, she doesn’t have to rely on store bought bread. From being able to control the ingredients to having the freshest food, homemade bread could become a family staple. For example, those extra bananas do not have to go into a smoothie, they can become a delicious loaf of banana bread.

It remains to be seen if this baking bread trend continues once people venture back out into the world. While many people look for comforting recipes during cold and flu season, this baking trend could come back year after year. After all, once you learn how to bake bread, you never forget.

Are you baking bread? What easy bread recipe is your favorite?