There is a recipe somewhere in the back of your mind. Maybe it is your mother’s chicken soup. Maybe it is the spaghetti that was on the table every Friday night. You have not made it in years, but you still know exactly what it smells like.
Therapists say that pulling out that recipe and actually cooking it could be one of the best things you do in retirement. Not just for dinner, but for yourself.
When You Leave Work, You Can Lose More Than a Job
Danielle Fokshner, Founder of Emote Psychotherapy, says that leaving the workforce often means losing a significant source of belonging. That is a loss most people do not see coming.
“Recreating childhood meals can evoke this feeling of belonging for retirees,” she says, “reassuring them that they are still part of something bigger.”
In her practice, Fokshner directs clients to this kind of cooking when they want to draw on strength, from their ancestry or their inner child. These nostalgic meals, she says, can deepen your connection to family memories, cultural heritage, and recipes passed down through generations.
Not sure which dish to start with? Fokshner suggests calling a friend or family member who was around during those years. They might remember details you have long forgotten.
Taste and Smell Bring the Past Back to Life
Suzanne Wylde, a leadership coach and author at Suzanne Wylde Coaching, used to work with older adults and noticed something that stayed with her. Talking about the past helped, but it was not enough on its own.
“I believe that by revisiting their childhood meals, they could have a more tangible experience of the past,” she says. “Taste, like smell, is very evocative of emotions and memories. Perhaps, by enjoying something they loved as a child, old memories will surface.”
To get the most out of it, Wylde says to share the meal with someone. Eating together gives the experience a second layer, connection with another person, and the chance to spark memories together.
Familiar Food Is an Anchor When Everything Else Changes
Retirement brings a lot of change at once. Joseph DeVasto, a therapist with The Oasis Rehab in California, says that familiar food from childhood can steady you through it.
“Our childhood meals are closely tied to identity and memory,” he says. “The smell and taste of certain foods can bring us back to childhood. It may remind a person of a time when they felt safe and secure.”
DeVasto points out that retirement reshapes daily life quickly, work routines shift, social circles change. “Enjoying familiar foods from childhood can create a natural progression between the past and present,” he says. “This can potentially foster emotional well-being, especially for retirees who are feeling lonely.”
So the next time you are not quite sure what to cook, think back. Way back. That dish you grew up on is still there, waiting. And according to the therapists, making it might do more good than you expect.
