5 Quarantine Kitchen Stories to Warm Your Heart

We recently launched a contest on the Maya Hotcake Facebook page asking people all over the country to share their heartwarming quarantine kitchen stories. The verdicts are in, and our top picks won Maya products and a slot in our upcoming Zoom workshop this December.  

Between quarantine and social distancing, many turned to baking as a learning, bonding, and healing experience. They used it to spend quality time as a family, and even battled loneliness and anxiety by filling their kitchens with the delicious scent of home-baked goodies.

These inspiring stories and beautiful images were simply too good not to share, and we hope they inspire your baking journey!

1. Super Mom & Kids Celebrate Easter with Bayanihan

First up among our heartwarming quarantine kitchen stories is how this single mom and her kids celebrated Easter by cooking up hot meals for policemen stationed near their home. They sent care packages of delicious champorado and hotcakes to warm the hearts and tummies of the brave frontliners. 

Alt text: A heartwarming quarantine kitchen story of a family preparing food for frontliners

Olive Yao #GoodEatsbyMaya

“My favorite quarantine kitchen moment is during last Easter Sunday, when I along with my children spent hours to cook simple and comforting hot meals for the courageous frontliner policemen patrolling the streets near our house, doing their best to keep our community safe and to keep it moving while the rest of us are locked inside the comfort of our homes. Some of them even perform round-the-clock duty as they implement strict lockdown. As first responders and first representatives of the city government that the sick can turn to for help, the policemen are vulnerable and at high risk of contracting the virus and they are being tested physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I am a frontliner too—a small grocery worker in our barangay, on top of being an inspiring Catechism Volunteer Teacher Aide/Assistant in our local community and a hardworking and reliable single mother, and I thought that Easter Sunday was the best time to give back with the best my family has and help others as we battle the coronavirus pandemic in solidarity. And, because it was Easter Sunday, we want to boost their morale through cooking and preparing a hot meal for them with “budget friendly, easy to prepare, healthy and delicious Maya’s Champorado and Hotcake Mix” attached with a little “Thank You For All of Your Hard Work” and “Happy Easter!” note. 

This is my family’s own little way of showing gratitude and appreciation for their sacrifices, making our frontliners’ day a little lighter and giving a little joy to them for their heroic efforts amid the pandemic. For safety, we made sure to wear face masks and kitchen gloves while cooking and preparing. 

It is truly a humbling experience for my family and all our hard work was worth it when we saw our frontliner policemen warm smiling faces!  And the best lesson my family got from this pandemic is that it is very easy to feel helpless and powerless in the face of COVID-19 playing out on a global scale, but I believe that bringing out the best in each and every one of us is what will get us through this. And no matter who we are or what our situation is, we can all make a vital difference because there is always something, we can do to help others and any kind of volunteering goes a long way. 

Even if we are quarantined at home, there are still many ways to get involved and give back, including cooking hot meals for our frontliners. And this is how Maya cooking brought much-needed joy and comfort to my family’s quarantine life while giving my family a sense of purpose during this difficult time and showing us what “bayanihan” means. With God and everyone helping each other out, we will surely overcome this pandemic.”

2. Wife Gifts Husband with Labor of Love

How do you make your husband’s birthday special during lockdown? Well this newbie baker impressed her more experienced hubby with an incredible 30-layer crepe cake, corndogs, and a hearty breakfast made with Maya Kitchen essentials!

Alt text: A heartwarming quarantine kitchen story about a wife baking a 30-layer crepe cake

Tin Santos Singson #GoodEatsbyMaya   

“We are newlyweds! Cooking is new to me. I made this for my husband’s birthday during the first weeks of the quarantine. He cooks well and wanted to surprise him and give him a well- deserved cake. I used Maya Hotcake Mix for this. 

During the first few weeks of ECQ, we are not allowed to go out and scared to go out. Even food deliveries were having a hard time meeting the demands. So as a wife I wouldn’t want to ruin the celebration. To make everyone happy I made this for my husband and the whole family  along with the breakfast pancake platter and corndogs all made with Maya Hotcake Mix. I am happy to see them enjoy my creation 

The seminar/workshop will help me be better in the kitchen for my husband and the whole family. Thank you for this opportunity ”

3. Young Girls Wow Mom with Baking Skills

It turns out baking during quarantine can be an educational and worthwhile way to spend your time. While we know a mother’s duty is to care for her children, this heartwarming quarantine kitchen story shows that children, too, can step up in a big way when it comes to caring for their mom. 

Alt text: Daughter bakes cake for mom in this heartwarming quarantine kitchen story

Jocelyn Abud #GoodEatsbyMaya

“I’m always the one preparing food for my two daughters but because of this pandemic, things changed drastically. I was quarantined together with my Nanay, their Lola, for a couple of weeks and they can only rely on each other.

But, to my surprise, my two daughters have an inner “CHEF” in them. My eldest Mica cooks their lunch and dinner. As for their snacks (merienda), my BBGirl Mira learned to bake.

And after almost 3 weeks of separation, here’s a picture of my BBGirl proudly presenting her own “Mango Graham Cake” to me. It was plain, no layers, no toppings or even decorations but it was okay. No, I think it’s the best. As her Mama, I felt so proud. She discovered something that we really didn’t knew she could.

During these trying times, I realize that there really is something good in everything. It’s about how we see things. ♥︎”

4. Working Mom and Son Bond Through Baking 

It’s tough to be away from your kids, even if there’s a very good reason. This hardworking mother made up for lost quality time by sharing the wonders of baking with her son.

Alt text: A heartwarming quarantine kitchen story about a young boy helping his mom bake a cake

Kathleen Ann Dugan #GoodEatsbyMaya

“I’m a full-time working mom and really had difficulty in juggling my time for my little one and work. This quarantine, I got the chance to spend more quality time and prepare food for him. 

Since I’m home all the time, I’m also spending my quarantine time in my lovely kitchen. Every time I cook or bake, my son is always at my side watching me so happily. I love to see his face light up when the food is done. He loves to help me, and he enjoys stirring, squeezing, and scooping batter into baking pans. It really requires time, patience, and some clean-up. 

In the end, it’s all worth it because this helps him explore and nurture his self-esteem as he grows up. Our kitchen is a happy place. These messy moments are my favorite quarantine kitchen moments. 

Here’s the first time I baked a cake with my little one. ”

5. Teen Cheers Up Barkada with Goodies

The last of our heartwarming quarantine kitchen stories shows how food can convey the importance of friendship. While nothing can replace seeing your barkada face to face, there are still lots of ways to show you care. And this young girl did it by baking her friends a batch of fudge brownies!

Alt text: Heartwarming quarantine kitchen story about a girl baking brownie for friends 

Grace Almazan #GoodEatsbyMaya

“My friends told me that they were missing my baked goodies. Before, I always bake for them whenever they come to our house but since we have a pandemic, they can’t visit me at home. 

So, as a good friend , I baked for them. 

I topped Maya Decadence Fudge Brownie with lots of walnuts to show my friends how much I care for them. I video called them and let them see what I’m baking. They were so excited and can’t wait to taste it. The baked goodies were delivered at their doorsteps the next day. They were so happy and so am I. I loved how they appreciated my little efforts for them. ”

These are just a few of the many heartwarming quarantine kitchen stories we received. Follow the Maya Hotcake page on Facebook to read more and be in the know about future contests and promotions. Got a story you want to share? Leave a comment below.