As an Occupational Therapist, one of my most favourite capacity building tasks is finding creative ways to improve my participants cooking skills. Why? because I love seeing the personal growth and happiness that a task like cooking can bring.
So how can OT's help? We can provide guidance on how to use adaptive equipment, such as modified utensils or cutting boards, to make cooking easier and more accessible. We can help you develop strategies to overcome challenges related to the disability or injury. We also use cooking as therapeutic activity that can help you to become more mindful and feel a sense of accomplishment and boost self-esteem. Lastly, my favourite outcome is that cooking can also be a social activity that can help you to connect with others and build relationships.
I have put together a few tips to make meal preparation that little bit easier (regardless of whether you have an impairment or not):
1.Use appliances
Think benchtop easy ovens that's easier to operate and reduce heavy lifting unlike when using conventional wall / free standing ovens.
2. Use small aids
Does the thoughts of cutting up onion and garlic make you cry? Did you know there are specific small chopping aids that can help with this? I like using the Baccarat garlic slicer. This just an example, ask your occupational therapist for other equipment ideas.
3. Meal prep
If you find that you don't have the time or energy to cook everyday, why not make meals in bulk and freeze. If you don't like the idea of defrosting whole trays of lasagna, try and freezing them in single serve containers and take out as many as you need.
4. Perching stool
If you find it difficult to stand for long periods of time when cooking, try using a perching stool. Perching stools are great for when you need to rest during meal preparation.
Happy cooking everyone, let us know below if any of these tips have been helpful for you. For some easy and healthy recipes, check out our list of tried and tested recipes.
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Disclaimer: Always consult a health professional when determining what equipment is correct for you. My OT and Me is not affiliated with any suppliers.
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