Cooking For People With Disabilities

Cooking can be hard for people with disabilities. A lot of kitchens are not designed for people with disabilities. For some, kitchen equipment and even some ingredients are hard to use.

However, cooking and food prep is one of the most important skills a person needs. Beyond nutritional benefits, being able to cook whenever you want provides independence.  Add the right tools and techniques, cooking can become a fun and creative pursuit!

Here are some ways to make cooking easier for people with disabilities.

Simple Meal Preparation

Meal prepping is helpful for anyone who wants to save time in the kitchen. Try cutting up vegetables and keeping them in the freezer, or making an extra serve for leftovers. This can be helpful for those days when you don't feel like cooking from scratch.

Keeping it simple is often best. It's helpful to have some go-to recipes on hand for those days when you want to go in and out of the kitchen.

Kitchen Setup

Having a simple kitchen can make a world a difference when it comes to cooking with a disability. While changing the layout of your kitchen to fit your needs is ideal, it's not always the cheapest option. Funding may be available for home modifications through the NDIS or My Aged Care. 

Here are a few ways you can make cooking easier and less time-consuming:

• Declutter to make it easier to find things you need
• Use pull-out drawers, stackers and smart storage options
• Keep cooking tools you use often on a bench or rolling cart
• If you use a wheelchair or find it hard to stand for long periods, use a low table or bench to prepare food
• Think about installing strip lighting placed under the kitchen cupboard

Kitchen Aids

Cooking even a simple meal needs energy that some people don't always have. Chopping, stirring, and opening jars all take time and effort. More so for people with limited mobility.

Luckily, there are kitchen aids that can help reduce the effort needed to prepare and cook food. There is an extensive range of equipment designed for almost every type of cooking task.

Disability kitchen aids include auto-stirrers, special cutting boards, kettle tippers, and even jar openers. Consider using food processors for dicing and chopping and rocking knives for cutting.

Of course, eBility can help you find a wide range of specialised equipment. We know having the right equipment makes it easier to get creative in the kitchen. That's why we're Australia's one-stop shop for any second-hand disability equipment.

Explore the range of aids and equipment currently for sale. If you have any questions about any equipment available or are wanting to sell, you can contact us.