How can I prep ingredients?

People with physical limitations often need to conserve energy when they cook. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) , who was wounded during her military service and uses a wheelchair, says that “if you can afford it, using devices like automatic food choppers or buying precut produce can really cut down on the wear and tear on wrists and hands. They can also make cooking more of an enjoyment and less of a struggle.” Some strategies focus on psychology, said Chiung-ju (CJ) Liu, associate professor of occupational therapy at the University of Florida. Pain can limit your stamina and range of motion. So allow yourself to change your standards, such as using semi-ready products, Liu said, instead of cooking from scratch. Kristen Cox, executive assistant for the American Association of People with Disabilities, suggested chopping a lot of vegetables on lower-pain days so they are available to use later. A person who struggles with stamina or balance can sit to prep ingredients. “Completing the taxing items such as cutting, kneading and slicing while sitting can save lots of energy,” said Danica Mazique, a certified brain injury specialist and occupational therapist at Inova Rehabilitation Center in Alexandria, Va. If you have high counters, use your kitchen table or get a small table for food prep; “that way, you can sit and have some more arm support,” Cox said. Kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot , fruit slicers, food choppers and standing mixers should be used “as often as possible,” Stover said. These tools “were created to decrease human effort and increase machine work.” Find the knives that work best for you, Cox said. “An Ulu or rocking knife can make a world of difference if you have problems with your hands,” they said. These knives work by rocking it to cut the food. Other tools recommended by experts include an adaptive cutting board , an automatic can opener, a round rubber jar gripper or electric jar opener, kitchen scissors to cut food, a bag or basket to hang on your walker, and a Rollator with a seat — or a small rolling cart — to avoid multiple trips. A grabber can pick up things from the floor. As a manual wheelchair user, Duckworth uses a child’s lap desk and balances food and plates on a tray that fits on it. The senator also advises loading up a bar cart. “I can just roll myself while pushing the bar cart with everything in it from one room to another without risking spilling hot food or drinks in my lap,” she said. If you experience weakness in your hands , lightweight cookware helps, Mazique said. If you have age-related vision changes, add task lighting under the cabinets or above the stove, Liu said. Use a darker cutting board for light-colored food and a white cutting board for dark-colored food. Try a magnifier for labeling and big-number measuring cups or spoons. If you have arthritis, try a stove knob turner that helps grip thin knobs, Liu suggested. For tremors or shaky hands, which can occur with Parkinson’s disease and other conditions, wrist weight bracelets can improve steadiness. Put a nonslip pad or antislip mats — such as shelf liner with a good grip — under your cutting board. Or use a cutting board with a pivot knife. For safety, use a finger guard. People who use wheelchairs can use a long stove turning aid if knobs are not up front to avoid strain. To monitor the cooking process, put a mirror over the stove, Liu said. Remove throw rugs in the kitchen, Stover said. They’re among the most common causes of falls for people with weakness, balance issues, or fatigue.

What are ways I can cook and bake more easily?

Keep items that you use the most where you can get them more easily to minimize effort, Mazique said. Arrange the toaster, air fryer or other cookware on the counter so you don’t have to reach up or bend over so much. Love to bake? Try out premade ingredients, “especially for things like pie crusts,” Cox said. They help people conserve energy by not necessarily mixing dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls, as many recipes instruct. Voice-assistant technology can talk you through recipes no matter where you are in the kitchen, Stover said, so you don’t have to keep returning to a cookbook to check the recipe.

Where can I get more ideas?

As you regain comfort in the kitchen, try to create or reinforce a feeling of community. Groups may sprout up organically from book clubs and organized cooking classes at senior centers, Stover said. “Occupational therapy professionals run these groups in skilled nursing and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, community centers and outpatient clinics,” she said. Take to social media such as Facebook and Reddit to swap baking and cooking ideas, Cox said. On Reddit , try the Cooking forum and search on your condition or disability to find specific threads. Duckworth offered this final advice: “If possible, remember that asking for help with some part of a chore is not a weakness,” she said.

Cooking with physical limitations? Try these creative workarounds.

If you have physical challenges, there are appliances and strategies to help safely prep food, cook and bake

By Diana Michele Yap

January 24, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EST

An Ulu or rocking knife is easy to grip and is designed to help mitigate pain and to reduce the risk of a cutting injury. (Video: Alexa Juliana Ard/The Washington Post)

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5 min

Anahad O’Connor will return next week.

Cooking and baking can be difficult for many people; some may be dealing with age-related changes, others may have health conditions, injuries or disabilities, including pain and fatigue.

But there are strategies and equipment that can make creating good meals at home easier.

“Anyone can cook,” said Alyson Stover, president of the American Occupational Therapy Association and associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh, with a few changes to “the cooking, the kitchen or a little bit of each.”

Here’s what occupational therapists and home cooks with disabilities recommend.

A Rollator can help with transporting food around the kitchen, and you can add a non-slip pad to keep the food from falling on your way to the table. (Video: Alexa Juliana Ard/The Washington Post)

Cooking with physical limitations? Try these creative workarounds.

If you have physical challenges, there are appliances and strategies to help safely prep food, cook and bake

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