Put the Joy Back in Cooking with these Accessibility Tips

Making meals while wrestling with a chronic illness can feel overwhelming, but optimizing your kitchen and finding the right tools can reunite you with the joy of cooking.

Traditional kitchen setups, energy-intensive recipes, and the expectation of standing for long periods create barriers that many food blogs and cooking guides ignore. But cooking should be for everyone!

When issues due to chronic illness, like limited mobility or fatigue, get in the way of daily tasks, it can be tempting to slip into a routine of endless ready meals and takeout instead of tackling the inaccessibility of cooking.

However, you can make cooking possible by learning a few tricks to preserve energy and maximize taste.

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Where to start? How can cooking be difficult?

Because accessibility can mean different things across the beautiful spectrum of disability and chronic illness, the first step is figuring out what you need to make cooking possible.

When you have the time and energy to spare, take a notebook and tour your kitchen to figure out what aspects of your layout are wasting energy, like utensils tucked away in a drawer or regularly used items on the hard-to-reach shelf. Make a corresponding list of the best modifications.

You should also expand this to what you’re cooking. Consider your favorite recipes and identify what makes them too energy-consuming now that your body isn’t responding as it used to. Are you wasting loads of energy chopping vegetables? Can you no longer stand at a stove to stir for hours?

Each time you run into something that stands between you and a meal, make a note. What are the sticking points that keep you from cooking? This list is your reference point; you’ll use it to determine which accommodations and tools we’ll discuss will work best for your needs.

Adapting your kitchen to your specific needs

First, know that most of us don’t have the budget to fully renovate a kitchen. But small changes can make a huge difference in easing the energy output that cooking often demands.

“One of the easiest modifications to reduce fatigue is moving frequently used items within easy reach and using paper products to decrease washing and the need to put items away repeatedly,” said Toni Marken, COTA/L, a certified occupational therapy assistant with the University of Maryland Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Institute.

“Using countertops to move or slide heavier items over or using a small cart to transport can reduce frequent trips to the pantry or refrigerator, as well as limit the need to carry these heavy items,” Marken added.

Natalia Middleton, head of food education at Food Behind Bars and a chef with endometriosis, has utilized similar tricks to make cooking easier.

“I find opening drawers really energy-draining, so I have my utensils in a tub on the side so that I can just grab them rather than open drawers,” she said. “If you can’t necessarily change your kitchen’s layout, just make sure the things you need to access for cooking are in a place you can easily grab them.”

Middleton also keeps a stool in the kitchen so that she can chop sitting down to preserve energy or just take a rest when necessary. A wheelie chair is another great option, allowing you to roll from counter to hob without picking up and moving your stool each time.

“For individuals who prefer to sit while cooking, adjustable-height countertops or a lower work surface can make a big difference,” added physiotherapist Thea Johansen. “If renovations aren’t an option, a sturdy lap tray or a slightly lower table near the main kitchen area can be a practical alternative.”

Quick recap

• Use paper products to cut down on washing.
• Keep heavy items on counters so they’re easily accessible.
• Use carts to move bulky items or cut down on trips to the pantry or fridge.
• Consider storing things in tubs instead of drawers for direct access.
• Use a stool or a chair with wheels to reduce standings and allow for movement.
• Experiment with lap trays or tables to find a work surface that works for you.

Selecting the best tools

There are many tools that can streamline your process to maximize your output in the kitchen. This section may feel a little overwhelming because there’s so much choice out there, but keep referring to your notebook of accommodations that you need to avoid overspending!

“We got an air fryer, which is why we barely use the oven anymore, so if I’m having a bad day, being able to shove some stuff in the air fryer, knowing that I can make a healthy meal is hugely important to me,” Middleton said. “With the air fryer, we can have a meal on the table in half an hour, which is a dream.”

Middleton also loves tossing her ingredients into a slow cooker — like frozen onion, spinach, spices, tinned chickpeas, and butter beans — in the morning and coming home to a fully prepared meal after work.

“Invest in equipment to help save time or extend time where you don’t have to do much in the process,” advised Middleton.

But the available tools don’t end there. Johansen recommended investing in “angled cutting boards which reduce wrist strain and make chopping more efficient.”

“One-handed kitchen aids, like rocker knives or jar openers, assist those with limited dexterity,” she continued. “Long-handled utensils make reaching into deep pots easier or stirring without overextending.”

If you have limited vision, you can seek out color-coded measuring cups or a talking kitchen scale. Non-skid surfaces or items to hold pans in place during stirring can help avoid splashes or spills.

You could also invest in a grabber to reach objects in awkward places or make cooking a little more fun! Who doesn’t want to roll around the kitchen on a chair with a grabber to poke at your sous chef?

Quick recap

• Invest in appliances that simplify the process, like air fryers or slow cookers.
• Look for aids that address your challenges, like angled cutting boards or one-handed rocker knives. Other items, like jar openers and padded, longer handles, can also help with dexterity or hand pain.
• There are options for many concerns, from limited vision to safety concerns from spills.
• Consider tools to address bending or reaching, like grabber tools or nonslip step stools.
• Search online for “adaptive kitchen tools” or “accessible cooking tools” for options.

Conserving energy and working with brain fog

“On a good day, plan for the bad days,” advised neurodiversity consultant Rachel Morgan-Trimmer. “Not every day is going to be one where you can spend time chopping fresh vegetables, so stash some peas in the freezer, and have a few cans of soup in the cupboard.”

“That way, you’ll at least be getting some nutrients on a low energy day,” she continued.

Preserving precious energy is essential to making cooking more accessible. Middleton learned this lesson after her supermarket rearranged the whole store, leaving her wasting energy walking in circles to find what she needed.

“I’ve had to start having my food delivered because the energy I’m wasting going to the supermarket is so high,” Middleton noted. “If you need to use an online delivery service, save energy and just do it.”

While Middleton loved shopping in the supermarket, she knew food delivery was the smartest move because she could save her spoons (a common representation of energy in chronic illness circles) for cooking instead of searching for items in the store.

“Don’t be afraid of using frozen fruit and vegetables; it’s still really good for you,” she added. “And don’t be ashamed of having to use those things that help make your life easier — we’ve gotta function.”

When cooking, ensure you take plenty of rest stops along the way. It’s OK to take longer to prevent you from crashing and burning once the meal is ready.

To counteract brain fog and avoid burning anything, utilize apps like Alexa or Siri to set timers and reminders to reduce the number of things spinning around your brain.

“Use whatever tech you have available,” advised Morgan-Trimmer. “For example, if you have an Alexa, Nest, or other smart home technology, use it to set timers and reminders.”

“It’s not just the obvious technology either — look to see if your oven has a delayed start function or auto shut-off,” she continued. “Outsource as much cognitive load as you can to your devices!”

Quick recap

• Prep for the tough days with easy-to-prep staples like frozen meals or cans of soup.
• Consider whether grocery delivery is worth the investment.
• Frozen foods and shelf-stable canned items are great options for easy and healthy meals.
• Use technology, like timers and auto shut-off, to manage brain fog.

Making recipes that work for you

“Meal prepping, when able, can be time consuming on one day but ultimately save energy throughout the week,” Marken explains. “You should schedule batch cooking when you have more free time and at a time of the day you are less fatigued and fresher, such as morning time, preferably not after having performed an exhaustive activity such as vacuuming or showering.”

Middleton approaches meal prepping slightly differently. She always makes double batches of whatever she’s cooking, so there are always frozen leftovers for when low energy or high pain days strike.

Look for content creators who are focused on accessible recipes, like Kendra DePinto – The Accessible Chef, Adaptive Meals – Mary, and Well Rooted Kitchen.

Above all, to make enjoying food accessible for you, Middleton reminds us to prioritize enjoying food first!

“If I’m having a crap day and don’t feel like anything except chocolate biscuits, I’ll eat them,” she said. “Don’t feel guilty, or get down about it, because some days are just worse than others, and you just have to get by.”

Quick recap

• Consider meal-prepping (or doubling recipes) to account for lower-energy days.
• Seek out recipes and tools suited to your needs.
• Be kind to yourself and recognize that you’re doing your best.