In the Kitchen

Keep cooking your favourite meals with some helpful kitchen products and minor modifications. Take a look at the ideas below to help you be more independent in the kitchen.

How independent are you in the kitchen?

Start by asking these questions:

Do you store everyday items within easy reach on the bench top or hanging by the stove?
Are your cupboards and shelves within easy reach? Do you have to stand on your tiptoes, stretch, or get down on the floor to reach things?
Do you have a working smoke alarm installed? Do you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket?
Do you mop up spills as soon as they happen?

Plan

Plan your meals for the week to make preparing healthy meals easier. This way, you'll have all the ingredients you need and won't miss any meals. Consider buying pre-chopped frozen fruits and vegetables to keep healthy options on hand even if you run out of fresh ones. Try cooking larger meals and reusing or freezing leftovers to save time and effort in the kitchen.

Prepare

Get your cooking area ready before you start. Arrange your ingredients on the counter before you begin cooking. Consider sitting down while preparing meals to ease the strain on your body and save energy.

Pace

Simple solutions for everyday kitchen tasks

Opening jars and tins

Low-cost jar, bottle, and can openers help you in the kitchen. They make it easier to open containers without the need to use a lot of force or have a strong grip, which can be tough on your hands and wrists. If a jar is hard to open, try running it under hot water first, then drying it off and using the opener to open it.

A hand using a tap opener on a bathroom sink valve inside.

Turning the taps on and off

Lots of crossbar taps require a strong grip and force to turn them. Using a plastic tap turner or switching to easy-to-use lever taps can make turning them on and off much simpler.

A two-handled herb chopper and its curved chopping board.

Cutting up food

Many kitchen utensils come with non-slip handles that are easy to hold, reducing strain on your hands. To keep items from slipping, try using a spikeboard and a non-slip mat. An electric food processor can also help with mixing, chopping, grating, or blending with just the push of a button.

Pouring the kettle

Some kettles are difficult to hold, heavy to lift, and hard to fill. Luckily, smaller, lighter options are available that are easier to handle. Try filling the kettle with a plastic jug and placing it in a kettle tipper to make pouring hot water easier without having to lift the kettle.

Two hands grasping the handles of a large cooking pot.

Lifting pots and pans

Try using a plastic jug to fill empty pots more easily. Look for pots with two handles to make carrying them simpler. When cooking, use steamer inserts that can be lifted out of the pots once your food is done. This way, you can let the pot of water cool down and empty it later.

Hands turning a lazy suzan around to reach various sauces from a crowded fridge shelf.

Reaching into cupboards

Try installing shelves that slide out to meet you. There are lots of cupboard inserts sold at general hardware stores. Cupboard inserts make corner, wall, and floor cabinets more accessible. You could try pull-out drawers, a pull-down shelf, or carousel shelving.

Turning the cooker dials

The knobs on your stove might become tough to turn, or the numbers might wear off, making them hard to read. Using tactile dots with contrasting colours can make it easier to see and feel when the dial is on, off, or at the right temperature. You can also purchase stove dial turners to assist with turning the knobs.

Using a cooking timer

Use a timer to avoid overcooking your meals. You can also install automatic shut-off devices on gas and electric stoves to turn them off if they're accidentally left on. Remember, a professional should install this safety feature.