20/11/2025
I’m often asked “what do you mean adaptive cooking?” or “what’s adaptive cooking?”
This is a great conversation starter and shows interest in something that you may not have heard of. No, adaptive cooking isn’t “just cooking with another person”…IT’S SO MUCH MORE!
Adaptive cooking is skill, capacity and independence building. There is a huge focus on executive functions (organisation, planning, task initiation, time management, sustained focus, persistance). It is all about life skill development.
I start with reviewing the persons current functional capacity:
* previous kitchen/cooking experience - many people have had limits due to safety and the need for supervision, lack of time and support, assumed inability, low interest, lack of opportunity or previous negative experiences
* Sensory needs
* Literacy and numeracy levels
* Access needs - kitchen space, standing or sitting, equipment, etc
Then I establish the goal - What is the aim of cooking for this person?
* Is it to practice motor skills
* learn about kitchen equipment and their different uses
* be safer with sharps and heat
* assist with meal preparation
* eat a more healthy balanced diet that meets their individual dietary needs
* engage in a daily activity
* try a new activity
* create a meal independently, etc.
Now I use task analysis to break down the parts of the process. This step takes time, working at the persons individual learning pace and may be over multiple sessions. Only the steps relevant to the person’s goal are used.
Here are some of the key tasks/steps:
* research - finding a recipe in a cookbook or online
* reading and interpreting the recipe - ingredients, equipment needed, method, understanding measurements especially if not metric
* Reviewing dietary requirements with the support of other health professionals in the care team like a GP, nutritionist or dietician.
* Completing a pantry and fridge audit to see what ingredients are already available, looking at substitutions
* Writing a shopping list - is this being added to the weekly shopping or an extra visit to the supermarket/bakery/produce store/butcher. Is there anything else I need?
* Going to the shops - what transport (bus - pay/ticket/pass, walking, being driven, driving myself, accompanied or on my own), parking, which shops do I need to go to, time of day, quiet hour
* Using a basket or a trolley - locate the items on the list, where are they located in the shop, help seeking by looking at the signs above the isle, large labels for general categories, using the product guide usually hanging on the end of the isle or asking a staff member
* Looking at “best buys” and staying in budget - how much do I need, will I use this ingredient in other cooking, does it have a long or short shelf life, the difference between used by and expiry dates, best value for money
* Scanning and paying for the shopping at either an assisted register or self service
* Packing shopping into bags, taking it home and unpacking - where and how do you store each item to maximize freshness and longevity
* Getting out ingredients and equipment for the chosen recipe - take a photo
* Following the recipe - taking photos of each step, teaching by modeling, prompting, trialing, providing feedback, scaffolding as needed (doing for, doing with, doing beside, supporting only, supervision, independence)
* Do I need sides if it’s a meal, portions, will it go in a bowl, cup or on a plate, do I eat it with a spoon or knife or fork, the presentation, when would I eat it - breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snack.
* Serving the meal or storing it for later - how will I store it and for how long, label and date
* Dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, ensuring appliances are switched off
* Accepting feedback from others and self reflection - what went well, what did you find hard/challenging, what would you do differently next time, etc.
* creating visual supports with the person e.g. instructions for using the oven, dishwasher, order to hand wash dishes, kitchen equipment labels on cupboards and drawers, measurements and conversions
* Creating a visual recipe with the person using photos and in their own words so they can more easily follow the process with less support. Can be in many formats - a video, book or checklist
* Make the person their own recipe book to keep their things together and easily accessible, categories and providing a range of options over time, digital or hard copy
* Recording grocery total into weekly budget to track and manage money
* Repeat the step and chain steps together to build confidence and strengthen skills working towards goal achievement
Adaptive cooking is best completed in the persons own home and using all their own things. This helps to build awareness of where things are located and be more comfortable and confident in their own space. Sometimes this isn’t an option and people may engage in cooking in another setting. While this still offers many benefits for the person, the skills are less likely to be transferred to their home and foster independence because of the subtle differences and not making connections e.g. measuring cups at day program are stainless steel but at home are multi-coloured for each different amount, microwave and oven settings and features, tea towels/clothes/sponges are different colour and material, etc.
Adaptive cooking is so much fun and very rewarding. It is one of my favourite support strategies.
Are you or do you know someone who would benefit from this kind of individual support? Contact Together With Rho to discuss options.
