One Handed Cookery

This article was produced by Sue Heaton our Community Education and Training Officer. For further information or to arrange a speaker for a group on a variety of topics including

The Work of Disabled Living

Cooking after a stroke

20 questions to ask before you buy a product to help with independence

Look after your back

contact her by email Sue.Heaton@disabledliving.co.uk or by phone on 0161 214 5958

General Tips

Always keep ahead of the washing up and cleaning up

Get everything out of the cupboards before you start

Keep all you need close by

Have a damp cloth nearby to clean your hand, or you could use a bowl of soapy water

Cutting, slicing and chopping

The main difficulty is holding the food.

The Swedish cutting board is very good; there are other boards.

Rubber coated bottoms on crockery are better than suction cups (these are difficult to unstick)

A good knife is essential

If it is difficult for you to use an ordinary knife try a rocker knife or a roller knife like a pizza cutter.

Also Try

Food preperation system

Reflex knife range

Nelson knife

Carving apparatus

Mini chopper

Food processor

Kitchen Scissors

Vegetable workstation Clyde

Autochop

Good grips bagel holders

Stirring and mixing

Pan holders can help but they work better on metal or ceramic like the cooker. They do not work well on Formica.

Use your body to trap the panhandle

When using a mixing bowl fix it down to the worksurface or to yourself

Try wrapping a large damp cloth around the bowl

Dycem matting can help

Use small suction pads on the base of the bowl

Use the clamp on the Swedish cutting board

A hand held electric mixer can be very good.  Food processors are very good. Make sure you are able to take one apart and put it together again before you buy it. Food processors can be expensive to buy

Pastry blenders and mashers can be useful

Grating

Food processors are very good

However they do not always work on small quantities

Try a grater clamped on the Swedish cutting board

You could lie a four-sided grater down with the end against your tummy and pull the food towards you

Try also

Vegetable workstation

Swedish cutting board

Multigrater

Food processor

Peeling

To peel a clove of garlic, place the clove on its side on the counter, then bang a mug down on it. This cracks and loosens the skin making it easier to peel

Put an onion on a spike and cut it into quarters. The dry outer skin will fall away

Swedish cutting board

Rex Peeler

Gordon Peeler

vegetable workstation

Storage

Before you buy any boxes check that you can open and close them easily

Use plastic bags rather than cling film

Line a bowl with a bag and pour food into it

Try Twixit Bag Clips

Opening

You can lay boxes down on their narrow side and push your thumb in. Use your body to steady the box

Some electric can openers can be used with one hand but they are not easy

Cans with a ring pull can be easier

Jars and bottles - first tap the lid on a hard surface, it helps to loosen the seal

Hold the jar between your thighs

Use a clamp or a spill-not. There is a v-shaped gripper that can be mounted on a shelf or wall

Cartons and bottles

Do not buy large cartons or bottles if possible

Try not to buy the Tetrapak type as they are difficult even when using the clamp

Try to buy what you need in a plastic bottle

For ice-cubes use a flexible tray that can be bent easily to let the cubes fall out

Also try

Spill Not

Milk carton opener

Capscrew

Zipper Bag Sealer

Belliclamp

Carrying

Slide rather than lift

Wheel rather than carry

Use a chip pan type basket or steamer for draining

Pouring

Teapot and kettle tippers can be very useful

Automatic Electric kettles are safer and easier

Drink dispensers are easy to use

Try a cooking basket

Spreading

Try a bread buttering board

Useful gadgets

Microwave oven

Slow cooker

Hot water dispenser

Scrubber

Rex potato peeler

Garlic press

Spaghetti tongues

One handed pepper mill

Wire cheese cutter

Flour/sugar shaker

Gravy fat seperator

Baster syringe

SpringThingy

Egg topper

Egg piercer

All these items above can be bought from Betterware

Fridge storage tray

Milk bottle holder

Shaker Maker

Bottle stoppers

Seal 'n' pour spout

Frosty Mug

Egg slicer

Cream and Egg whipper

Storage set

Pizza Knife

Sink protector soak up