Thread by @UntoNuggan

Since it was apparently news to a lot of people that straws are used for accessibility (DESIGNED FOR IT, even)

Here is a partial list of common kitchen items that can help disabled people cook (that we self pay for)

#Accessibility

Kitchen thermometers : useful for colorblind people who can't discern the color of meat to test doneness

Also for d/Deaf people who want to test the doneness of bread but can't tap it to check if it "sounds hollow"

Waffle makers : because flipping pancakes requires a lot of manual dexterity and standing over the stove

These can be an access tool for those with back problems, chronic pain, coordination issues...

Honestly basically any 'unitasker' that takes up excess room in your cupboards or counter is probably an access hack for someone

Slow cooker : the thing the OTs were convinced would change my life because I'd be able to cook "easily", except I didn't have cognitive energy to learn how to use it

(Please don't @ me with help)

I'm sure it helps someone?

Blenders and smoothie makers :
A lot of disabled people have trouble digesting solid food, either permanently or intermittently

The anathema of fancy chefs, a jar of garlic / garlic powder :

Because it requires a lot of hand dexterity and coordination to peel and chop garlic, actually

[Ableism]

Thank you everyone who's ever said "real cooks use fresh garlic" 🙃🙃

You are wrong

That thingy for separating egg whites

Or just that jar of egg whites :

Again, hand dexterity issues make separating egg yolks a messy business. Even cracking eggs.

Toaster ovens:

For when bending over and using the oven is Not A Thing

For example, my Dysautonomia makes both the bending and the blast of heat from ovens made of burn risks

Toaster ovens, continued:

Also the energy saving from a toaster oven (it doesn't heat your whole house!) a bonus for the many disabled people with low income

Freezers are access tools:

For our ice packs

For easy, microwave meals when you're crawling to the kitchen

For preserving your allergen friendly food for days you're crawling to the kitchen

Pre cut fruit and vegetables, baby carrots, etc :

Because "knife skills" require hand coordination and maybe you don't want to lose a finger chopping food

Or maybe you don't have use of your arms. Or maybe your prosthetic isn't that coordinated.

[dietary restrictions]

Bookshelf:

For all the cookbooks on "special diets" that doctor's recommend you try that may or may not work

I could go on, but hopefully you get the idea that :

- disability can be expensive (insurance doesn't cover a toaster oven loool) #CripTax

- just because you don't use or need garlic powder or That Unitasker or plastic straws, doesn't mean they're not someone's access tool

I'm sure there's things I haven't thought of, because the accessibility is a universe

Feel free to share your own kitchen access hacks in replies (or not)

Nearly forgot : food processor

So many uses for hand coordination issues and energy saving

My favorite thing is you can make better pie dough in a food processor than by hand, and also you save hand energy 👌👌 [emoji ASL for perfect]

[food]

Also (because I'm still stuck in a waiting room, you get Moar kitchen access hacks)

Rice. Cooker.

Especially good for saving energy, and those days all you can eat is rice

Whether for IBS/MCAS reasons or because you can't get to dialysis

[food]

We just got a used bread maker and it's LIFE. CHANGING.

I have a lot of digestive issues with common preservatives / ingredients in store bought bread

The bread maker means I can have fresh bread 😍 [heart eyes emoji] that doesn't make me sick(er)

Anyone have recs because I also would like to know this :

https://twitter.com/Sardonixxx/status/1019610273097834496?s=19

Relatedly, if anyone has good recs for Kevlar gloves, I think this could make both chopping things and grating food and peeling food INFINITELY SAFER for myself

More kitchen access hacks :

Plastic (gasp) plates and cups

They are light weight (meaning less pain) and when (not if) I drop them, they don't shatter and leave a mine field of broken glass for me to clean up

OXO is everything

https://twitter.com/Unuhinuii/status/1019613235069243392?s=19

Kitchen scissors : for opening packages with low hand strength or if you don't want to sublux a finger

[internalized ableism]

Another big access hack mood is for a long time with internalized ableism etc, I thought it was "better" to just suffer through peeling garlic vs making cooking and my life accessible to me

A version of trying to bootstrap it, which was b a d

If you're able and you learned something from this thread, please consider going on #DisabilityWishlists and buying someone some access hacks from their wishlist (kitchen or otherwise)

[Food]

How could I forget : any item you can easily acquire and shove in your mouth with no further effort required, including any delivery food, is a depression access hack

I made the above thread about kitchen access hacks into a blog post, and yes I discussed plastic straws too.

#Accessibility

liminalnest.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/kit…