Cooking and meal preparation.

Explore the benefits of supporting people to plan, prepare, and cook meals they enjoy.

Everyone’s situation is different.

Use this page as a starting point. Adapt ideas to suit the person’s goals, abilities, and preferences.

An older woman preparing food in the kitchen with a younger counterpart

Why this activity matters

Preparing meals can help people stay independent and eat well. Cooking can also be an enjoyable way for people to make choices, be creative, and care for themselves or others.

Physical benefits

Preparing meals involves many movements that can help people practise physical skills.

older man in kitchen sorting food shopping

Strength and fitness

Lifting pots, carrying ingredients, and preparing food gets people moving and using their muscles. Doing these tasks regularly can help people stay strong and active.

An adult woman assisting an older woman at a kitchen table

Balance and coordination

Moving around the kitchen and reaching for items can help people practise balance and coordination.

older man in kitchen with chopping board

Joint movement and flexibility

Reaching, bending, and moving around the kitchen can help keep the body moving during everyday tasks.

Older man hands in kitchen moulding pasta

Hand strength and coordination

Stirring, pouring, opening containers, and preparing ingredients gets the hands and fingers working. This can help maintain hand strength and coordination.

Thinking and cognitive benefits

Planning and preparing meals uses many everyday thinking skills. Practising these skills helps keep the brain healthy.

Older man in kitchen cooking with support

Memory

Cooking can involve remembering familiar recipes, ingredients, and steps. This gives people a chance to practice their memory skills.

Older woman reading in kitchen

Planning and doing tasks in order

Preparing meals involves choosing what to make, gathering ingredients, and following recipes. This helps people practise planning and doing tasks in order.

Older woman sitting at a table in the kitchen

Problem solving

Cooking often involves making decisions and solving small problems. For example, changing a recipe when an ingredient is missing.

older man in kitchen with support

Concentration and attention

Cooking can involve following a recipe, measuring ingredients, and checking food while it cooks. This can help people practise staying focused.

Emotional and social benefits

Cooking can support confidence, enjoyment, and connection with others.

An older man happily preparing food in the kitchen with a younger man

Confidence and self-esteem

Preparing a meal can help people feel capable and confident in what they can do.

An older woman cooking with tomatoes.

Sense of purpose

Preparing food for yourself or others can be a useful and meaningful part of the day.

Man having a meal he prepared with others

Connection and belonging

Cooking and sharing food with other people can be a way to spend time together and stay connected.

Two women with short hair shopping for food items at a grocery store

Independence and choice

Being able to choose what to eat and prepare it for themselves can help people feel in control of their day.

An adult woman helping an older woman prepare food in the kitchen

Ways to keep the person involved

  • Choose tasks that suit the person’s interests and abilities.
  • Ask what they would like to cook or eat.
  • Involve them in choosing recipes and gathering ingredients.
  • Break larger tasks into smaller steps if needed.
  • Encourage them to do the parts of the task they can manage.
  • Offer support when needed rather than taking over.
  • Focus on participation rather than completing the meal quickly.

Related reablement strategies

Older man in the garden tending to a potted plant

Modifying the task

Change the way a task is done so the person can take part.

View the 'Modify the task' resource
A health professional giving instructions to older women doing exercises with dumbbells.

Building capacity

Support the person to build their strength and abilities.

View the 'Building capacity' resource
An adult man and older woman preparing food together in the kitchen

Adapting the environment

Adjust the living space to make daily life easier for the person.

View the 'Adapting the environment' resource
An older woman uses the kettle tipper to pour hot water for her tea.

Recommending assistive technology

Suggest AT that could help the person do more for themselves.

View the 'Recommend AT' resource
A thermometer being used to measure the temperature of meat

Related low-risk assistive technology

  • Kettle tippers
  • Adaptive cutlery and utensils
  • Adaptive chopping boards
  • Hi-vis food preparation boards
View this resource