5 Cooking Tips For Arthritic Patients

When you suffer from arthritis, everyday tasks, such as cooking, can be challenging. However, this doesn’t mean you have to hire a chef or ask your family members to make your meals for you. With the right tools and adjustments, it’s possible to whip up delicious meals all on your own. Here are five cooking tips for arthritic patients:

1. Use an electric jar opener
To avoid the pain that comes from twisting open these lids, invest in an electric jar opener. According to Everyday Health, this device can open up the most stubborn lids, so you won’t have to worry about hurting your fingers and wrists.

2. Keep your cutting board in place
Another demanding task you may face as an arthritic patient is holding foods in place while you cut them. A simple solution to this dilemma is to put a damp towel under the cutting board to keep it from sliding around.

3. Buy pre-cut vegetables
Vegetables are a healthy addition to any meal, but they can take too much time to prepare. Washing, peeling and cutting them can take a lot of energy and may tire you out. If you spend a couple dollars more on pre-cut vegetables, you can skip the entire preparation process.

4. Plan ahead
Melinda Winner, author of “A Complete Illustrated Guide to Cooking with Arthritis,” told WebMD it’s a good idea for arthritic patients to do prep work when they feel good.

“For example, measure out fresh herbs in tablespoons or teaspoons, then place them in ice cube trays,” Winner explained. “Fill the trays with water, milk, or cream. When frozen, place your ‘herbsicles’ in clearly marked bags. Later, you won’t need to clean and cut herbs. Just grab what you need for your recipe.”

5. Use kitchen mats
Cooking often requires you to stand on hard surfaces for long periods of time, which can cause discomfort in your knees and feet. If you put several cushioned mats in your kitchen, you will have a more pleasant cooking experience. These mats will help you distribute your weight more evenly and ease pressure on your legs and feet.

Cooking won’t be such a daunting task if you make these simple changes.