Do you love cooking but fatigue or pain gets in the way? Me too. At the beginning of the pandemic I put a lot of my energy into cooking. I started meal prepping, I created care packages, I was always cooking. At this same time I was also struggling with my Psoriatic Arthritis. I was both excited and angry because what I love was also hurting me. I don't have a solution that is going to completely solve this problem but I can share how I get through it. My biggest challenges are cutting and stirring.
Kitchen Gadgets
Kitchen gadgets are my best friend. If you have seen my Christmas list it is full of them every year. Its ridiculous how many I own but they help me do something I love and save my body from unnecessary pain and fatigue.
Chopping or Shredding
My favorite one to use is my Ninja Food Blender/Processor set. I put everything in there from vegetables to meats to chop or shred my food. There was one night recently where I wanted nachos and I was using thin cuts of steak instead of ground beef I was so excited I had everything ready but I couldn't cut the meat up. It would have taken me several minutes and a lot of hand pain to do it. Instead I got frustrated and used the Ninja to shred it.
Stirring or Whisking
So many sauces say stir constantly but I don't have the patience or hand strength to do that. Now I stir/whisk if I can or I get out my electric stirrer put it in the pot, pick a setting and walk away!
Cutting
Cutting is the worst! Its repetitive and takes hand strength and grip to push down the knife. Sometimes my hands are so weak that I can't hold the fork and knife long enough to cut everything I need to. I am a huge fan of my rocker blade as a cutting tool for salad, pizza, bread, chicken and anything else it can take on. Its u shaped design allows you to rock instead of press. These blades come in multiple sizes so you can get the right one for you and your kitchen.
Peeling
Peeling while usually necessary is super annoying and requires a lot from your hands and wrists. If you are ever in charge of mashed potatoes for the holidays I highly recommend an electric peeler. I have not invested in anything fancy but I do like my electric peeler when I need it.
Food Prep & Setup
The food you buy and the way your kitchen is setup can make all the difference. There are multiple ways to prep your food to save you time and pain.
Buy pre-chopped vegetables or sliced meats. This could be fresh or frozen foods. Most grocery stores have a pre-cut section where you can get your onion, broccoli carrots, etc. pre-cut for you so you do not have to worry about it yourself. Of course this comes at a premium if you want them fresh, so check the frozen aisle too. If you are making a stir-fry or a pot pie, by the mixed vegetables frozen and pre-prepped. If you are grilling or roasting, grab those frozen roasting pan veggie trays.
Meal prep on good days. If you are feeling good and have the time and money, try meal prepping. For me this means going through my recipe book and selecting meals that are good for freezing, or sheet pan recipes if I am prepping for just a few days. You can prep all of the ingredients all at once and grab them out of the fridge or freezer when you need them.
Make a double batch. If your recipe freezes well, make a double batch of it and freeze half so you have another meal waiting for you on a bad day.
Prioritize one pan, one pot, slow cooker or instant pot meals for less cleanup, less stirring and less energy.
Add mats or rugs in your kitchen. Standing on a rug or an anti-fatigue mat can make all the difference when you are standing in the kitchen.
Use a chair. When you are in the kitchen all day like when I make care packages or pies for thanksgiving (or when I broke my ankle and wouldn't sit still) I bring in my office chair and roll around the kitchen.
Where your arthritis gloves or braces! Giving your body the extra support is important. Put latex gloves over your arthritis gloves or hand or wrist brace to protect them from foods and save you a wash.
Don't let Arthritis take more of what you love. I would love to hear how you making cooking easier with arthritis.
For more tips and tricks, check out my recap of the session Simplifying Autoimmune Nutrition and Cooking from the Autoimmune Community Summit.
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