We will looking at access to cuisine – cuisine as in cooking and consuming good food. Too often we eat fast and easy food because we dont have time, the support, and the knowledge of how to prepare nutritious and tasty dishes. We will be starting a project of making simple, accessible and multicutural meals.
Food is very much part of culture and our cultural identity. Do disabled people have an identity in what we eat and the restaurants/eateries we frequent? We shall feature accessible restaurants too. What is your favourite accessible restaurant? Is it easier access for chain restaurants and in malls – do you find it as easy to find accessible ethnic food? Does accessibility shape your food experience?
We will have videos and sharing recipes as well as cooking with friends and personal assistants.
Accessible Cooking/ cooking with help
This page linked above contains simple recipes that you can prepare yourself or with support. Accessibility is in mind for people who find it difficult to handle cooking on their own and therefore need support, or the instructions are simple for people with personal assistants who may need clear directions how to make certain dishes.This includes vegan/ vegetarian dishes, gluten free and with less sugar /salt.
Also in these days of austerity, care support hours are being cut so there is not much time for food preparation. Very often, disabled people are left with just pre packaged frozen meals.
So if its possible, microwaves are used for food preparation. When I was a volunteer adviser at Citizens Advice Bureau helping with financial day to day advice, I found they were many who use prepaid cards for electricity so the less energy use the better. Quite a few people had accomodation that only had a recourse to a microwave for cooking, including students and those who are in studios.
