Tips for VIPs: Food and cooking

In our winter edition of Sideview we shared your everyday tips for visually impaired people (VIPs) that make your life easier in the kitchen.…

Keep things secure

When putting a glass down, use one hand to feel the surface and the other to hold the glass until you are sure it’s in the right place.

And when picking it up, slide your hand along the surface until you find the glass - don't reach for the top.

Use rubber matting to stop things sliding off trays.

Stay safe

Reduce the amount of preparation and measuring you have to do by buying ready-chopped fruit, vegetables, cheese and meat, and sugar lumps rather than loose sugar.

Use an indicator on the rim of your cup that beeps when the water gets near the top.

Wear oven gloves that cover more of your arms to help prevent burns, and use a saucepan instead of a frying pan to stop hot liquids splashing or spitting at you.

If you need to replace your kettle, a One Cup water boiler is very good. It heats enough water for one cup at a time so is more economical and quicker too. 

Think big, bright and bold

When replacing utensils, think bright – whether that’s cutlery, peelers, chopping boards, coasters, mugs or bowls. And remember: black plates show up food better.

Put a contrasting-colour plate under your bowl to catch any spills.

Use sticky labels in bright colours to label anything (and everything!) around the house. Write the first letter on the label in thick black pen – P for parsley, S for salt and so on.

Use your other senses

Put bumpons on the cooker, washing machine, microwave and dishwasher. They’re handy for marking the oven temperatures you use most often, and the on/off dial.

Look into talking tins, egg timers, measuring jugs, scales and even microwaves.

Feel your plates and cutlery when putting them away to make sure they are clean.