26/08/2026
Why would an NDIS OT cook with a client? 👩🏻🍳
Sometimes people see us cooking with a client and ask:
“Do OTs actually teach cooking too?” 😂
Yes — because cooking is a great way to practise real-life skills.
Even before we start cooking, there is already a lot happening.
We might plan what to make, check what ingredients are already at home, write a shopping list, or look through the Woolworths website together to find items and compare prices.
Once we start cooking, we can also see how the client manages things like:
Can they follow a recipe?
Do they remember what comes next?
Can they organise multiple steps?
What happens when something doesn’t go to plan?
Kitchen safety is another important part — using knives, handling hot pans and water, checking whether food is cooked properly, and remembering to turn appliances off.
If something goes wrong, I usually won’t step in straight away. Instead, I might ask:
“What do you think you could do now?”
The aim is to help the client practise thinking through the problem and becoming less reliant on someone else giving them the answer.
So cooking sessions are never just about learning one recipe.
They can support planning, time management, problem solving, safety awareness, fine motor skills and overall independence in daily life.
The long-term goal is simple: for the client to feel more confident doing these things on their own. 💛
