Cooking With Arthritis: Kitchen Tips, Tools and Easier Meals

Name: Cooking With Arthritis: Kitchen Tips, Tools and Easier Meals
Creator: Louis Maxwell

Written by Louis Maxwell — First Contact Practitioner, HCPC PH128483.

Written by the Living With Arthritis team · pending clinical review by Louis Maxwell (HCPC PH128483)

Quick answer: Make cooking easier with arthritis by keeping everyday items at waist height, sitting to prepare food, sliding rather than lifting pans, and using aids such as kettle tippers, easy-grip utensils and food processors. Batch cook on good days. In England, your council can assess your needs and provide equipment and small adaptations free if you need them.

Checked on 10 October 2026 against NHS guidance on household gadgets and equipment and home adaptations, Food Standards Agency guidance on cooking and leftovers, and NICE rheumatoid arthritis guidance on occupational therapy. We do not recommend or sell any products or brands.

Cooking uses your hands, wrists, shoulders, back, hips and knees, often all at once, and usually when you are already tired at the end of the day. When arthritis makes chopping, lifting pans or standing at the hob painful, it is easy to rely on convenience food or skip meals. This guide is about making cooking easier and safer, so you can keep eating well without wearing out your joints. For what to eat, see our guides to the best foods for arthritis and meal planning.

Four principles that make cooking easier

Plan: decide meals in advance so you are not making decisions when tired.
Pace: spread preparation through the day, and sit down whenever you can.
Protect: use larger joints and both hands, and avoid tight gripping and twisting.
Simplify: choose recipes, ingredients and equipment that do some of the work for you.

These are the same principles occupational therapists use. NICE says adults with rheumatoid arthritis should have access to specialist occupational therapy if they have difficulties with everyday activities or hand function, and for any type of arthritis an occupational therapist can assess your kitchen and suggest changes. Ask your GP or specialist team about a referral.

Setting up your kitchen

Keep everyday items between waist and shoulder height, so you are not bending low or reaching high.
Store heavy items low, but not on the floor, and light items higher up.
Use a perching stool at the worktop or hob so you can sit while preparing food.
Slide, do not lift. Arrange the kettle, hob and sink so you can slide pans along the worktop.
Use a trolley to move food and dishes to the table.
Good lighting helps you see what you are doing and reduces strain.
Lever taps are easier than twist taps for many people.

Our guide to kitchen adaptations has more ideas, including bigger changes such as lowering worktops.

Equipment that can help

The NHS lists cooking and eating aids that can make life easier, including:

a kettle with a holder (kettle tipper) to make pouring easier
knives and forks with special handles that are easier to hold
easy-grip jugs and graters
cups with 2 handles

Other things many people find useful:

Jar and bottle openers, including under-cupboard or electric types
Ring-pull can openers or electric can openers
Lightweight pans with two handles, so you can lift with both hands
A chopping board with spikes or a raised edge to hold food still
Angled or "rocker" knives that need less wrist bending
A food processor or mini chopper for chopping, slicing and grating
A slow cooker, pressure cooker or air fryer for one-pot meals with less handling
A frying basket or pasta pan with a built-in strainer, so you do not have to carry a heavy pan of boiling water to the sink
Non-slip mats to stop bowls moving
Tap turners for stiff taps

Try equipment before you buy if you can. The NHS mentions the Living made easy website as a way to see what equipment exists and what it costs.

Free help from your council

In England, the NHS says your local council offers a free needs assessment and home assessment, carried out by an occupational therapist, who will visit and look at what you struggle with. Equipment and small adaptations will be provided free if you are assessed as needing them, and the council should pay for each adaptation that costs less than £1,000. For larger changes, a Disabled Facilities Grant may help. Ask social services at your local council. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, so contact your council or health and social care trust.

Joint-friendly techniques

Chopping and preparing

Sit down to prepare vegetables.
Use a sharp knife, as blunt knives need more force.
Hold the knife with your whole hand and keep your wrist straight.
Buy pre-chopped, frozen or tinned vegetables on harder days. Frozen and tinned vegetables can be as useful as fresh.
Use kitchen scissors for herbs, bacon and spring onions.

Lifting and carrying

Use both hands and keep heavy items close to your body.
Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need, using a jug if lifting the kettle is hard.
Lift food out of boiling water with a slotted spoon or basket, rather than draining a heavy pan.
Use oven gloves that cover your wrists, and slide dishes onto the oven shelf rather than lifting them in.

Opening packaging

Use scissors or a packet opener rather than your fingers or teeth.
Run the edge of a jar lid under hot water, or tap it gently, to loosen it.
Ask shops or delivery services if they can provide easier-to-open options.

Our guide to joint protection explains why these techniques help.

Pacing in the kitchen

Prepare in stages. Chop vegetables in the morning when your hands are better, and cook later.
Batch cook on good days and freeze portions for harder days.
Sit down while waiting for something to cook.
Share the work. Ask family to do the heavy lifting, washing up or shopping.
Clean as you go, or soak pans rather than scrubbing.

See our guide to pacing and energy management for more.

Simple, lower-effort meal ideas

These are ideas, not a prescribed diet. For your individual needs, a registered dietitian can help.

Tray bakes: chopped vegetables and chicken or fish on one tray, roasted together.
Slow cooker stews and soups with tinned beans or lentils and frozen vegetables.
Jacket potatoes cooked in the microwave or oven, with beans, tuna or cottage cheese.
Omelettes or scrambled eggs with frozen spinach or peppers.
Porridge or overnight oats with fruit.
Tinned fish, such as sardines or salmon, on wholemeal toast with salad.
Pasta cooked in a pan with a built-in strainer, with a jar of tomato sauce and extra frozen vegetables.

If you have gout or follow a specific diet, check what suits you. Our guide to foods that may trigger symptoms explains what the evidence says.

Batch cooking and food safety

Batch cooking saves effort, but it is important to store and reheat food safely. The Food Standards Agency says:

Cool cooked leftovers and put them in the fridge within two hours.
Eat leftovers within 48 hours, or freeze them if you will not eat them in that time.
Reheat food until it is steaming hot throughout, and only reheat it once.

Portion food into small, lightweight containers before freezing, so each one is easy to lift. Label them with the date.

An example lower-effort week

This is one way to spread the work, not a set menu. Adapt it to your tastes, budget and any dietary advice you have been given.

Sunday (a good day): make a big slow cooker chilli or lentil stew. Eat one portion, chill or freeze the rest in small containers.
Monday: tray bake of chicken thighs or tofu with frozen mixed vegetables.
Tuesday: a frozen portion of Sunday's stew with microwave rice or a jacket potato.
Wednesday: omelette with frozen peppers and a side salad from a bag.
Thursday: pasta with a jar of tomato sauce, tinned beans and frozen spinach.
Friday: tinned salmon or sardines on wholemeal toast with cherry tomatoes.
Saturday: soup and a sandwich, or a meal with family or friends.

The NHS Eatwell Guide suggests basing meals on starchy foods, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and including some protein. Frozen, tinned and pre-prepared ingredients all count.

Cooking during a flare

On a bad day, it is fine to keep things very simple. Have a "flare shelf" or freezer drawer with ready options: frozen meals you have batch cooked, tins of soup, wholemeal crackers, nut butter, long-life milk and porridge pots. Use a microwave rather than the hob or oven, eat from the container if washing up is too much, and ask someone else to cook if you can.

After a hip or knee replacement

NHS recovery advice after a knee replacement includes avoiding twisting your knee, bending down and reaching up as much as possible, and after a hip replacement, not bending your hip more than 90 degrees. Before your operation, move everyday items to waist height, stock the freezer with ready meals, and consider a perching stool and a kitchen trolley. An occupational therapist may visit before or after surgery to check you can manage safely.

Getting the most from an occupational therapy visit

Before an occupational therapist visits, it helps to note:

which kitchen tasks are hardest, such as lifting the kettle, opening jars or standing at the hob
when in the day things are worse
any near misses, such as spills, burns or falls
what you would most like to be able to do again

Show them how you normally do the task, rather than how you would do it on a good day, so their advice fits your real life.

Staying safe in the kitchen

A weak or painful grip makes spills and burns more likely. Use both hands for hot liquids, and consider a kettle tipper.
Turn pan handles inwards so they are not knocked.
Keep the floor clear and wipe spills straight away to prevent falls.
Have a smoke alarm fitted and tested. Many fire and rescue services offer free home fire safety visits; contact your local service to ask.
If you are very tired or your medicines make you drowsy, choose meals that need no hob or oven.

Shopping and deliveries

Online grocery shopping saves carrying. Ask for bags to be packed lightly.
Many supermarkets offer help or quieter shopping times; ask at customer services.
Use a shopping trolley with wheels rather than carrying bags.
Buy smaller packs of heavy items, such as milk, potatoes and flour.

If cooking is becoming very difficult, ready meals, meal delivery services or help from family, friends or carers can make sure you still eat well. A council needs assessment can look at whether you need help with meals.

Cooking for a family

If you cook for others, share the jobs. Children can help with age-appropriate tasks, such as washing vegetables or setting the table. Simple family meals cooked in one pot, and leftovers for lunches, reduce the number of times you need to cook each week.

Eating comfortably

Use cutlery with larger, padded or angled handles if gripping is hard.
Lightweight plates, two-handled cups and non-slip mats can help.
If your jaw is affected, choose softer foods and cut food into smaller pieces.

When to get medical help

Speak to your GP or specialist team if cooking and eating are becoming hard, you are losing weight without trying, or you are skipping meals because of pain or tiredness. Ask about occupational therapy or a referral to a dietitian. Get urgent advice from NHS 111 for a burn larger than your palm, or a deep burn, and call 999 for a severe burn or a fire. See a GP the same day if a joint becomes hot, swollen and very painful, especially with a fever.

Frequently asked questions

What kitchen gadgets help with arthritis?

Kettle tippers, easy-grip cutlery and utensils, jar and can openers, two-handled pans, food processors and slow cookers are among the most useful. An occupational therapist can advise on what suits you.

Can I get kitchen equipment for free?

In England, the NHS says your council will provide equipment and small adaptations free if you are assessed as needing them. Ask social services for a needs assessment.

How can I cook when my hands hurt?

Use pre-chopped or frozen ingredients, kitchen scissors, a food processor and padded handles. Prepare food in stages when your hands are at their best.

Is batch cooking safe?

Yes, if you cool food and put it in the fridge within two hours, eat it within 48 hours or freeze it, and reheat it only once until steaming hot.

Should I sit down to cook?

If standing is painful, yes. A perching stool lets you work at the worktop or hob at a comfortable height.

Who can help me plan meals?

A registered dietitian can give individual advice. Ask your GP for a referral.

Are slow cookers or air fryers worth it with arthritis?

They can be, because they reduce chopping, stirring and lifting heavy pans. Check the weight of the bowl or basket and how easy the controls are to use before buying, and try one in a shop or borrow one first if you can.

Sources and further reading

Educational information for people in the United Kingdom, not personal medical, legal or financial advice. NHS processes, rules and prices change, so check the linked official sources and speak to your GP, specialist team or pharmacist about your own situation. Charity no. 1218461. Pending clinical review. If you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.

Continue with related help

Cooking with hand osteoarthritis — when you are becoming frailer
Gadgets and aids — everyday help
Gardening with arthritis — joint-friendly tips
Parenting with arthritis — family life

Last updated 2026-10-10. This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.