Storing and Accessing Food

• When it comes to food storage and access, organization is the key.

• A side-by-side refrigerator, which has the freezer on one side and the refrigerator on the other, allows a person in a seated position the ability to access both the freezer and the refrigerator. When the freezer is stacked on top of the refrigerator, frozen foods can be difficult to reach and may even fall on a person’s head as they are pulling down items.

• A person with impaired vision may be unable to read some of the labels on food and spice containers. Labeling containers with black bold letters in all caps on a white background may help to make identifying foods easier. Plenty of spacing between bottles makes for easy identification and removal from the shelf or rack. Switching some foods or spices to containers with larger-sized lids may help to make the containers easier to open.

• Cutting food can be dangerous if the stroke survivor has trouble using their hands. Purchasing pre-sliced foods may be the safest solution to this problem. Weighted handles or built up handles make utensils and cooking tools easier to handle. A spiked cutting board or a non-skid surface holding the cutting board can also decrease the chance of being cut.

• To avoid outdated or spoiled food, leftover food should be dated and perishable foods should be disposed when expired.