NDIS Cooking Program at Mambourin

Meal planning and making healthy meals are important life skills that can make a big difference in how you feel and live.

At Mambourin, we know how meaningful it is for you to learn these skills. That’s why we offer NDIS-funded cooking programs to help you learn how to make tasty and healthy meals and get into good eating habits.

Why should I learn to cook at home?

Learning to cook at home is an excellent idea for many reasons. It can make your life better in different ways, including:

Feeling more independent

Cooking at home means you get to decide what you want to eat. This helps you feel in control and able to do things for yourself. It’s great knowing you can take care of your own meals.

Having better nutrition

When you make your own meals, you can choose healthy ingredients. This means you can eat food that is good for your body and keeps you feeling your best.

Learning a new skill

Cooking is a skill that you can learn and improve over time. As you practise, you’ll be able to make many different kinds of food and feel proud of what you can do in the kitchen.

Two men stand in front of an outdoor grill, one is wearing a red chef's hat, the other is pouring ingredients from a bowl onto the grill

Boosting confidence

When you cook a tasty meal, you feel proud of what you’ve done. You can also share your food with friends and family, which can make you feel good about yourself. Plus, solving problems in the kitchen shows you can handle challenges in other parts of life too.

Meeting new people

Learning to cook can help you make new friends and share experiences. You can join cooking classes or invite friends over for dinner. Sharing food is a fun way to connect with others and enjoy each other’s company.

Feeling relaxed

Cooking can help you feel calm and think clearly. When you cook, you can forget about other things for a while and just focus on what you’re doing. It’s like taking a mini holiday for your mind. Plus, making a meal lets you be creative, like when you choose ingredients or try new recipes. This can be fun and relaxing. And at the end, you get to enjoy a tasty meal that you made yourself!

Saving money

Cooking at home can be cheaper than eating out or buying ready-made meals because you have control over the ingredients and can make dishes that fit within your budget. When you plan and make your own meals, you also waste less food, which is good for your wallet and the planet!

What can I learn in an NDIS cooking program at Mambourin?

Our NDIS cooking program is designed to help you learn essential meal planning and preparation skills. Here’s what you can expect to learn:

How to plan healthy meals

We’ll teach you how to plan nutritious meals that suit your needs and preferences. This includes understanding portion sizes, choosing the right ingredients and creating meal plans that work for you.

Grocery shopping

You’ll learn how to navigate the supermarket, read food labels and make smart choices when buying groceries. We’ll also share tips on how to save money and reduce food waste while shopping.

Kitchen organisation

We’ll help you organise your kitchen in a way that makes it easy for you to use and maintain. This includes arranging appliances, utensils and ingredients in an accessible manner, ensuring a safe and efficient cooking environment.

Adapting cooking techniques

Sometimes, not all ingredients and tools are available. So in our cooking program, we’ll teach you how to change cooking methods using special kitchen tools and recipes. For example, if you have difficulty with hand strength, we might show you how to use an electric can opener or jar opener with a better grip. We’ll also assist you to adjust recipes.

Basic cooking skills, including measuring ingredients and food/kitchen safety

You will learn the basics of cooking, like how to measure ingredients, follow recipes, and know how long and at what temperature to cook things. You’ll also learn important safety tips for using your kitchen and handling food, so you can cook safely and have fun doing it.

Problem-solving in the kitchen

We know that sometimes things go differently than planned in the kitchen. Our program will show you how to solve problems when they happen. If something goes wrong with a recipe or you are missing an ingredient, we’ll help you find a way to fix it and keep going.