Cooking and ADHD, Part 2:

9 Helpful Hacks to Calm the Culinary Chaos

Ever feel like you’re competing on a nerve-wracking reality cooking show—fumbling to juggle chopping veggies, minding the stove, and keeping an eye on the timer—when you're making a simple family meal at home?

Yup. With an ADHD brain, everyday culinary endeavors can feel like an uphill battle against the clock, because of the endless list of executive functions involved. (Not sure what in the world I’m talking about? Head on over to part 1 in this series to learn more about why cooking is so darn hard for ADHD brians)

But fret not, you're not alone, and help is on the way! Get ready to spice up your kitchen routine with our savoury set of eight precise, delectable strategies designed to help you master the art of ADHD-friendly cooking. Let's get the culinary show on the road—minus the stress!

1. Go it alone.

This is the opposite of what I so often recommend, but balancing the needs, style, and communication of another person while cooking can be more draining than helpful. Whether you like cooking or not, it’s taxing your EF system to the max. Don't add additional stresses by having to also carry on a conversation, balance hostessing, or maneuver around another person. Instead, explain ahead of time how much focus it takes for you and ask that everyone allow you the space to do it on your own.

Really need a hand to get it all done? Have your helper set up in a far part of the kitchen where they are out of the way and ask them to limit their conversation.

2. Plan out the timing first.

Trying to figure out how to have your main and side dishes done simultaneously can feel like an impossible task. Try sitting down with your recipes ahead of time and planning (by working backward from when you want to eat) the critical times for each part of the meal. Work off of this main list, and be sure you have a clock visible to keep you on track. I know it feels like extra work, but- believe me- it will save you tons of time in the long run.

3. Shut out external noise (or pump up the volume).

ADHD brains are filterless. Which means that they can get overloaded quickly. But they also have about 20 channels going at once just from within which can be overwhelming on its own.

So if, as you enter the kitchen, you find yourself already feeling a bit frazzled and overwhelmed- Power down your Hulu and tell Alexa to be quiet. Shutting down some of those extra inputs can help decrease the load when you are in the heart of balancing several different components, measuring, or planning your path forward.

If you find yourself getting distracted by the endless cycling of distracting thoughts, then go ahead and pop on a podcast or some reality TV- The external stimulation may help you stay on task while doing the rote tasks of chopping or washing dishes.

4. Group your tasks.

One of the biggest executive functioning drains (ie: the things our brains have to do that deplete our system) is switching between tasks. So, cut out as much switching as possible by grouping your tasks. Act like your own Soux Chef– chop everything at once, measure everything out ahead of time, and hold off on washing up until the end (or a break in the middle). This mayl take a bit more time ahead of time but will make the entire experience feel much more manageable and often saves time in the long run.

5. Ask for help (ahead of time)

I know, I know. I just told you to do it alone. But there are times and ways to outsource some of the work that allows more time and focus but don't eat up your executive functioning resources in the moment:

• Give someone a task that can be done elsewhere,

i.e., setting the table, working the grill, or chopping veggies in another room

• Give out jobs ahead of time:

Communicate precisely what you need ahead of time so you don't have to give directions while you're in the middle of orchestrating your own work.

• Tell helpers that you aren't able to chat while cooking.

• POTLUCK!

Get everyone to contribute a dish that they make at their own house- leaving fewer things for you to juggle and fewer people in the kitchen.

6. Give yourself extra time:

No matter how much grouping and planning ahead you do, a good deal of switching will remain. Because switching between cooking tasks may exhaust your system, it might take you longer to complete each one. That's ok- build that time in and give yourself what you need.

7. Outsource:

Meal prep boxes, pre-chopped veggies, or buying prepared side dishes at the grocery store aren’t cheats. They are smart strategies that can all cut down on the number of tasks you have to juggle, leaving you with more executive functioning capabilities to spend where you really need them.

8. Make ahead:

We all have more EF capabilities at the beginning of our day. Make use of them and do anything you can ahead of time- maybe that means using a slow cooker, rice cooker, or Instapot, or perhaps that is making the bulk of a meal in advance and just heating it up later. Either way- the more you can do earlier in the day, the less you need to focus on when your resources have already been spent.

9. Choose recipes with step-by-step instructions and pictures:

Kitchen visual aids can be a bit of a game-changer when cooking with an ADHD brain. The special interaction between ADHD and executive functions like task management and organizing sequences often causes a simple recipe book to seem like a towering wall of text.

Enter visual aids such as recipe cards or picture-by-picture steps, shaving the process down into bite-sized pieces. Each card or image essentially becomes a task in and of itself, enabling you to pour your entire focus into one step at a time. Leaving you with a structured, clarity-driven method towards deliciousness that you didn’t even have to create!

So there you have it, 9 solid strategies to help your ADHD brain navigate the kitchen.

These tips aren't just about chopping and simmering; they're about building a routine that supports your executive functioning and grants you the confidence to master what can be a fun (and delicious) task.

Remember, practice makes it easier (not perfect- perfection is a ridiculous and impossible neurotypical myth), and cooking is no exception. So why not give these hacks a try in your next culinary adventure? And when you’re done- make me a plate!

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