Everyone wants to enjoy meals safely and as independently as possible…. everyone. There are many ways to help ensure that mealtimes are safe, enjoyable, social, all while supporting a person’s independence. One way to support an individual during meals is to provide equipment that offers the chance of success and safety. Learn more about adaptive mealtime equipment.

Some equipment isn’t fancy, adaptive or expensive.  Many of us may already have some items in a drawer or cabinet.  Other equipment is specialized, space aged looking, unfamiliar and potentially more money than our day-to-day dining equipment.

Plates/Bowls

• Scoop dishes, bowls, high-sided plates: high/curved plate rims that help gather food onto the utensil
• Plate guards: attach to regular plates to provide a high side to assist with loading utensil
• Divided plates allow food to remain separate, these often have a raised side
• Plates and bowls with suction on bottom to help stabilize the dish and keep it from moving around

Eating/Feeding Utensils

• Small-bowled spoons (e.g. toddler spoons, iced teaspoons, etc.), small forks (e.g. toddler forks, salad forks) may assist with managing bite size
• Utensils with built up handles provide a surface that is larger and potentially easier to grip for those with hand weakness, decreased strength, range of motion, etc.
• Bended or angled utensils can help individuals with limited range of motion to help deliver the food to their mouth
• Weighted utensils may help stabilize hand tremors, allowing individuals to raise the loaded utensil to the mouth to deliver the food

Cup/Glasses

• Wide mouthed cups that allow the cup to be tilted instead of the head to take a drink
• Regulated cups (e.g. Provale, Rije, etc.) that present limited amounts of fluid with each sip
• Nosy cups have a cut out for a person’s nose, so it is not necessary to tip their heads back
• 360° cups that help control the flow of liquids with a covered cup
• Lidded coffee cups with an adjustable opening to help prevent spillage and flow control
• A wide variety of lidded sipper type cups
• Giraffe© Cups: looks like a typical water bottle that can be attached to a wheelchair, has a one-way straw that can be positioned for easy/independent access (not recommended for thickened liquids)

Straws

• Narrow angled straw