One of my favorite ways to teach functional life skills in my classroom is through cooking. It’s hands-on, meaningful, and honestly… the students are way more engaged when food is involved. Recently, we made a summer themed snack using a visual recipe, and it was a great reminder of why these resources are such a staple in my classroom.
What seems like a simple cooking activity actually covers so many important skills. Before we even started cooking, students practiced budgeting and planning. We talked about what ingredients we needed, where to find them in the store, and how to locate the correct aisles.
During the activity, students worked on identifying items, using kitchen utensils, following directions, and practicing basic kitchen safety—all real-world skills they’ll need after they leave school.
My non-readers were able to use the colorful printouts to independently locate items in the grocery store, locate the cooking supplies in our classroom, follow the recipe to make their snack, and complete the reflection questions.
I loved how we were also able to easily use an AAC device to provide support when completing the reflection questions. My readers were able to use the second level resource to complete the same activity. My students enjoyed the experience, especially the sweet treat at the end of their hard work!
The visual recipe resources we used included two different levels for each recipe, which made differentiation easy. Some students were able to follow the more detailed version, while others benefited from the simplified layout. Everyone was able to participate and feel successful, which is always the goal in any special education classroom.
From a teacher perspective, visual recipes are also quick and easy to use. There’s less prep, fewer repeated directions, and more opportunities to fade prompts and let students take the lead. I was able to step back, observe, and support as needed instead of guiding every single step.
At the end of the day, cooking with visual recipes is about so much more than making a snack. It’s about building independence, confidence, and functional life skills in a way that feels fun and meaningful for students. And honestly? When students are proud of what they made and excited to eat it, that’s a win in my book.
