THE NEURODIVERGENT RECIPE TRANSLATOR
Turn recipes into clear, manageable actions.
A recipe may look short while asking the brain to hold several instructions, judge vague language, switch between tasks, track time and tolerate a changing sensory environment. For ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ARFID, fatigue or anxiety, the difficulty may be the design of the instructions rather than a lack of cooking ability.
This substantial four-page guide shows how to move hidden information out of working memory and place it somewhere visible. It offers a repeatable eight-part translation method, a fully worked example, sensory and ARFID-aware alternatives, a traffic-light capacity plan and a reusable worksheet.
Inside the PDF:
- the hidden executive-function demands inside ordinary recipes
- an eight-part system for rewriting instructions
- clear timers, sensory cues and stopping points
- support for dyslexia, dyscalculia and task switching
- lower-demand alternatives and safe-food permissions
- a line-by-line worked recipe translation
- sensory and ARFID-aware adaptations
- myth-and-reality prompts
- a printable recipe translation sheet
- safety guidance, sources and Maggie’s reflection
The message throughout is simple: the meal is the goal. Following the original method exactly is not the goal.
This is an educational resource and does not replace individual medical, dietetic, occupational-therapy, allergy, swallowing or food-safety advice.
Space to Breathe Therapy
