Cooking, Life Stages, and the Systems We Create
Welcome back to the Koi Wellness blog, I'm Aya Porté, your occupational therapist (OT) who is passionate about nurturing children's potential and supporting cross-cultural families.
A little something about me—I love to cook and bake.
This past year, I found myself cooking more than I have in a long time. But what stood out wasn’t just how often I cooked—it was how differently I cooked depending on my environment.
I’ve followed cooking blogs for years, saving recipes, tips, and techniques. But this year, I noticed something shift. Instead of trying to follow recipes exactly, I started adapting them—fine-tuning them to fit my life after moving, settling into Texas, and navigating a completely new rhythm.
And that’s where this story really begins.
Cooking Is More Than Just Cooking
Before we go further, you might be wondering—what does cooking have to do with occupational therapy?
Cooking is considered an Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). It supports independent living, health management, and participation in everyday life. In OT, we break cooking down into the motor, cognitive, and sensory skills needed to prepare meals safely and meaningfully.
And when we work with children, cooking becomes something even more powerful. It’s a natural way to build motor skills, sequencing, sensory exploration, independence, and social participation—all through something tangible and engaging.
But beyond all of that, there’s a very real, practical truth:
Someone has to cook.
As parents and caregivers, cooking isn’t just a skill—it’s a responsibility that keeps everything else moving.
There Is No “Right Way” to Meal Prep
There are so many approaches to cooking and meal prep:
Batch cooking
Make-ahead meals
Ingredient prepping
Individually portioned meals
Meal kits
Crockpot or pressure cooker meals
Weekly menu planning
There isn’t one right system.
There’s only the system that works for you—and that system is allowed to change.
How My Cooking System Evolved
Looking back, my cooking has always reflected the stage of life I was in.
In college, I cooked maybe two or three times a month, usually at a friend’s apartment since I didn’t have a full kitchen. I’d make a grocery list, buy too much meat, not enough vegetables, and leave behind half-used ingredients like an unintentional “donation” in their fridge. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked for that stage.
In graduate school, cooking became more consistent. Living with roommates, I started planning meals, hosting dinners, and experimenting more. This was when I learned to batch cook—making large portions and eating leftovers throughout the week. I learned how to make lasagna, fried rice, curry, and pasta sauce from scratch. It was time-consuming, but manageable because it carried me through multiple days.
In my mid to late twenties, cooking became more sustainable when I shared the responsibility with a partner. Alternating meals made everything feel more balanced, and I picked up new strategies along the way.
In Japan, cooking for one brought a different kind of challenge. The grocery system made portioning easy, but most recipes online were designed for 6–8 servings. I found myself constantly adjusting measurements. While I reduced food waste, I also felt like I was always cooking, always cleaning—and always a little tired.
During my private practice and school work, my meals became more functional. Lunch depended on access to a fridge and often consisted of leftovers or simple meals. I’ve always leaned toward working smarter—using what I already made instead of starting from scratch every time.
When visiting my husband in the U.S., I shifted into freezer meal prepping. He was busy with school, so I focused on creating low-effort, ready-to-cook meals—crockpot dishes, baked pastas, and pre-portioned freezer meals. It worked well… except I didn’t always adjust for one person, which led to some forgotten leftovers (we’ve all been there).
Eventually, I refined this system further—prepping ingredients in advance, cooking in phases, and building a few staple meals I could make without thinking.
This became especially important during our move from Japan to Texas. Between packing, traveling, and adjusting to a new environment, I needed a system that was flexible, efficient, and realistic—not perfect.
What This Taught Me About Occupational Therapy
My biggest takeaway from this past year is this:
Cooking changes with your life.
Your energy changes.
Your environment changes.
Your responsibilities change.
Your access to resources changes.
And your systems need to change with you.
Cooking and meal preparation are deeply connected to occupational therapy because they reflect everything we consider in practice: routines, access, environment, culture, time, energy, and support systems.
In OT, we don’t ask, “What’s the best way to cook?”
We ask, “What’s the best way for you to cook—right now?”
For children, cooking can be a meaningful way to build skills through play and participation.
For adults and caregivers, it’s often about efficiency, sustainability, and meeting daily demands.
Across the lifespan, the “right” system is the one that fits your current season of life.
Cooking isn’t just about food.
It’s about how we organize our time, use our energy, and create systems that support our daily lives.
And like any meaningful occupation, it evolves.
What worked for you before might not work now—and that’s adaptation.
As your life changes, your systems are allowed to change with you.
And sometimes, the most supportive thing you can do is stop trying to follow someone else’s recipe—and start building one that fits your own life.
If you want to learn more about how I can support you and your child, you can schedule a call here and connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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