Cooking during the holidays doesn't have to be a nightmare if you have arthritis. Here are some tips you can use to make your time in the kitchen less painful and more productive.

1). Use recipes with fewer ingredients and steps. Three to five ingredients is plenty for a tasty dish. By choosing recipes with a few steps instead of many will help reduce the strain in your arthritic hands.

2). If you buy grated cheese or chopped onions instead of preparing these and other ingredients like them yourself, your hands will thank you.

3). Consider using prepared foods combined with from-scratch ingredients to speed up time spent in the kitchen and lower the amount of pressure on your joints. For instance, Instead of cutting vegetables for a veggie tray, buy prepared vegetable trays or the ingredients already cut to go on your own tray.

4). Use arthritis-friendly cooking utensils. Ask your family to buy your Christmas presents early in time for you to use them in holiday meal preparation. OXO Manufacturing Company makes a huge selection of utensils with big rubber handles and other features which are perfect additions to your kitchen. Other tools made by OXO include mixing bowls with thick rubber handles, measuring cups that are easy to read and jar openers. OXO's products can be bought online or at retail stores.

5). One-dish meals mean less dishwashing. You can combine rice, meat and fresh veggies to create a healthy meal with less work. For example, try an egg meal with your favorite meat, spinach and other vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. Pour the egg mixture on top of the other ingredients and let cook without stirring.

Finally, consider using a stool to move around the kitchen if your legs are arthritic and use disposable cooking pans and plates to serve food. There are many pretty holiday plastic trays, for instance.

Whatever you do in your kitchen over the holidays, make sure to take frequent breaks and a few deep breaths to relieve the stress.

by Ellie Kuykendall