At Kangaroo Disability Services, our cooking classes are about much more than just making delicious meals—they’re about developing essential life skills, boosting confidence, and fostering friendships. Every class is a hands-on experience that encourages creativity, teamwork, and independence.
This week, we took on the challenge of Cannelloni Day! Instead of sticking to just one type of pasta, we experimented with different shapes and sizes of pasta shells, giving our participants the freedom to explore new techniques and textures.
A Tasty Two-Way Dish
We prepared two flavourful variations:
- Traditional Meat-Based Cannelloni – A rich, savoury filling packed with perfectly seasoned minced meat.
- Vegetarian Cannelloni – A mouth-watering combination of pumpkin, spinach, ricotta, and pine nuts.
Each dish was topped with a homemade tomato basil sauce and a creamy, cheesy béchamel sauce before being baked to perfection.
Learning from Experience
Cooking is a journey of trial and error, and today’s dessert gave us a valuable lesson! We set out to make a creamy, chocolatey mousse , but quickly realised that using a thin cream didn’t quite work to achieve the thick consistency we wanted.
However, we didn’t let that stop us! Making mistakes in the kitchen is normal, and every challenge is a learning opportunity. Instead of giving up, we worked as a team to troubleshoot and problem-solve—resulting in a still-delicious dessert.
More Than Just Cooking
Our cooking classes offer more than just culinary skills—they help participants develop valuable everyday abilities that promote independence. Starting the day with grocery shopping is a key part of our program, as it teaches essential life skills such as:
✅ Writing shopping lists ✏️
✅ Budgeting and managing money 💰
✅ Understanding value for money ️🪙
✅ Learning to make ingredient swaps when needed 🤔
By mastering these skills, our participants gain confidence in making decisions, planning meals, and becoming more self-sufficient.
Sharing, Friendship, and Inclusion
After all the hard work of chopping, peeling, dicing, and stirring, the best part comes next—sitting down together to enjoy the meal we created. Sharing a meal is a fantastic way to build friendships and strengthen social skills. Our cooking classes provide a relaxed, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone can work at their own pace, celebrate their achievements, and learn from each other.
📢Exciting News – A Second Class Added!
Due to popular demand, we are thrilled to announce that a second weekly cooking class will be available starting Tuesday, 18th March! This means more opportunities to cook, learn, and connect with others in a fun, engaging environment. Spots are limited, so don’t miss out!
Join the Fun!
Want to be part of this vibrant, skill-building program? Our classes are ongoing, and you can join at any time!
Register now: https://kdservices.com.au/day-options-cooking-program/
Know someone who would love to join? Share this with them and help spread the joy of cooking!
#Inclusion #CookingSkills #NDIS #LifeSkills #Teamwork
