I do not use lots of canned food because most are heavily salted. However, I love to make homemade spaghetti sauce and chili which require some canned food. I make a big batch and freeze it in individual food containers that can be heated in the microwave. Since I cannot make food taste better with butter or cream sauces I add lots of veggies to these one pot recipes.
I use an electric can opener made by Krups that uncrimps the metal rather than cutting it. This leaves a smooth edge so the top can be put back on if you want to use the contents later. The photo on the right shows how a right-handed person holds it while the photo below shows how my
left hand holds
it so I can see what I am doing.
Short cans do not have the clearance I need so I put them on a food storage container. Since I do not open cans that often I have trouble finding the exact angle the opener requires. I have to try two to three times before my wrist remembers the correct angle. I know when I get it right because the noise changes from a high pitched whine to a low pitched growl. The only time this can opener has let me down is when a hurricane has cut my electricity.
I use an electric can opener made by Krups that uncrimps the metal rather than cutting it. This leaves a smooth edge so the top can be put back on if you want to use the contents later. The photo on the right shows how a right-handed person holds it while the photo below shows how my left hand holds it so I can see what I am doing.
Short cans do not have the clearance I need so I put them on a food storage container. Since I do not open cans that often I have trouble finding the exact angle the opener requires. I have to try two to three times before my wrist remembers the correct angle. I know when I get it right because the noise changes from a high pitched whine to a low pitched growl. The only time this can opener has let me down is when a hurricane has cut my electricity.
I still use the manual opener but that leads to problems with gripping it tightly enough to cut thru the top. And then comes the problem of getting the opener out of my hand without tipping over the can I just opened. I keep trying, maybe in 10 years I will have done enough repititions to stop my spasticity and control my fingers. Ah well, recovery is hard work.
ReplyDeleteI have a nice light little battery operated electric can opener and I have a jar opener by the same company. They opens cans/jars remarkable well with one hand. It is called "one-touch". You set it in place and then you just push a button on the top. I highly recommend using this kind of gizmos too. I also believe in getting assorted convenience foods now, like salad pre-torn in a bag and containers with pre-sliced mushrooms. The can opener is about 18 dollars at wal-mart.
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Dean-- that's a whole lot of canned goods to consume in the next 10 years.
After the stroke, I bought a one-handed can opener because, like you, I need to open cans of tomatoes. It didn't work, so I feel back onto struggling with our conventional one. Eventually, after a few attempts, I figured out how to use it one-handed... grip handles with unaffected hand to break through the top of the can, then smash the handles into my rib cage, under my breast, to keep the handles clenched together. Then use unaffected hand to turn the crank, adjusting the position of the opener as it moves around the can. It hurts sometimes, but it gets it done.
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