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Cooking and grief – why does it matter what I eat?

By Debbie Wilson, LCSW, Grief Support Specialist with Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care

Cooking and grief may not seem to go hand in hand. But, I hear from so many people “why does it matter what I eat?”

After the loss of someone you love and have cared for, it’s not uncommon to dismiss your own needs for sustenance. You have shown love and nurturing to your loved one by preparing their favorite foods or trying anything to get them to eat.

Now, as you adjust to life without them, it’s hard to have the energy or desire to eat, let alone plan on what to fix. Grocery shopping alone can bring with it a multitude of grief triggers. 

We designed Cooking for One as part of our Expressive Therapies Series to help. We’ve taught folks who have cooked for many and others who “can’t boil water.” 

It’s about recognizing things are different now. You do matter. Your health matters. Your loved one would want you to take care of yourself now. Come to the table and find camaraderie and a renewed sense of hope. 

Join us at Kansas City Hospice House for our two-night Cooking for One in the Autumn event on October 22 & 24.

[ebs_button style=”btn-default btn-lg” type=”link” target=”false” title=”Details” link=”https://www.kchospice.org/event/cooking-for-one-in-the-autumn/2019-10-22/”]

Here are some articles on cooking and grief that you might find of interest:

Grief and Baking a Cake

Coping with Cooking After a Death at What’s Your Grief website                     


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Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care provides comprehensive, expert care for all ages at all stages of serious illness.

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When the focus shifts to comfort instead of treatment, care comes to your home or nursing facility with a plan tailored to your needs, including emotional and spiritual support for the whole family.

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Hospice Care

Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care is the community clinical site for the University of Kansas Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship. We're committed to developing physicians with specialty-level training in caring for patients with serious or terminal illness.

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Palliative Medicine Fellowship

Community-Based Palliative Care

Beginning as early as diagnosis and at any stage of serious illness, our nurse practitioners make home visits as needed to help coordinate your care and provide expert pain and symptom management.

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Hospice House

Hospice House

When symptoms cannot be easily managed at home, two hospice houses provide 24/7 expert care in comfortable home-line settings where family members can be relieved of caregiving duties to focus on loved ones.

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Carousel Pediatric Care

Carousel provides palliative and hospice care for perinatal and for babies through young adults with a dedicated team of pediatric nurses, social workers, chaplains and other specialists.

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Carousel Pediatric Care
Solace House

Solace House

Our center for grief and healing supports individuals and families who have been impacted by the death of a loved one, whether anticipated, or sudden and unexpected. We provide opportunities to share, listen, learn and heal with peer group support from age 3 through adult.

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