B4 Improving nutrition – the ability to store, prepare and cook food

In this section

B4.5 Kitchen design generally

If houses are overcrowded there may be a need for many places to cook inside the house, on verandah areas and outdoor cooking areas in the yard. Cooking preferences may differ between age groups, regions and type of food available.

Whether the facilities are located in the house or in the surrounding yard area, all the component parts of the kitchen should support the storage, preparation and cooking of food to improve the nutrition available to all family members. The following list summarises the main design issues detailed in preceding B4 subsections.

The summary of house function data in Appendix 1 shows that only five per cent of surveyed houses had a kitchen that allowed residents to store, prepare and cook food.

Design and specification

For indoor cooking areas, consider:

locating the kitchen where it is easily accessed from inside and outside eating areas, and can be accessed by people with disabilities
ensuring the kitchen has natural light and ventilation
shading or protecting the kitchen from hot afternoon sun
making provision for high level storage and bench space, as set out in previous sections
allowing enough space for a fridge and freezer to be stored in the kitchen
locating the kitchen away from the access to bathroom and toilet areas
using non-slip water proof flooring, such as a welded sheet vinyl
using an easy-to-clean wall surface from floor to underside of benches or cupboards, such as vinyl wall sheet or large ceramic tiles
waterproofing the floor, the floor wall junctions to the underside of cupboards and behind the sink
supplying non-tempered hot water at the kitchen sink (approximately 60ºC) to help flush grease and fats through the waste pipes
providing a separate tap for supplying rainwater at the kitchen sink
providing a floor waste outlet to help when cleaning the kitchen
providing a space for a kitchen rubbish bin that features a secure lid, can be lined and is not easily accessed by dogs and children
selecting and locating power points, switches, stove controls and taps to allow people with disabilities to reach and use them.

For verandahs and yard kitchens, consider:

locating the outdoor cooking area where it is protected from extreme weather conditions, such as winter winds and summer sun
providing a robust, waterproof bench, finished in a material like stainless steel
including a sink or tub with running water and connected to the drainage system, for washing food and utensils
providing high shelves to store food and utensils away from children and animals, sheltered from the weather
creating a dry, secure place to store fire wood that is away from the walls of the house
providing a place to cook, such as a barbeque or drum oven, ideally using a different fuel from the inside stove
supplying a secure storage area for the rubbish bin to deposit food scraps and kitchen waste
making a sheltered place to eat
providing a slip resistant path between indoors and the outdoor cooking area, which is accessible to people with disabilities.

References

Wright, A. 2006 Review of the robust bin in 5 sites across WA. Centre for Appropriate Technology and Department of Housing and Works.