Spoons: A Neurodivergent-Friendly Cookbook

A neurodivergent-friendly cookbook with energy-based recipes, sensory-friendly adaptations, and flexible approaches to make cooking joyful, accessible, and stress-free.

Spoons is not your average cookbook - it’s a vibrant, neurodivergent-friendly companion designed to honor fluctuating energy levels, celebrate sensory preferences, and support autonomy in the kitchen. Rooted in Spoon Theory and shaped by the lived experiences of autistic adults, this cookbook is organized by ’spoons’ (a metaphor for available energy) and sensory textures (chewy, crunchy, soft, hot, cold). Whether it’s a one-spoon kind of day, when even toast feels like a triumph, or a five-spoon window of curiosity and capacity, Spoons offers gentle, low-pressure guidance every step of the way. Created by Phoebe Jordan, an autistic adult, researcher, and passionate food lover, this book is filled with practical adaptations and joyful storytelling. With whimsical touches, flexible recipes, and thoughtful structure, it invites readers to explore food in a way that feels safe, empowering, and fun. Perfect for neurodivergent people of all ages and anyone who’s ever stared into the fridge wondering what they could manage today, Spoons is more than a collection of recipes. It’s a soft place to land, a reminder that nourishment can be simple, soothing, and worth celebrating, whatever kind of day you’re having.

Phoebe Jordan is an autistic researcher whose PhD work at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, in partnership with researchers at Stanford University, has focused on developing neurodiversity-affirming measures to evaluate the effectiveness of support efforts for autistic children. Jordan’s research has been published in Autism, in Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific, and in other major academic journals. She lives in Wellington, NZ.