(None of the links here are affiliate links, they’re just what I decided to buy for myself or are closely similar to what I have. I’m not in the business of gatekeeping accessibility, so including the links was important to me. I highly encourage anyone to shop around for the best price you can find, or what works best for you!)

I ordered my first adaptive utensils after my hands became weak due to a progressive neuromuscular disorder. In addition to the weakness, I also developed a moderately strong tremor soon after as well. The utensils gave me independence I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and I soon noticed more holes in my independence that could be filled by the right adaptive tools. I went on a quest to get items that would allow me to eat and drink completely independently in public or if I was at a friend’s house. Here are the items I keep in my every day carry bag:

Utensils, of course! The ones I use have large rubber handles that are easier to grab and hold than a usual handle. I tend to only carry the spoon and fork, but the set I have came with a steak knife and butter knife as well. Adaptive Utensils Link

The issue then arises, I now have dirty utensils to put back in my bag. Which is fine if I had some vegetables but what if I had something messy like spaghetti? I want to be entirely independent here, so I set out with the goal to find a way to wash my utensils myself. My solution is this Utensil Brush, which is sandwich-shaped so all you need to do is have the in-out motion. Easy even with a tremor, and you don’t have to worry about splash off the top of the spoon.

Straws! I quickly learned straws are essential, and you want to have them on hand. Trying to tip an open-mouth cup up to drink when your hands are shaking is a great way to get a surprise bath. I hate the feel of metal on my teeth, so I got this Metal Straw Set that includes optional rubber tips and brushes to clean the straws with (one of which also stays in my kit). It comes with 4 types of straws: long and short straight ones and long and short bent ones. They have been perfect so far, although a bit difficult to clean when trying to get the brush in the straw.

Speaking of open cups, the most recent addition to my kit has been these Open Drink Covers. They have a hole for a straw and a tiny hole to avoid suction, but on days when my tremor is bad enough I can’t lift an open-mouth cup without splashing, this is a lifesaver. They were originally designed to keep safe at bars or places where drinks may be a target, but they double as an accessibility aid very well. I will note they can be difficult to get on the drink to begin with, and refills aren’t necessarily the easiest. We’ll mark this one under mostly independent just for that reason.

One of the biggest things I ran into early on was soda cans. The bane of my existence. Hard to open with weakness. Hard to hold and drink from with tremors. Plus with OCD I obsess over the little bit of soda that lands in the crack between the opening and the edge of the can. BUT canned soda is the primary thing people offer because for most people that’s the most convenient thing. First, I had to figure out how to open it by myself. I stopped asking other people to open my sodas when I was in elementary school and I don’t want to start back now (there’s nothing wrong with needing help, I’m just a stubborn bastard). So I found this Soda Can and Bottle Opener. I didn’t like the short plastic ones because I still couldn’t get enough leverage to open the can and sometimes it would only pop part of the can opening, making it much more difficult to drink from. This one is longer and metal with a rubber padded handle, making it easy and comfortable to open the can.

Continuing with the soda can: now that it was open, I still had to figure out how to drink it. After searching quite a bit, I found these Can Lids with Straws. They’re lids that clip easily onto the top of a soda can with a straw that goes to the bottom (it includes longer straws for you energy drink lovers out there). The straw on top is hard plastic and can be folded down and locked, making the can nearly leakproof. So! The soda can struggle was vanquished.

Now onto the other common culprit: bottles with twist tops, like water bottles. This one is pretty easy, and the solution is more well known. I personally use these Bottle Openers but I know there are better versions out there as well, so take your pick. I would more recommend one of the triangle ones with teeth, as in my experience they’re more reliable (just also more bulky to carry).

The last two were the hardest for me. I had to balance my ego and my ego. On one hand, I really want to be able to choose to eat anything I want without help. But on the other hand, I really don’t want to seem weird, and bringing your own dishes to a friend’s house tends to make you seem a bit weird. I kept knocking my dishes around, or worse, trying to hold them still with one shaking hand while trying to scoop food with the other. I originally bought toddler dishes for the suction to keep it in place, as I thought that was my only option. I have since found this Bowl and this Plate which are meant for adults. My tremors aren’t as strong as they used to be so I only still have the toddler dishes, but if the problem arises again I will definitely be getting the adult versions.

So, that’s what I carry with me everywhere in terms of being able to independently eat and drink. I keep it in a mesh bag (the slim one specifically) which I’m linking here because it was surprisingly difficult to find a bag that was long enough for the long straws. I chose a semi-mesh bag so everything can air dry. Feel free to let me know if there’s anything I should add to my bag, or if you’ve got any other tricks to stay independent when out and about.