Recipeasy is an iOS application built for iPad that was originally intended to streamline training and large batch production at Weikel’s Bakery located in La Grange and Brenham, TX. Founded by Nick Hensley and Philip Weikel, it acts as a secure digital recipe book with visual step-by-step instructions accessible across all locations. It’s now available to be licensed by any sized business to improve training, precision across batches and locations, and reduce food waste with proper label printing. Designed to be easy-to-follow so that even the newest employees can get up to speed with little oversight, an unintended use for the program was discovered as Weikel began introducing the app in his own facilities – educational benefits and occupational training for those with special needs.

The Recipeasy app builds recipes with photos, videos, and Bluetooth enable scales that tell you when you’re in the right range at every step. It’s self-paced, which allows students and trainees to take their time and make sure that they’ve gotten each step right – the weight is precise, the dough matches the photo, the oven is preheated, etc. These features created a very powerful tool that could be applied in any step-by-step activity creating an opportunity for building life skills for students with cognitive and developmental disabilities by immersing them into a fun, self-paced, self-guided, live, interactive learning experience beyond just the kitchen. Ultimately, the app can also prepare special needs students for a transition into the workforce by being used as an occupational training curriculum customized to the needs of the demographic and the type of step-by-step work they may be doing.

You can see some examples of step-by-step life skills and occupational training in the promotional video created by Recipeasy below:

Weikel’s Bakery has applied this tool themselves in hiring two employees with special needs, one on the Autism spectrum and one with learning disabilities, that were both trained with the Recipeasy app and are now integral parts of the Weikel’s Bakery team.  You can meet one of their success stories here, Cole, who makes a variety of pies, rice crispies, and other treats at the bakery:

You can also hear another success story from Recipeasy customer Suzanne DeWitt, director at a rehabilitation community, The Whole Solution:

Recipeasy is thrilled to have discovered this application of their app and to play a small role in improving the lives of those with disabilities. It’s been proven that developmental activities, such as brushing teeth and combing hair, alongside play, physical, and adaptive activities help improve responses to the environment, relationship development, self-regulating, and wellbeing in those on the spectrum or with disabilities. It’s the Recipeasy team’s hope that their tool will continue to help create more job opportunities and fulfilling lives for this underserved community. If you’d like to learn more about using Recipeasy as an educational or occupational training tool, reach out to their team at sales@recipeasy.io.

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