Without a doubt, the healthiest meals are the ones you cook at home. You can make cooking quick and convenient and with all natural ingredients if you have the right equipment. When I’m tired and running short on time, some of my favorite cooking tools help make the job of cooking a whole lot simpler.
Here’s a list of 7 essential kitchen tools to help you eat better any day of the week!
1. QUALITY CHEF’S KNIFE
Nothing feels better in your hands or makes you feel like a chef in your own kitchen than a good chef’s knife. A chef’s knife can be used to cut just about anything you need while cooking. The knife you choose should have a very strong, sharp blade and should feel good in your hands. I found mine at TJ Maxx and I love it.
2. OIL SPRAYER/MISTER
Fill your sprayer/mister with your favorite cooking oil (canola, olive oil, sesame) and use it to coat pans to prevent sticking. The benefit of these sprayers is that they will help you use less oil and they are aerosol free.
3. MULTI-CHOPPER/SLICER
This is one tool I can’t live without. I got mine a few years ago as a birthday gift from my brother. A food chopper/slicer allows you to chop, dice, slice and julienne a variety of fruits and vegetables in one swift motion. I also love them because they make food prep and cleanup easy and convenient. Most choppers have a catch container that allows food to be easily dumped into soups, salads, or wherever you want. You can also store chopped foods in the catch container for a few days if you need to. I highly recommend you get one – you’ll thank me when you have lots of fresh produce to prep!
4. WIRE WHISK
Don’t let a plain old spoon try to do the job destined for a sturdy whisk. I remember my mom using a whisk to make Southern homemade classics like gravies and thick sauces, but as I have grown into my own style of cooking, I’ve learned to rely on my wire whisk for many healthier dishes. A sturdy whisk consisting of a long, solid handle with a series of thin wire loops joined at the end can mean the difference between lumpy pancakes or oatmeal and a breakfast that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. You may also like using a whisk to prepare light and fluffy scrambled eggs or omelets.
5. CAST IRON COOKWARE
Once you get over how heavy cast iron skillets are, you’ll agree with me that every kitchen should have one. Cast iron skillets can be used to cook just about anything. They’re excellent heat conductors and make food taste great. Cast iron is also inexpensive and extremely durable. If your skillet hits the floor (especially a 12-inch skillet), the floor will likely crack before the skillet does. There’s a myth that cast iron is hard to clean, but that’s not true. Cast iron has a natural nonstick surface created by a process called seasoning. To season your pan, use a paper towel or cotton cloth to rub the entire surface with oil, such as canola, sunflower or coconut. Next, heat the pan, face down, in a 500-degree oven for 30 to 60 minutes. Once the pan cools to room temperature, the process should be repeated again. You’ll know it’s time to reseason your pan when food starts to stick to the surface. I have three cast iron skillets—8, 10 and 12-inches. Plus I have two cast iron Dutch ovens. Next on my wish list is a cast iron griddle! (hint, hint hubby…).
6. SALAD SPINNER
If you eat a lot of leafy greens at home (which I hope you do since they’re so bursting with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants), you’ll definitely want to invest in a salad spinner. I had a cheap spinner once, and it leaked and slid all across the counter every time I tried to use it. That got old – real quick! Needless to say, it ended up in the trash can. So invest in a good spinner, like an OXO Softworks brand or Kitchen Aid, to make washing greens quick and easy.
All you have to do is wash your greens, shake off excess water, fill the basket, cover with lid, and simply press an easy-to-grasp knob on top to start the basket spinning. Spin-dry greens with one hand and stop when you’re ready with the built-in brake. A nonslip ring on the bottom of the spinner keeps the unit from sliding across the counter once you start spinning. Most spinners are dishwasher safe on the top rack.
7. STAINLESS STEEL COOKING UTENSILS
I love the confidence I gain from using high-quality stainless steel utensils in the kitchen. I know I’m using tools that are strong enough to stir, flip, or dip anything I need. It’s easy to find stainless steel slotted spoons, ladles, spatulas and spoons in longer lengths, which make them great tools for use in tall stock pots and Dutch ovens. The sturdiness of stainless steel gives cooks a sense of security when stirring, flipping or dipping hot items on the stove. It only takes one time to drop a piece of chicken back in the stockpot and have broth splash all over you for you to become a convert of more durable cooking utensils.
Are there other “must-have” kitchen tools that belong on this list? Let me know!
To eating better every day,
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
No doubt, the appropriate kitchen tools can make your cooking tasks easier. To your list I’d add a pressure cooker – preferably a stovetop pressure cooker, but any kind will be useful. Pressure cookers cut the cooking time of most dishes by 2/3s and are especially useful when you’re tired and short of time. Not only that, short cooking times help maintain the food’s nutrients.
I’d also have trouble parting with my Vitamix. Making smoothies in it are a breeze as is pureeing soups and sauces.
Not only would I recommend a whisk but I’d recommend one with silicone-covered wires. It will keep the whisk from scratching pots and pans or anything else it’s used in.
Sigrid – I see that pressure cookers are making a comeback. I remember my grandmother using one when I was a child and expressing how dangerous they were to use if not handled properly. Because of her warnings, I am a little skiddish about using them, however I know they have improved a lot since my grandmother’s days! Thanks for sharing – stove top pressure cookers will be added to my list of kitchen essentials!
I love these wonderful reminders and tips, Tonya, for ease and delight and especially great results in home cooking. I cherish my grandmother’s cast iron skillet that is on my stove daily.
An absolute essential for me is a really comfortable vegetable peeler with a padded handle. The skinny metal-handled ones I used in my mother’s kitchen were OK for peeling carrots and cucumbers now and then when I was young. Now I enjoy delicious and hearty vegetables like butternut squash and rutabagas because I don’t have to hurt my (older!) hands to peel them.
Blessings and gratitude,
Carol
Carol – I forgot how much I love my veggie peeler – it definitely needs to be added to the list! I couldn’t peel potatoes or eggplant without it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Well the stainless steel is worth the investment if you’re going to get serious about cooking. I love my salad spinner though!
Hi Haylee, stainless steel cookware or salad spinner? or both?