As parents, we all want our lives to be as easy as possible. Cooking and meal planning can be stressful, but with some of these essential kitchen tools, you can take the stress out of it all!
I love easy. I love easy cleaning hacks, and I love anything that will make my time in the kitchen shorter. When my kids are hungry, they’re hungry. So there’s really no waiting allowed. I compiled a list of some of my favorite essential kitchen tools.
What are essential kitchen items?
Essential kitchen tools are kitchen tools you find that you just cannot live without. I’m not talking about pots, pans and mixing bowls. I’m talking about the stuff that makes your life easier, whether it be quicker cooking times or easier prep. Stuff you just can’t imagine not having!
What are the basic kitchen tools?
Basic kitchen tools, for me, are the ones that are, well, basic! A good set of mixing bowls, some great quality pots and pans, dishes that hold up well, and plenty of silverware!
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I asked my meal planning Facebook group what their essential kitchen tools were and here is what we came up with.
Essential Kitchen Tools
- Bialetti Pasta Pot: I got this pasta pot for Christmas and I LOVE it. You cook up the pasta and snap on the lid – BAM. Instant strainer! I am all about minimizing dishes and this pot does just that. I cook pasta in it (my kids love buttered noodles), steam veggies…the non stick on the pot is amazing as well. And it comes in so many colors!
- Programmable Slow Cooker: I have this slow cooker and my favorite thing about it is that you can set it to a certain cook time or temperature and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. Perfect for working parents!
- Instant Pot: There is definitely a learning curve for the Instant Pot but once you get the hang of it, it is a kitchen staple!
- Ninja Blender: I use this for so much more than just smoothies – baby food, puree veggies to hide in my kids’ food, milkshakes, etc. It powers through everything!
- Silicone egg mold: Nothing is worse than making a fried egg and losing the whites because the spread all out over your pan! These are also great because they make a uniform shape and you can use them for sandwiches. They also work for uniform pancakes.
- Meat thermometer: Seriously. We have about 3 of them in our kitchen because we are too lazy to just change out the batteries. Sorry not sorry.
- Meat shredder claws: We smoke a lot of meat and also do pork shoulders and chicken in the crock pot. These are awesome for shredding up the meat when you’re ready to serve it.
- Mac and cheese bowl: I mean, if you’re like us, you make boxed mac and cheese at least once a week. This allows you to make it in the microwave.
- Panini Press: I feel like sandwiches are made exponentially better when they’re warmed up and melty, don’t you?
- Kitchenaid mixer: This is a staple in everyone’s kitchen, but if you didn’t get it as a wedding gift, you probably will never buy it for yourself – haha!
- Rice cooker: I am completely awful at making rice on the stovetop. But this rice cooker takes all the complication out of it – even if you don’t think there is complication 😉
- Mandolin Slicer – This is good for food prep. But heads up, use the finger guard. Speaking from experience….Side note, if you’re accident prone like me, grab these knife protection gloves. A friend sent them to me after my mandolin accident partially as a joke, but they’re awesome!
- Dutch Oven Pot – Every kitchen needs a heavy bottom pot. Also awesome because it can go in the oven!
