Kitchen Cooking Utensils for Easy, Healthy Meals

We’ve already talked about why you need to learn how to cook. But where do we start? Take a look at the kitchen cooking utensils you have in your kitchen. If all you see is a can opener and a pair of scissors, then I’m afraid we need to go shopping for kitchen cooking utensils. (I know, I know…) The absolute basics aren’t going to set you back that much, and you probably have much of it already.

The Needs:

This is the stuff that you absolutely need to have. I tried to strip it down as much as possible. This is the equipment that you’re going to get the most bang for your buck and you’ll be using all the time. To give you an idea of how cheaply you can do this, I got some quotes from IKEA.

• Pots and Pans

You’re gonna need 2 pans, a small one for making omelettes and a large one for sautéing and stir frying. Look for pans about 9 inches and 11 inches in diameter. For pots, you’ll need three at about 1 quart, 3 quarts, and 5 quarts. The small ones are great for making sauces and gravies, medium for steaming and poaching, and the large for making soups and stews. Get as many lids as you can. You can often improvise with a bigger lid or a frying pan if needed, but the biggest pots are definitely going to need to be covered occasionally. I’m HOPING that you already have these… but if not you can get a decent starter set for less than $30.

• Knives and Sharpener

Here’s another couple of items you can’t get very far without. To start out, you’ll want just two knives: a chef’s knife at least 6 inches in length, and a smaller paring knife. You’ll also need a basic sharpener to keep your blades sharp. Don’t get serrated knives if possible, they cut horribly and you cannot sharpen them, so they don’t last long. You’ll also want a basic cutting board. The cheapest ones are plastic. You can get all this for about $20.

• Roasting Pans

One of the best and lowest-maintenance ways of cooking is roasting. You’re going to want to have at least 2 roasting pans, made either of metal or glass, on hand. Make sure they are decent sized, 9” by 9” or bigger. These can be had for $10.

• Mixing Bowls

You’ll use mixing bowls for everything from making salsa to mixing eggs for scrambling. These are pretty cheap, so you might as well get a set of two or three for less than $5.

• Utensils: Wooden Spoons, Ladle, Spatula

With these three tools, you can do everything from flipping, stirring, straining, and mixing. Again, these are pretty cheap, so stock up for $5 or so.

• Steamer Basket

Steaming is one of the best ways to prepare vegetables. It’s quick, simple, and you don’t lose all the nutrients in the water like you would with boiling. Not an item I’d expect you to have, but they are truly a must-have. These can be bought for about $5.

• Food Containers

These are a must. As a sneak peek to how I will teach you to cook, it is in your best interest to make massive quantities of food at once. This way, you are only cooking a couple times a week and you have a freezer and fridge full of healthy food at any moment. Get as much of these as possible. Big sets start at about $5.

• Bottle Opener

Okay, you may argue with me that this is essential, but I figure that if you made it this far, you deserve a beer… or a glass of wine. The LMVM philosophy encourages alcohol in moderation, so don’t be ashamed to raise a glass in celebration of your stocked kitchen! This will set you back less than $5.

So there you have it, a basic list of equipment than can be had for about $80. I’m guessing that most of you already have a lot of this stuff, so you have no excuses for getting a kitchen set up that you can do nearly anything with!

Optional:

If you have a little room left in your budget, you might want to slowly start picking up some of these items, which will make your life a bit easier.

• Grater

If you are a fan of grated cheese, you can pick up a grater for $5.

• Thermometer

Trying to figure out if your meat is done or not can be a pain if you aren’t used to it yet. You should be able to find a basic one for less than $5.

• Whisk

These can be nice if you are making a big batch of scrambled eggs or omelettes. A basic whisk should set you back about $2.

• Citrus Squeezer

Lemons and limes are one of the greatest and cheapest seasonings around. (Not to mention necessary for margaritas!) If you are sick of picking through the seeds that end up in your food, you can find a juicer for about $5.

• Peeler

You can peel vegetables with a paring knife if needed, but getting a peeler will make things go quicker. And at $1 or so, it’s a pretty good deal.

• Colander

If you are poaching or boiling, you can always make like MacGuyver and make a strainer with a spatula with holes in it or by offsetting the lid a bit and pouring out, but getting a colander will help you out immensely. This is only $5.

• Crock Pot

You’ll never regret getting a Crock Pot. You can cook a ton of food at once with very little work and it comes out more delicious and tender than if you just do it in a regular pot. The key is in the long cooking time, which tenderizes the meat and absorbs all the flavors. Get a big one if you can, at least 4 – 6 quarts, for $20 – $25.

• Ice Cube Trays

Again, if you made it this far, you deserve a drink. Pick up a couple of ice cube trays and a container for $5 and you’ll always be prepared to mix up a few cocktails for you and your friends. Your collection of kitchen cooking utensils is now complete!

Tagged as: basics, utensils