Useful, multipurpose utensils that make cooking enjoyable. Earlier in life, my kitchen consisted of a dull knife, one wooden spoon and a metal bowl. I still cooked with adventure, but everything was twice as hard and successful results were not guaranteed! These are everyday tools and I promise they will make your life easier.
QUALITY MATTERS!
Whenever possible aim for the best cooking tools you can afford, especially when it comes to knives and pans. It really makes a difference in the overall prepping and cooking time.
TONGS
If you want to up-level your kitchen “cred,” buy a pair of tongs. They can flip, toss, turn, and scrape.
The Fresh 20 recommends these OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs.
FLAT WOODEN SPATULA
The ultimate multitasker, this utensil is a tried-and-true friend in the kitchen.
The Fresh 20 recommends OXO Good Grips Flat Wooden Spatula.
SILICONE SPOON SPATULA
This tool is as useful for sauteing vegetables as it is for stirring morning oatmeal. A must have!
The Fresh 20 loves using the OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Silicone Spatula Set.
MEASURING CUPS
It’s nice to have two sets of measuring cups, one for dry ingredients and one for liquids.
MEASURING SPOONS
Metal measuring spoons are stronger than plastic and last longer. I use these everyday.
The Fresh 20 loves using these Magnetic Measuring Spoons.
MESH STRAINER
A medium strainer works well for many tasks. Make sure it can strain pulp.
The Fresh 20 recommends this Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Set of Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers.
VEGETABLE PEELER
Look for a peeler with a good grip and a blade opening at least 3 inches wide.
The Fresh 20 recommends this OXO Good Grips Y-Peeler.
KITCHEN SHEARS
Once you start using kitchen shears, you will find thousands of tasks for them.
The Fresh 20 recommends KitchenAid All Purpose Shears.
FLEXIBLE CUTTING BOARDS
Cut and scrape the ingredients directly into the pot.
The Fresh 20 recommends this set of 5 BPA Free Gorilla Grip Cutting Boards.
WHISK
A strong stainless-steel whisk with a solid round handle will make for easy work.
The Fresh 20 recommends this OXO Good Grips 9-Inch Whisk.
DUTCH OVEN
Start with a 5-quart pot, which is small enough to make dinner, but big enough to squeeze in a whole chicken.
The Fresh 20 recommends this gorgeous 5.5 qt. Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven.
MIXING BOWLS
Look for bowls that have a rubber bottom edge to reduce the slip factor. Deep enough for splatter control and wider enough to allow for whisking.
The Fresh 20 recommends this 3-piece OXO Good Grips Mixing Bowl Set.
8″ CHEFS KNIFE
There is no single tool for cooking that you will rely on more than a sharp chef’s knife.
We recommend Wüsthof Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife.
4″ PARING KNIFE
The pointed tip of a paring knife gets into tight spaces a larger chef’s knife cannot touch. It’s perfect for slicing smaller fruits and vegetables.
We recommend Henckels Classic 4-inch Paring Knife.
5″ SERRATED KNIFE
A serrated knife blade cuts through tomatoes like a charm and does double duty on bread and tough-skinned vegetables like squash.
We recommend Wüsthof Gourmet 5″ Serrated Utility Knife.
GRATER
A stainless-steel grater does more than grate cheese. It can grate onions, carrots, and chocolate too.
The Fresh 20 recommends this Cuisinart Boxed Grater.
10-12″ SKILLET
The all purpose pan. Skillets have slanted edges and are always measured in inches across the top. Invest in quality.
The Fresh 20 recommends this Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover.
8-12 QUART SAUCEPAN
There are a lot of things you can prepare with a sturdy stockpot: soups, pastas, and corn on the cob just to name a few.
The Fresh 20 recommends this 8-quart, stainless steel Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stockpot with Cover.
2 QUART SAUCEPAN
Use this versatile pan to reheat rice, warm broth and even melt butter for popcorn. I recommend an ovenproof, nonstick stainless-steel pot with a long handle and a tight fitting lid.
The Fresh 20 recommends this 2-quart stainless steel Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Saucepan with Cover.
FOOD PROCESSOR
A food processor can make quick work of tough, hard foods like nuts and seeds and can quickly grind onions and garlic.
The Fresh 20 loves using this KitchenAid 9-Cup Food Processor with Exact Slice System.
