Tools

It’s Saturday morning and you are excited to prep a healthy lunch for yourself.

Like a good student, you’ve done all the preparation.

You found a recipe that is not too complicated and you even picked all your ingredients from the grocery store.

As you start to review the instructions, you realize there are at-least two kitchen tools you are missing.

Don’t you hate it when that happens?

It’s like no matter how hard you try, there is always something keeping you from eating better.

You start to wonder,

How are you supposed to know which kitchen tools you need to eat healthily?

As a beginner, do you need every single tool listed in every single recipe?

If so, why do you need these tools? Are you going to use them more than once?

You want to believe you can make this work.

The question is how?

Good news:

You do not have to buy every single kitchen tool in every single recipe you want to try.

However,

There are some kitchen tools that will make your journey a little easier.

This ultimate guide is designed to help you decide which kitchen tools you absolutely need as a health-conscious cook.

Make sure you save it and share with your loved ones around your birthday, and the holidays :-).

Before you get started with the kitchen tools,

Here are some things you need to know.

No.

You do not need to run and buy every single item on this list.

Yes.

You should go through your kitchen and check off any items you already have using the Kitchen Tools for Beginners Checklist below.

Download the list

You’ll be surprised at how many of these tools are already in your kitchen.

No.

You do not need to go with my recommendations.

The items recommended in this post are items of my personal use that have worked well for me over the years.

You’ll see a range of price options for different budgets.

Do what’s best for your budget.

Next –

Let’s talk cookware safety.

Did you know that some containers can leak toxins into your food?

Yep.

Unfortunately, some pots and pans can do the same thing.

Ok, I know what you are thinking?

Nory, how do I know what is safe?

No need to worry.

The folks at Gimme the Good Stuff researched it for you.

Here is what you need to know about the safety of your kitchen tools.

Cookware is made of a variety of materials. As the New York Times reports, some are safer than others.

Check out the breakdown below:

Safe Materials

• Ceramic: True ceramic is life.  Beware of brands that coat their ceramic with nonstick materials. We already went over this. Teflon is no Bueno.
• Porcelain Enamel: Enamel is a form of glass. Enameled cookware is most often cast iron with an enamel coating.
• Tempered glass: Truly the safest route. There is cookware made of tempered glass, and if it is in your budget, you should grab it.
• Crockpot: These have a ceramic insert and must pass FDA regulations for lead.  If you are concerned, get a cheap test kit and check your crock pot for lead.

Safe-ish Materials

• Cast iron: The cast iron can help prevent anemia by adding more iron to your food. Switch between cast irons and other pans during the week to avoid ingesting too much iron.
• Stainless steel: These are mostly good. However, stainless steel is made with nickel and once again too much of anything can be a problem. Switch it up during the week to keep it on the safe side.
• Titanium:  The only reason to be cautious about titanium cookware is that it seems that most manufacturers now coat their titanium cookware with non-stick finishes, which brings us back to Teflon. Moral of the story? Avoid cookware that is coated with non-stick finishes.

Use with Caution

• Aluminum:  Avoid all aluminum cookware. Note that pans with an aluminum core within cookware made of safer metals (such as stainless steel) are fine.
• Unprotected Copper: Too much of anything is not right for you. Too much copper in your body can be toxic. Some foods react with unprotected copper cookware and leach too much copper into your food.
• Non-stick /Teflon:  You might have heard Teflon is safe, I thought it was too. Until learning how toxic it is. The EPA told companies in 2015 to phase it out. The American Cancer Society even weigh in on this.
• Plastic: Apparently you can get a plastic pot. Yea, don’t do that. While we are at it, do not microwave your food in plastic either.

So what does this all mean?

As you decide which tools to purchase keep an eye out for materials that are not safe for you and your family.

Keep in mind that your budget will also dictate how safe you can go. Start where you are and slowly save for safer cooking ware.

Now let’s dive into the list of kitchen tools.

Remember you do not need to buy every single item on this list right away.

Take your time and start with the items you will use the most.

Download the list

Kitchen Tools

Baking Dish

If you want to start meal prepping you need this in your life. Baking is the most time efficient way to cook multiple things at once. You can use it to cook all your vegetables, meats, and even rice in the oven. I own a set of two which are great when preparing different types of fish or veggies for the week. They are easy to use and easy to clean. Plus, they are dishwasher friendly. They are great to marinate mushrooms too.

Nory’s Pick: