Making homemade meals is one of the best things you can do for your health and budget. When you cook at home, you control what goes into your food and your portion sizes. You get to decide what seasonings to use and how much, what type of fat to use (if any), and if sugar and salt are actually needed. Cooking from scratch rather than using pre-made foods lets you control the SoFAS in your diet and it is often less expensive than buying boxed mixes and pre-cooked meals.
Making a menu plan is key to making it easy to cook on any day of the week, even with a busy schedule. This section on basic kitchen tools will provide you with additional tools and tips to make homemade meals simple.
Basic Kitchen Tools
When it comes to cooking good meals quickly, having the right kitchen equipment makes a difference. This does not mean you need to have expensive pots, pans, and utensils. Rather, having the right size of pots and pans, and utensils that are easy and safe to use is important. Pick cooking utensils that you are comfortable using and that won’t melt or break during cooking.
The following page lists recommended basic kitchen tools that are used in this cookbook. Some of these items you may receive during Cent$ible Nutrition Program classes. Others you may be able to find inexpensively. You don’t need to have everything to start cooking. Instead, build up your kitchen a little at a time, focusing on the equipment you need and use regularly.
- 2-inch or 3-inch paring knife
- 8-inch chef’s knife
- Baking dish (9×13-inch)
- Baking pans (8×8-inch or 9×9-inch)
- Baking sheet (any size)
- Can opener
- Colander/strainer
- Cutting boards (one for produce and one for protein foods)
- Dry measuring cups
- Eating utensils, bowls, plates, and glasses
- Grater
- Instant read food thermometer
- Large plastic spoons
- Liquid measuring cup (1-cup or 2-cup size)
- Loaf pan (8×4-inch)
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls (small, medium, and large)
- Muffin tin
- Rubber spatula
- Saucepans (1-quart, 2-quart, & 4-quart)
- Skillets (small and medium or an electric skillet)
- Storage containers
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
- 2-inch or 3-inch paring knife
- 8-inch chef’s knife
- Baking dish (9×13-inch)
- Baking pans (8×8-inch or 9×9-inch)
- Baking sheet (any size)
- Can opener
- Colander/strainer
- Cutting boards (one for produce and one for protein foods)
- Dry measuring cups
- Eating utensils, bowls, plates, and glasses
- Grater
- Instant read food thermometer
- Large plastic spoons
- Liquid measuring cup (1-cup or 2-cup size)
- Loaf pan (8×4-inch)
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls (small, medium, and large)
- Muffin tin
- Rubber spatula
- Saucepans (1-quart, 2-quart, & 4-quart)
- Skillets (small and medium or an electric skillet)
- Storage containers
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
