Useful Kitchen Tools for Meal Prep

Have you ever hired a carpenter who showed up to your job without a hammer? I hope not. That might be a bad sign.

In this post, I’m going to profile some kitchen tools that are essential to cooking.

A knife you can sharpen

There must be thousands of styles of knives out there.  The best knife for you is one you can maintain and are comfortable using.  Rather than buying a set, I recommend starting with just a chef-style knife and a paring knife.  Go for the best knives you can find that fit your budget. 

Keep in mind that spending more does not always equal better quality, but sometimes it does.  It can be hard to tell when more expensive equals better quality.  A little research on knife brands and materials before buying can go a long way.  A simple internet search is a good place to start.

The chef-style knife blade should be straight and made of steel that can be sharpened.  When not in use, the knife should be stored in a way that avoids injuries and protects the sharp edge.

The paring knife, used for peeling or small cuts, need not be pricey.  One of the best paring knives I’ve owned costs about $13.  The second best paring knife I’ve owned cost $4.

Washable cutting board

Cutting boards come in a variety of materials. Wood and plastic are great because they will not damage the cutting edge of your knife the way slate or other hard materials might. Cutting boards come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and costs.

The one you use should be big enough to give you lots of space to use your knife and easy for you to maintain. Wood should not go through the dishwasher, but plastic cutting boards can usually tolerate automated washing. Wood cutting boards require a regular coating of food-safe oil to keep them in good shape.

Personally, I use plastic for meat and wood for everything else.

A knife sharpener

Sharpeners come in different shapes and sizes. Some, such as the flat sharpening stone, can take some skill to use well. For beginners, a hand held sharpener is very handy. They are often made specifically so you need not worry about the angle of the blade during sharpening. The device is self-centering and the sharpening mechanism is enclosed to reduce the risk of cuts.

This style of sharpener tends to be less costly than other types. It can be used on knives of all sizes.

You might be tempted to save this as a ‘later’ purchase. I recommend you consider buying one at the same time as you purchase your chef-style knife. Regular sharpening will keep your knife ready to use and you meal prep on schedule.

Using a dull knife increases the chance of injury and slows down chopping since you have to account for the dullness factor when chopping vegetables or fruits with a skin.