As the calendar turns to November, food-centered holidays are right around the corner! There are many different small appliances that can play a big role in your kitchen this time of year. Maybe you’re looking to make meals faster. Or blend a beverage you saw on TikTok. Or create a healthier version of your favorite foods. Whatever your needs are, there’s a kitchen gadget to help. Let’s look closer at how they can work for you and, more importantly, support healthy habits in the kitchen.
Air Fryers
Air fryers have made a significant splash among home chefs looking to create fried foods that aren’t really fried. Using high heat and a strong fan, an air fryer works like a small convection oven. For a variety of foods, the result is a crispy outside and tender inside. You can easily find many recipes and ideas for using an air fryer. And they come in a variety of sizes and types (including some that are combined with space-saving toasters). Note: If you already have a convection oven, an air fryer may not be too helpful.
Multi-Cooker
Multi-cookers combine a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, and sometimes more into one versatile appliance. Their greatest advantage is speed – a meal that would normally take hours can be ready in 60 minutes or less. They’re also appealing to ambitious cooks who want to try their hand at ordinarily ready-made foods – even yogurt! If you’re using the pressure cooker function , remember to add time for building and releasing pressure. This can take 20-30 minutes, so that stew won’t really be ready in a half hour. And sometimes fast isn’t always what’s best. For me, it’s still the tried and true slow cooker that I couldn’t live without on a busy day.
Blender
A strong blender is a must-have for home chefs making smoothies, pureed soups, sauces, and more. You don’t have to spend several hundred dollars to get a good one. But I do recommend investing in an appliance that easily blends ice and frozen fruit. For some dishes, an immersion blender is helpful. This tool allows you to puree ingredients to create a thick consistency without using rich creamers.
Mini Food Chopper
A large food processor isn’t always needed. But when there’s a lot of time-consuming fine dicing to do, a mini chopper is your best go-to. It’s light, compact, and usually dishwasher safe, making it super convenient and timesaving. An added bonus? You may decide to use more fresh herbs.
Milk Frother
In my home, we love a simple milk frother. My family creates concoctions that we would otherwise order from our local barista. Frothing at home means we can make delicious drinks with better-for-you ingredients and less sugar.
Spiralizer
Spiralized vegetable noodles mean more veggies on your plate and less grain in your diet. Use a spiralizer to make many dishes, from zoodles and sweet potato noodles to desserts. Looking to increase your intake of fruits and veggies? A spiralizer may be a helpful gadget to add to your drawer.
Silicone Baking Sheets, Measuring Cups, and More
It’s easy to overlook the importance of the small things that make a home kitchen efficient and sustainable. For example, silicone baking sheets replace parchment paper. Large and small glass containers mean fewer plastic bags and wraps (especially for meal preppers!). And proper measuring tools are essential for following recipes (particularly for baking). Lastly, easy-to-clean pans mean washing will be faster and take less effort. Note: If your pans are looking a little overused, it may be time to replace them. When shopping, focus on the shapes and sizes you use most to save money.