A well-stocked kitchen should be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s surprising that so many people just do not buy all the necessary items for their kitchen. Apart from covering the item itself, most people do not understand what quantities they need for each kitchen item.
I have lived with roommates before and there were times there were no spoons, a shortage of plates, forks, knives or something else. To think that five people living in a house could not get it together is kind of crazy.
Adulting is real and we definitely need to get the basics in our homes right. The kitchen is often the ignored part of a home, especially with single adults like myself. More often than not, we end up ordering food or cooking using one pot or pan, one mug, one glass, and a plate.
A lot of people believe that the utensils and equipment that you stock your kitchen with kind of push you to use the kitchen more often and consume healthier home-cooked meals. Making full use of your kitchen can really enhance your lifestyle through food choices and also overall make you a better cook to treat your guests.
To help you think out of the box and beyond the basics, below is a list of five things every self-respecting adult needs in their kitchen.
A Quality Blender
Now, you may think everyone has this but if you live your parents still, trust me a lot of young adults do not invest in having a quality hand blender or mixer. It is unfortunate for people that do not have this item in the kitchen because it is extremely useful in all aspects of prepping and cooking food.
A blender can be used to take care of juicing, making pastes while cooking, creating powders, making milkshakes and what not. Think about a utility item that does so much it can encourage you to cook your own meals by making things easy for you.
For any adult, a good quality blender is a must-have item and one should never do without one.
Steak Knives
I mean, who doesn’t throw steak dinners right? Don’t be fooled by the name though. Steak knives are not only classy and meant for a steak dinner but also useful for cutting through many other items.
Usually, good quality steak knives have a great blade that can help cut hard fruits, vegetables, and other groceries too.
In terms of throwing steak dinners, even if you are cooking veggie steaks, steak knives come in super handy. Many a time you might have been at a barbecue or steak dinner and seen people struggle with table knives to cut through or even plastic knives if the host runs out.
It is absolutely essential to keep a decent stock of steak knives at home. If you need help finding some good quality, affordable steak knives, check out this guide curated by GiftWits that lists the best ones out there.
Multiple Cutting Boards
Some people compromise on cutting boards which is an absolute no-no. Cutting boards are relatively cheap and you must invest in having multiple cutting boards.
Each cutting board ideally should serve a purpose. It makes total sense to have separate cutting boards for fruits, veggies, meat and other items like onions and garlic for example.
Not only is this convenient but also extremely healthy. For example, you don’t want to cut chicken that has salmonella on the same board as veggies you are about to cook. That can totally upset your stomach and cause health issues.
Also, you may have a vegetarian or vegan family member or friend who comes over. You may cook for this person and it is your responsibility to provide them with a neat and clean meal according to their preference.
According to an article in The Chronicle-Journal, you should use a plastic cutting board for meat and a wooden one for fruits and veggies. This has its own health benefits and cutting board quality is as important as the quality of knives you use.
A Tea Kettle
Whether you are having tea or just boiling hot water, a tea kettle is of great help. Heating water up for your tea in a microwave is not necessarily healthy.
A kettle is easy to use and you can just turn on that stove in the morning to let your hot water boil for tea or coffee. Most people that do not use a microwave for health reasons, end up using random pots or pans to boil their water. It helps to have a dedicated utensil for your morning hot drink.
Besides, while using a microwave you do not have great control over the temperature the water heats up to for that perfect cup of tea. Hence, investing in a tea kettle for any adult is totally worth it.
Boxes to Store Your Food
Okay, this may sound generic but the truth is a lot of people do not purchase enough boxes to store various food items. It is absolutely unhygienic to store any type of food in the open in a refrigerator or to store it in random foil boxes you get from a restaurant.
There are people out there who leave food out in vessels all day once cooked just because they may eat the same thing in the evening. This is also an absolutely unhealthy practice.
Buying enough transparent airtight boxes to store your food inside avoids ants or roaches from getting to your food. It also avoids random odors or smells in your kitchen.
Having enough food storage can keep the fridge and cabinets in a kitchen neat and organized.
Airtight boxes also make sure that the food stays completely fresh for longer periods of time. According to an article in the Washington Post, food can be stored beyond expiration dates in airtight containers if a certain temperature is maintained in the fridge.
Make sure you invest in food storage as it plays an essential part in maintaining your kitchen.
There are many other things that are an active part of a kitchen. Most of them may be an obvious buy like glasses, cutlery and so on. The five things listed above though, make a world of a difference and every adult should make sure they own them.
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