Everything You Need To Stock Your Kitchen

It’s all about everything you need to stock your kitchen today. Here’s the deal: if you have the right tools, you can cook from scratch and eat at home. Are you as concerned as I am with the amount of food recalls the US has right now? There is also the high cost of food these days. PRINTABLE: What-You-Need-in-Your-Kitchen

Let’s be honest: There have been way too many food recalls in the last few years. The ones I’m aware of are E. Coli and Salmonella. I would rather eat at home. What about you?

Just so you know, the picture above is NOT my kitchen, but I would LOVE that kitchen! I used to have a tiny kitchen with limited counter space, but it works. I confess I am overloaded with kitchen tools, utensils, and equipment.

I buy the best “stuff” the first time, so my kitchen items will last at least 20 years or more. Here’s the deal: Today, I am posting items I may or may not have. Some may be items on my wish list.

When I worked 60-70 hours a week at my bank or mortgage company, I got take-out food all the time. I didn’t like standing in line for take-out meals. Plus, I put on about 50 pounds by eating that food, doing no exercise, and sometimes eating at 10:00 p.m. at night.

No Take-Out Ever Again

I never had a lunch hour because I had deadlines and goals to be met daily. When I closed my mortgage company after almost 15 years, I vowed I would never again stand in line to eat out or pick up any meal. I have eaten out a few times, but it’s not as fun as it used to be when we’d have a special night out with our young family of girls.

I would instead save the money and eat at home. It’s who I am. Plus, Mark loves the smell of food cooking in the kitchen.

I have to share one more thing with you. When I lived in Riverton, Utah, I had the best neighbors because they occasionally brought me homemade meals.

They were gold to me, worth more than my cute neighbors probably could imagine. They would bring just enough dinner for two people, and Mark and I loved it.

If you need a wedding gift for someone, any of these kitchen items would be perfect. If you have a college student, give them a “college shower.” Trust me, they need some of these items.

Ensure you have a good-quality slow cooker to maintain the correct temperatures. I tried using my daughter’s slow cooker recipes in her slow cooker, and they did not cook correctly. I tossed it with her permission and bought her a new one.

It’s about 22 years old, and I think it’s not cooking safely anymore. I wonder if the temperatures are not where they should be. Anyway, here is one that I have and love: a 3-1/2 Quart Slow Cooker

What You Need To Stock Your Kitchen:

I love arranging things in alphabetical order and color-coding all my food storage buckets; it’s who I am. Let’s get started, and please let me know if you think of any items I should add to this list.

1. Aprons: I love my denim apron more than any other one because it doesn’t show grease spots. I bought it years ago and can’t find another one just like it. I usually don’t wear an apron, but when I need one, I use my denim apron.
2. Biscuit cutters: It’s great to have biscuit cutters because we can stretch a meal with homemade biscuits. These are my favorite biscuit cutters: RSVP Stainless Steel Round Biscuit Cutters with Fluted Edge, Set of 4
3. Blender: I have the Vitamix and the Blendtec because I used to demonstrate how to make smoothies with freeze-dried fruit and Fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Bosch bread mixer: I have tried other bread machines, and hands down, the Bosch beats all the rest. I am actually on my third Bosch bread mixer. I gave my second one to a daughter so I could purchase the latest model to teach people how to make bread at my local Bosch store. I now use a Zojirushi Bread Machine as well.
5. Bottle opener: I could not find the quality bottle opener I wanted in my little town of St. George, Utah, so I ordered this one online: Bottle and Can Opener. I realize a lot of the food in cans we buy now has a pull tab to open cans, but I still want a bottle opener for my kitchen.
6. Bread knives: If you make bread, you must have a good serrated bread knife to slice it on a wooden cutting board. I have several, and I wash them by hand to protect them and extend their life. Here’s a good knife: Cutco Bread Knife. Save your money for a good knife. You’ll be glad you did when you slice your homemade bread. I promise.
7. Bread pans: I have stainless steel one-pound loaf pans that I can’t find anymore. I have had them for at least 15 years. These are close to my one-pound bread pans: Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum Bread Pan, 7.75 Inch x 3.75 Inch x 2.75 Inch.
8. Can openers: I always have at least three or four, maybe five can openers at any time. In an unforeseen emergency or disaster, we may need them to open cans of food. If only one can opener breaks, we will not be prepared to fix meals after a disaster. These are good ones: Swing-A-Way Can Opener.
9. Cake decorating tools: I love watching my grandkids frost cakes and cupcakes, so I always have some decorating tips they can choose from. Here’s a good set: Wilton 46-Piece Deluxe Cake Decorating Set
10. Cake pans: I typically only make 9-inch by 13-inch cakes, but I have occasionally made two-layer ones. I also make the famous Texas chocolate sheet cake on a cookie sheet. Oh, of course, I make my chocolate bundt cakes as well! Here is a good cake pan I’m saving my money to purchase: Lindy’s Stainless Steel Covered Cake Pan.
11. Cast iron pans: I have collected Lodge cast iron pans and Dutch ovens for a few years. If you have one of these Lodge Dutch ovens, you can cook outside (and survive a disaster) if you store some charcoal in airtight containers. I suggest you purchase the charcoal without the “lighting” chemicals because it will last indefinitely if kept dry in an airtight container. I highly recommend this Dutch oven: Lodge Camp Dutch Oven, 6 QtI can’t lift an eight-quart Dutch oven, so I use the six-quart with the lid that you can place charcoal on the top and, of course, underneath the pot.
12. Cheese graters: every kitchen needs a cheese grater or two, right? I use this one for salads: Zyliss Classic Rotary Cheese Grater.OXO Good Grips Box Grater
13. Cheese slicer: do you love thinly sliced cheese for crackers? This is my husband’s favorite one: Cheese Slicer.
14. Chopper: I know we can all chop vegetables by hand with a good knife, but sometimes we want a finer texture, so this is a great one for that: Cuisinart Stainless Steel Chopper
15. Colanders: I have several sizes because I cook so much from scratch. Here are some stainless steel ones: ExcelSteel Stainless Steel Colanders, Set of 3
16. Cookbooks: I love cookbooks; I love looking through them at used bookstores. My favorite cookbooks are written by the Amish.
17. Cookie cutters: I have arthritis, so I have purchased several of these: Wilton Comfort Grip Heart Cutter
18. Cookie scoops: if you make cookies, I know teaspoons work great, but these work even better: OXO Good Grips Medium Cooke Scoop
19. Cookie sheets: if you make cookies or Texas sheet cake, these are the pans for you: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet
20. Crock for storing utensils: I have two large crock storage containers for some of my large kitchen utensils: Kitchen Tool Crock
21. Crockpot: I would like to buy the real deal, such as Crockpot: Crock-Pot Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker, 6-Quart.
22. Cutting boards: just giving you the heads up here, please use a wooden cutting board or you may ruin the blades of your knives.
23. Cutting mats: I use a few with my cheap knives, but not my good ones, because they make my knives dull. I use one for meat and throw it in the dishwasher, or I wash the nice ones by hand.
24. Danish Whisk: you know by now I love my Danish whisk because you can make thin cookie batters, brownies, muffins, and pancake mixes with these: Danish Dough Hand Whisk / Mixer 13″
25. Dehydrator: My favorite dehydrator for short-term food storage is Excalibur Food Dehydrator with a timer.
26. Double boiler pan: these are great for candy or melting chocolate.
27. My favorite Dutch oven is the Lodge Dutch oven with this lid because you can cook outside if you have stored charcoal without the chemicals in an airtight container. Lodge Camp Dutch Oven, 6 Qt
28. Egg slicer: I love sliced eggs on almost every salad and casserole. Egg Slicer
29. Fire extinguisher: Every kitchen needs a fire extinguisher. I have different types for the various types of fire you may encounter. I have this one: Kidde Pro 210 2A:10-B: C Fire Extinguisher.
30. Food Processor: you can chop, slice, grate, and mince almost anything.
    

    Which Fire Extinguishers Should I Use:

    A: is for Common Combustibles, Wood, Papers, Textiles, Plastic, Rubber, etc.

    B: is for Flammable Liquids, Gasoline, Heptane, etc.

    C: is for Electrical Equipment, Switches, Outlets, etc.

    Identifying the fuel type is extremely important for selecting the correct method and agent for extinguishing the fire.

    I recommend that everyone visit their local Fire Department and have them show them how to use a fire extinguisher.
31. Flashlights: these are my favorite because they do not require batteries:
32. Funnels: I love stainless steel, such as the Norpro 3-piece Stainless Steel Funnel Set. I also use this Prepworks by Progressive Canning Funnel for Regular and Wide Mouth Jars.
33. Fly swatter: need I say more….you can get these at your local dollar store outlet.
34. Garlic press: who loves fresh garlic? You can almost smell it cooking, right?
35. Gravy ladle: my family loves gravy. I recently learned that some people don’t like gravy at all. Oh my goodness, I put it on everything on Thanksgiving Day! I put gravy on the mashed potatoes, dressing, and the turkey! Life is good with gravy!
36. Griddle: everyone needs a good griddle. I use them for grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, and sometimes even scrambled eggs and bacon.
37. Hand blender: I use this when I have lumps in my gravy: Proctor-Silex Hand Blender
38. Handcrank beaters are great for every day, and if we lose power, we can mix up any meal. OXO Good Grips Egg Beater
39. Hot pads: get a good set or two. I even started using good mitts up to 500 degrees or so.
40. Ice cream scoop: everyone needs a good ice cream scoop. My favorite is from Pampered Chef.
41. Kitchen Aid electric hand mixer: I use one of these for my whipped cream or thin batters if I’m in a hurry and don’t want to drag out my heavy-duty Kitchen Aid 6-quart stand-up mixer.
42. Kitchen Aid stand-up mixer: I bought the 6-quart version, but my daughter tried to make whole wheat bread with hers and it burned up the motor. Just giving you the heads-up here. I only use mine for making cakes, cookies, or light batter-type foods. I use my Bosch bread mixer for cinnamon rolls, bread, French bread, etc.
43. Kitchen shears: I use kitchen shears to cut up parsley, Cilantro, or whatever needs a few snips.
44. Kitchen dishrags: everyone needs a few good dishrags, right?
45. Kitchen towels: I buy white towels and dishrags in bulk at the local box store, bleaching them when I wash them.
46. Kitchen dish drying mats are fabulous: Norpro 16 by 18-inch Microfiber Dish Drying Mat, Gray. They work great for my “hand wash only” pans, knives, etc.
47. Knives: buy the best set of knives your budget can afford, wash them by hand, and dry them completely. Get them sharpened at least once a year.
48. Lasagna pans: I love the stainless steel ones; buy once for life, I say. All-Clad Stainless-Steel Lasagna Pan
49. Lettuce knife: these keep your lettuce from “rusting”: Zyliss Lettuce Knife
50. Measuring cups: I remember buying these plastic ones from a “home party” deal, and you can hardly read the measurement numbers on them. I will order some for my daughter right now because I’m at her house. I can’t find the correct measuring cups because I can’t see the numbers: Bellemain Stainless Steel Measuring Cup Set, 6-piece
51. Measuring spoons: I love stainless steel ones; I feel they are cleaner. 7-Piece Measuring Spoon Set.
52. Mixing bowls: we can all use some good stainless bowls.
53. Mushroom slicer: I love having one of these for my spaghetti sauce, pizza, or salads.
54. Oxo containers: I use these for my food storage items I take out of my #10 cans.
55. Pancake turner: oh my gosh, I’m at my daughter’s and I am going to throw out her pancake turner tomorrow! It’s so floppy and I can’t even flip pancakes. I just have to laugh because a pancake turner is the last thing we want to spend our money on to replace it! OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner
56. Pans, I love buying all my daughters Farberware pans because they are fairly cheap. They make soup pans, double boilers, and saucepans, and my favorite is the 4-quart with two handles. It’s a keeper. 
57. Pastry blender/cutter
58. Pastry brush: I use a pastry brush to clean out my Bosch bread mixer and brush egg whites on French bread.
59. Pie pans: I  have two pie pans I’m not a very good pie maker, but I love homemade pie.
60. Pizza cutter: I use my pizza cutter to cut pizza and my homemade crescent rolls.
61. Potato masher: I know some people mash their potatoes in a stand mixer. I use this one: Kuhn Rikon Potato Masher
62. Pressure cooker: I highly recommend the electric Zavor pressure cooker because I have taken classes using this one and taught classes on how to use it. Zavor 6-Quart Multi-Cooker
63. Rice cooker: You can buy a separate rice cooker, but you can also use a saucepan or an electric pressure cooker.
64. Rolling pins: everyone needs a good one for pies, cinnamon rolls, crescent rolls, and cookies.
65. Hot Pads: Get some good ones; some people refer to mitts; they are awkward for me. Hot Pads
66. Silpat mat: I like using these for baking cookies or things like French bread because I can skip the parchment paper or vegetable spray.
67. Slotted spoon: slotted spoons are a must-have in the kitchen. They can drain and stir at the same time.
68. Soup ladle: we all need a soup ladle in the kitchen, soup is a money saver for my grocery bill.
69. Soup pot: do you love to make soup as much as I do? Everyone needs a soup pot in the kitchen.
70. Spatula’s: you can never have just one in the kitchen; we need three or four, right?
71. Storage containers: I listed the OXO containers above, but I use Rubbermaid containers for storing stuff in the refrigerator. I use 5-gallon buckets with Gamma Lids as well for just about everything.
72. Thermometer: I use them for bread, meat, and candy. It’s good to have a few different thermometers.
73. Toaster: I have a four-slice toaster that has wide slots for bagels.
74. Tongs: I like the kind that “lock” so they don’t take up as much room in the kitchen drawers.
75. Vegetable brush: these are great for scrubbing potatoes, carrots, etc.
76. Vegetable peeler: everyone needs a good vegetable peeler in the kitchen, maybe even two.
77. Wheat grinder-I prefer the L’equip: NutriMill Classic Grain Mill 
78. Whisks: I love stainless steel whisks in the kitchen. Norpro 3 Piece Stainless Steel Balloon Whisk Set
79. Wooden spoons: I use wooden spoons occasionally, not often, but I like them for some recipes.
80. Manual timer: oh my goodness, thanks to Beth for reminding me that we need one of these for sure.

Final Word

If you think of some kitchen items I need to add to this list, please tell me, and I will add them. May God bless you for your efforts to be prepared for the unexpected. Please stay well and keep prepping. May God Bless this World, Linda

PRINTABLE: What-You-Need-in-Your-Kitchen

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Copyright Images: Deposit photos_10855312_m-2015