8 Kitchen Essentials for Meal Prep
by Meg Pulkrabek MS, RD, LRD
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Start with the basics. Instead of eye-balling ingredients, measuring utensils will help you to control your current home inventory and be more accurate in your recipes. Sometimes, it even helps to have more than one complete set during prep if you are using a certain size frequently.
Cutting Board and Sharp Knives
Remember to prevent cross contamination by cutting fresh produce like fruits and vegetables before any meat items. If possible, use two separate cutting boards for these items.
Wok or Skillet
Oversized kitchen equipment will help you to make everything at once rather then smaller batches. At least a 14” diameter size is great for a wok. This equipment is very helpful for stir fry dishes.
Large Stock Pot
An 8-12 quart pot is a great size to start with for soups, chilis and stews. Freeze any leftovers you may not use right away.
Electric Griddle
You may find that you run out of stove top space quickly. An additional flat space for cooking will help you to save time. This is great for sautéing vegetables and making pancakes.
Storage Containers
The more containers in various sizes for storage, the better. Find containers that are BPA free. It is also helpful to invest in a set that is stackable and is freezer and dishwasher safe. Typically, containers that are square instead of round maximize storage space.
Food Scale
A food scale can help you measure ingredients, which can also help with your budget so you do not over purchase or use your groceries. This is also a great way to learn portion and serving sizes. You may find shortly after using a food scale that you need it less and less, but it is a great introductory learning tool.
BLACKPACK!
When all your meals are prepped, you will need a way to take them with you on-the-go. Get your temperature controlled and insulated Blackpack, here!
