Kitchen Essentials You Never Knew You Needed

Today I’m sharing my list of the kitchen essentials that we can’t live without. I’ve been slowly decluttering our house and only keeping the things that I know I will use. As I sorted through the cabinets, I focused on only keeping the things I used on a regular basis. I also considered how easy they were to store and keep clean. There’s nothing that makes me crazier than lugging out a big appliance or kitchen tool and then having to take it apart to clean it up. Narrowing things down to the essentials has been a huge time-saver and I don’t even miss the things I let go.

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Kitchen Essentials that Make Prep a Breeze

• An electric can opener that takes up less space than our old clunky version.
• This vegetable chopper is a huge time saver. We use it for just about everything around here. My kids also think it’s super fun to be the one to do the chopping. It has multiple blade sizes and stays put on the counter.
• We use this rotary cheese grater every week. It’s another kid favorite tool. It suctions to the counter and has three different blades. It works on cheese, vegetables, nuts, and more.
• A garlic press that has saved me from always having to use the “jarlic” I used to always keep on hand. It’s easy to clean (and dishwasher safe) comes in so many colors, and keeps my hands from smelling like garlic all day.
• I don’t like to get my giant food processor out for small tasks. This immersion blender is great for quick and easy recipes. We especially love it for soups, dips, and smoothies. When my kids were little, we used it to make our own baby food.
• This meat chopper works so much better than any spatula or spoon. I mainly use it for ground meat, but it also works well for roughly mashing potatoes.
• Magnetic measuring spoons stick together so they are always easy to find. I love that these are color-coded so I can easily identify the size I need. The colors are also great when the kids are helping in the kitchen.
• Herb scissors cut down on the chopping needed. I love that they come with a tool for easy cleaning, and they’re dishwasher safe.
• My old olive oil dispenser was constantly leaking and it was always hard to get just the right amount. Especially when I was trying to lightly spray things to put in our air fryer. This oil sprayer is great for that. We also use it for grilling when it’s a little warmer. It also works to grease pans as an alternative to the aerosol spray.
• Kitchen funnels are one of those items that took me a long time to buy. I didn’t need them often, but when I did, I hated getting out the large plastic ones we had. These don’t take up much space and, now that we have them, we use them all the time.

Cooking Essentials

• Space-saving options are always at the top of my list. This colander fits easily into my cabinet, and clips onto our pots and pans to keep from getting scalded when draining pasta and meat.
• I don’t know why it took me so long to buy a meat thermometer this one is wireless, which makes it super easy. If you’re not techy, we have also used this one to make sure that all of our food is cooked perfectly. It’s great for grilling, too!
• We love this spoon rest because it can fit multiple utensils and comes in fun colors. It’s lightweight and easy to store.
• Air fryers are amazing, but I always struggle to know just how long to cook everything. I found this magnet and it has been a great cheat sheet.
• Stainless steel sheet pans are versatile and last forever. We love them for baking, but have recently been using them to try all of our favorite sheet pan recipes. I also have this version that comes with a baking rack that’s perfect for oven bacon.
• While we are on the topic of stainless steel, this cookware set is a staple in our house. I was so tired of worrying about the peeling coating on my nonstick pans, and these have been the perfect replacement.
• These mixing bowls are another set that gets weekly use. They have stood up to just about everything and fit inside each other for easy storage.
• Frothers are great for making quick lattes or mixing powders into drinks. We love this one because the wire coil comes off for easy cleaning. It also comes in many fun colors.

Essentials for Keeping it Clean

• Smelly fridges are the WORST. I have used everything from baking soda to the charcoal bags that you can refresh in the sun. This deodorizer has been a life saver for us. It’s compact and works better than anything else we have tried.
• With a house full of boys who have little attention to detail, my microwave can easily get messy. I bought this food cover and it has saved me so much time cleaning my microwave. It can also be used to hold plates and doubles as a colander. We love that it’s collapsible and easy to clean.
• When I do have to clean the microwave, I always use my angry mom steam cleaner. Just add some vinegar and water, put it in the microwave, and let her work her magic.
• I’ve replaced many of our kitchen sponges with this silicone option. They never smell and are flexible enough to reach the crevices.
• Microfiber towels are one of my favorite cleaning tools. We use this set at our house because we can color code the towels by room. They are the best towels we have found keeping fingerprints off of our stainless steel appliances.
• These cleaning brushes are great for produce. We also keep a set on hand to clean other things around the kitchen. They are great for getting into hard to reach places.
• If you haven’t tried The Pink Stuff, buy it now! This paste is amazing for cleaning appliances, sinks, and even ovens. It works on just about anything.

Storage and Organization

• I’m always looking for great storage options. These containers are great for storing leftovers, snacks, and packing my kids’ lunches. I love that the lids snap on and stay put, especially with how rough the boys in my house can be.
• These magnetic spice racks are great for spaces with little storage. The magnets are strong enough that they can hold more than just spices. You can add jars, utensils, and anything else you want to keep accessible in the kitchen.
• We have two of these under the sink organizers in our kitchen. Now our space is organized and we don’t have to go searching for anything in the cabinet.
• My fridge was one of the last places I organized. I finally bought these bins and these can holders and I’m so glad I did. It looks so much cleaner in there now and we can access everything easier. The can holders also work well for soup cans in the pantry.
• Lazy Susan organizers are great for spices or other small items that are kept in the pantry. No more pulling out everything in there just to find what I need.
• There are so many water bottle organizers, it’s hard to pick a favorite. We have the plastic ones for my kids’ school and sports bottles, but the bamboo options look great, too.
• This plastic grocery bag holder is a great storage option. I used to throw them in the bottom of the pantry, but this one looks much nicer and makes them easy to grab. We keep it mounted inside the closet, but it looks nice enough to hang on the wall, too.
• My family is notorious for leaving bags of snacks open in our pantry. I started using these food storage containers for larger items and these for the snacks we use on a more regular basis.

Kitchen Essentials for Entertaining

• I use this cheese board so many times that I started buying more to give as gifts. I love that it has a place for crackers and storage for all the tools we need. It keeps everything in one place to make it easy to pull out when we have unexpected guests.
• This 3-tier collapsible bowl is perfect for parties. We use them for chips and appetizers. The three bowls are easy to twist down for storage.
• For years I used every serving utensil we had when hosting parties or large dinners. I finally tired of having mismatched spoons everywhere and purchased this serving utensil set. They add a touch of elegance and make everything feel put together.
• We use these taco holders on a weekly basis. I bought them for a party, but my family loved them so much that they made it into our taco Tuesday rotation. These plastic ones are also great for the kids.
• While I love bringing out my favorite dinner plates for most parties, there are times when I just don’t want to have to mess with the cleanup. These disposable plates are sturdy and look nice enough to have out for guests and eliminate the hours of dishes that are usually waiting for me at the end of the night.
• If you find yourself as the party host often, this buffet server is a great option for keeping food warm and you out of the kitchen as your guests arrive. I also love this double crock pot for entertaining. The ceramic pots and glass lids are easy to remove and are dishwasher safe.
• These serving platters are easy to store and versatile enough for any party. We have also bought them to go under small potted plants and our pet food bowls.
• I always love to send extras home with our guests. These meal prep containers work great for sending home leftovers or special treats without having to worry about someone returning our containers.

Do you have a favorite kitchen item you can’t live without? Share them in the comments!