I found myself in a speciality kitchen store recently and could not help but chuckle at their rack of "must haves" for every cook. Most of those items had a specific use for dishes that I may cook once a year. It got me thinking about the items I use most in my kitchen, and with the exception of my (inherited) Kitchen Aid mixer, not one of them cost over $30. A few of my favorite tools can be picked up at the dollar store. Here's what I consistently use in my frugal kitchen:
Spatulas: I'm amazed at how few people use this frugal tool! We use ours all the time to get the last bit of pancake batter out of the bowl, to get the last bit of peanut butter...we even have a smaller one that can get into bottles and smaller jars, thus saving the last bit of BBQ sauce. This inexpensive tool is a must have in every frugal kitchen!
Funnels: I got my funnel set at a dollar store in college, and I use them all the time. I buy giant gallon jugs of oil and transfer them to smaller, more manageable bottles for everyday use. Before I bought my funnel set, I'd waste a lot of stuff trying to pour the item into a different bottle. I also use my funnel to consolidate things like bottles of shampoo or for pouring liquid handsoap from the giant replacement jug to the pump bottle. Waste not, want not!
Non-electric can opener: We did not have an electric can opener until we bought our house- the former owner had left their under cabinet one. Although we like the electric one, we still keep our hand can opener around. There's the obvious advantage of being able to open cans during a power outage, but there are less obvious benefits as well. I mentioned how much olive oil we could get out of the container after it was "empty." Because the can is an odd shape, we can't use our electric opener to open it. Inexpensive non-electric can opener to the rescue!
Silicon Nonstick pad: I'd never thought about getting one of these until I got addicted to the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The doughs are so sticky that I was using an awful lot of (expensive) parchment paper. (I do not have the pizza peel or pizza stone that the book recommends, so I was doing the parchment paper on a cookie sheet method.) It occurred to me to pick up one of these reusable, non-stick silicon pads, and all I can say is where have these been all my life?
Crockpot: A must in every frugal home. This single tool has probably saved me thousands over the years in fast food costs. It's much easier to ignore the siren call of the local burger barn when you know you have a delicious meal already prepared and waiting for you at home. It turns inexpensive, tough meats into delicious dinners. It can make side dishes! It can do anything! I use my crockpot so often that I have two of them- and use them both every single week. If you need some recipe inspiration, head over to one of my favorite crockpot recipe sites!
What inexpensive kitchen tools save you money? Leave a comment!
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9 comments:
As odd as it sounds, at the moment, the inexpensive kitchen tools that have saved me the most money are sandwich cutters. You know, those big cookie-cutter type cutters meant for sandwiches and the "pocket sandwich" maker (PC). We have an assortment of different shaped ones which is the only way that I have been able to get my VERY PICKY 4-1/2 yo to eat anything over the past two years! But, hey, if I just have to make him a PB&J in a cute shape, then I am there (and much easier than using a regular cookie-cutter for the job).
But, for the rest of us - I would definitely have to agree with the crockpot. I love my collection of them!
It's early morning on a Saturday and I must be very sleepy cause I couldn't find your favorite crock pot site would you put the link in the comments or on your blog.
Thank You!
Relishing Life- That sounds kind of neat! One I did not mention that I use all the time- that apple slicer thing. It's round and you can cut the whole apple by pushing down on it. It also cuts out the core for you. Mine cost about $5, but I use it all the time. It's silly, and I could use a knife, but I know I have eaten more apples since I got it!
Rita- Thanks for pointing that out! My favorite site is crockpot 365. She used her crockpot every day for a year! The link is now in the post!
I work in a restaurant and we beat our guys up on using the spatulas. Our Mantra is that spatulas pay for themselves the first day! I don't know what size container all of you are using to store stuff in but the ones we use are about one gallon. If our guys use the spatula when they change pans it saves about a full portion. Don't underestimate the value of the spatulas because you have NO IDEA what you are throwing away stuck to the sides of pans. Try me and see what I mean!
Chris - http://www.mybudgetkitchen.com
I have the same frugal kitchen utensils that you do with the exception of the silicon pad. I've looked at them often so maybe I'll have to try one. Here's what I would add to the list -- good knives; I have 2 that I use every single day. Spreaders -- I love them for buttering toast, spreads on sandwiches or frosting a cake. Garlic press -- I prefer the real stuff to the jarred, minced garlic.
I use a little metal sifter all the time to rinse rice, sprouting beans or dried beans. It works great in small batches for items that have to be measured.
I use my coffee pot every day to make hot water for drinks. I also use that hot water to make instant oatmeal packets and for recipes that need hot water.
I'm new here. My go-to kitchen item is kitchen shears. I use them for everything many times a day. I bought the Henckel brand at Target. They come apart to go in the dishwasher. I also could not live w/out the brown scraper from pampered chef. It makes cleaning my cast iron skillet a breeze.
Great post!
I would have to say that the Kitchenaid Mixer, although not budget at all, is what gave me the confidence to try trickier things at home. Now that I can make meringues, bread doughs, etc like what I see on TV, I feel like there's almost nothing I can't accomplish in my own kitchen.
So although the initial purchase price was great, the 10 years of experimentation that followed give it a great cost per use ratio!
I definitely second the crockpot! I love mine. I post crockpot recipes every "Slow Cooker Thursday" on my blog. Check it out when you get a chance! Love your blog.
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