Kitchen Essentials for a Healthy New Year

If you're looking to be a better home cook in 2023, ensuring you have all the right kitchen and cleaning tools on hand is a great way to help simplify the pressure of cooking at home and allow you to be the best chef you can be! One of our dietitians, Amanda, put together a list of her favorite kitchen essentials to help make meal prep and clean up easy and breezy.

Check out this video of Amanda at home, talking about all things composting!

For Cooking - To kick things off, here is a list of must-haves for any home chef. Whether you're a baker, meal prepper, or just looking to home your culinary skills, you need to have these everyday tools in your cabinet and utensil drawer:

Chef's Knife & Sharpener - An absolute essential for breaking down whole vegetables, chopping herbs, and cutting through meat & seafood. Look for “full tang” where the blade extends fully through the handle for a sturdy, long-lasting knife. And don't skip out on a knife sharpener. We recommend a simple handheld sharpener that is easy to use and has a safety grip.
Cutting Boards - There are many types of cutting boards to choose from, but a 11”x14” or larger, made from non-porous material with non-slip feet is ideal. Added bonus if it has a juice catching groove around the edge. Keep in mind, the harder the material, the more often you’ll need to sharpen your knife.
Microplane/Zester - Use this tool to remove citrus zest and add a pop of flavor and acidity to many dishes. Also used to shred hard cheeses, and grate garlic or ginger.
Citrus Juicer - Speaking of citrus, a handheld juicer makes squeezing lemons and limes a breeze. Simply cut the fruit in half, then place flat-side down in the opening to prevent the juice from spraying your face.
Silicone Utensils - Silicone is a gentle material that won’t scratch cookware, resists stains, won’t break down when in contact with acidic foods, and is resistant to high heat.
Cut Glove - If you’ve ever cut yourself in the kitchen, you’ll understand why a cut-resistant glove is a good idea. Not a necessity for an advanced home-chef, but a useful tool for someone still honing their knife skills. This will also come in handy when using a mandoline or microplane.
Salad Spinner - This is obviously used to wash salad greens, but a salad spinner is useful for a variety of other tasks like soaking fresh berries in a vinegar-water solution, cleaning and drying herbs, rinsing and draining canned beans and vegetables to remove sodium, and even defrosting meats.
Wooden Spoon - Extremely functional, wooden spoons are strong enough to scrape the bottom of the pan, but soft enough to not cause damage. Plus, they are all natural. Shop our favorite Olive Oil Wooden Spoon here.

For Storage- If you're into meal prepping or have leftovers, be prepared with the right storage tools:

Glass Snapware - Glass can go straight into the microwave without worry of plastic leaching into the food, and it doesn't hold food smells. Snapping lids are air-tight and helps keep food fresh for longer.
Plastic Mason Jar Lids - Mason jar lids and rings tend to rust when in contact with liquids, hence the need for a reusable plastic lid. Perfect for homemade salad dressing, quick-pickles, and simple syrups in mason jars most often.
Soupercubes - A genius way to store leftovers long-term. Once the food is frozen, it pops out super easily and can be stored neatly in individual portions in baggies. Try it with Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Vegetable Soup or Roasted Garden Vegetable Sauce.

For Cleaning - Being a great cook means knowing how to properly clean up, as well. Stock your kitchen with the following:

Cotton Dish Towels - These large, lint-free, super absorbent tea towels are my favorite and can be bleached when the stains get to be too much. Shop the Ultimate Kitchen Towel here.
Swedish Dish Cloths - Basically, this is a washable sponge. These little dishcloths are versatile and eco-friendly, to boot. You can find them in various prints and colors to match your kitchen style or add a fun pop of color.
Plastic Pan Scraper - Scrape off stuck on-food from any surface without leaving a mark.

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At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.

Have feedback or questions for our team? Email us at flikblog@compass-usa.com.

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