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The 12 kitchen tools that have actually helped me lose weight
The 12 kitchen tools that have actually helped me lose weight
Sally KaplanFeb 5, 2019, 18:57 IST
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In that time, I've done a lot of experimenting in the kitchen - a feat made easy by the fact that I love to cook and have access to great tools and appliances. But some of those items come in more handy than the others.
When it comes to preparing healthy meals, there are a ton of gadgets advertising themselves as the "answer" to all your needs. I've tested a lot of them out (I mean, it's literally my job), and most of them ended up being a complete waste of time. So I thought it would be helpful to put together a list of the gadgets and tools I actually use to help me stay on track when it comes to cooking and eating well. Some of them are as simple as the measuring spoons you already have in your drawer, but some might surprise you.
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Whether or not you're on Weight Watchers, the following tools might make a difference in your quest for healthier, more delicious home-cooked meals.
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If you're unfamiliar with the program, Weight Watchers uses a points system to help you track what you're eating and balance your day's intake — high protein foods, fruits, and veggies are all zero points.
Legumes like beans and lentils are all considered "free," so as a vegetarian, I rely heavily on them to get enough protein through the week and keep my points in-check. I like to buy them dry because it's much more cost effective and easier to impart flavor when you cook them yourself — but if you've ever tried to cook black beans from their dry state, you know it can be a full day-long process to soak and simmer them.
So instead, I batch-prep them using the Instant Pot's pressure-cooking function, which only takes about 20 minutes. The first time I used it, I was completely dumbfounded at how easy and fast it was. Now, I often make a big batch of beans or lentils over the weekend and use them in different ways through the week to keep things interesting. I also use the slow-cooker function a lot for stews and soups.
I love pasta the same way Oprah loves bread. Maybe even more, honestly. Regardless, it's clear that both of us have a penchant for carbs, which can be tough (but not impossible!) to balance while on Weight Watchers.
One serving of spaghetti, which equates to a full cup or one fist-size worth of of cooked pasta, is 5 points on the program. This isn't so bad, but the truth is that most people (myself included) eat at least double that amount before feeling satisfied. So to help me fulfill my craving without going overboard, I mix a cup of spaghetti with a whole spiralized zucchini (which I like to sautee with garlic and olive oil), and douse it with vegetarian bolognese or plain marinara. It's super satisfying, and allows me to eat to my heart's content without going over my point allotment.
Having enough containers around is key to meal planning and sticking to your goals. It might sound like a lame excuse, but there were so many times that I tried to eat healthy and meal prep for the week but ended up failing miserably because I had no way to transport or put away the healthy foods I wanted to make.
I prefer to use glass containers instead of plastic because they last longer and never melt in the dishwasher or get stained. Just make sure to buy a large set.
To that end, large mixing bowls with sealing lids are excellent and underrated meal prep tools. You can store a big batch of beans, grains, chili, pasta salad, cut up fruit, etc. in one of these, instead of using all your lunch containers.
The NutriBullet is one of my favorite and most-used kitchen tools. It's perfect for making single-serve smoothies, or small batches of pestos, sauces, and dips like hummus. It comes with three blending cups (two small and one large) and a milling blade that I use frequently to turn oats into flour for baked goods. I've effectively phased out my full size blender in favor of this smaller one, and I employ it more than probably any other gadget in my kitchen.
Non-stick sheet trays are a godsend when it comes to healthy cooking, since they allow you to use less oil when roasting veggies and meats. You can also use parchment paper to line a regular aluminum sheet pan, but that often lends itself to soggy meals.
Similarly, non-stick pans make it easy to sautee ingredients or cook eggs without as much fat as you'd usually use. I cook almost everything in either a non-stick pan like this one or a cast iron skillet, which develops a variation of a non-stick surface after continual use. This particular pan comes in multiple sizes, but an eight- or 10-inch version are solid starter options.
I know it sounds simple, but using a measuring spoon when you're cooking with butter, oil, or liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup can make all the difference. I usually just eyeball things when I cook, but I realized that I was often over-pouring and miscalculating how much extra fat I was consuming. Now, I almost always measure olive oil out before pouring it into a pan.
Label-makers can be expensive, and can also produce difficult-to-remove stickers that ruin your containers. Post-it Notes just came out with these "Extreme" notes which can withstand the moisture and cold temperatures of your freezer and fridge. I've just started using them to label things in my fridge, freezer, and pantry — and they've held up well so far.
Since eggs are zero points on Weight Watchers (and an all-around good source of protein), I eat them a lot. I try to use less of the yolks as a general rule, but I do like to keep soft boiled eggs around to put on top of veggies when I'm at work and can't pan-fry anything.
I'll admit, I don't personally use this egg cooker, but I have plenty of friends who do — and who swear by it as a convenient way to make hard- or soft-boiled eggs. You just pop the eggs in, add some water, and turn it on.
I've learned that keeping your fridge and pantry organized is also a super important part of both staying on-track and saving money. Before I started getting serious about keeping my kitchen organized, I found myself buying the same things over and over and losing half-eaten packages of food in the back of my pantry, only to find four partially finished bags of rice or oats later on.
Using bins, baskets, and clear containers to store foods is a great way to ensure you can keep tabs on everything and always know exactly where to reach for healthy snacks and ingredients. Check out how I organized my pantry here.
Since Weight Watchers allows you to track by either weight or volume (aka ounces or cups/tbsp/etc.) some users like to rely on scales to ensure they are keeping a more accurate account of what they eat. I don't personally use one, but this particular scale comes highly recommended and reviewed.
