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At CNET, we’re big fans of Meal kits. Over the years, we’ve tested dozens to find our favorites in all categories, including… Ready-to-eat meals, Vegetarian optionsthe Best budget picks And even better for Popular Mediterranean diet.
Although I don’t use meal kits every week, especially during busy seasons in my life or when I find myself in need of new recipe ideas, they are the perfect solution for me. With pre-portioned ingredients delivered right to my door, it’s so easy (and dare I say, fun?) to get dinner on the table every night. Plus, as someone who isn’t the most experienced home cook, meal kits have given me the confidence I need in the kitchen and practice mastering delicious dishes regularly.
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Although meal kits come with most of the items and ingredients you need, there are a set of must-have staples and cooking tools that will make your meal kit journey as smooth as possible. Here’s everything you should have before you get started.
Since you still have to prepare meals, there is some slicing included in each meal kit. Whether it’s onions, leeks, potatoes, or a batch of bok choy, you’ll need a steel chef’s knife to complete most meal sets. This is it Our top picks.
A cutting board goes hand in hand with a chef’s knife, so it’s another must-have. I personally prefer wooden cutting boards but it’s nice to have a small plastic cutting board on hand when you need to chop up raw meat or coat something with seasoning. With a plastic cutting board, the juices won’t leak onto the board as they would with a wooden board and you can put it directly in the dishwasher when you’re done. This is it Our picks for the best cutting boardswhich includes both options.
In my opinion, one of the best parts about meal kits is that many of the meals require minimal effort, making them perfect for busy individuals, new cooks, or anyone who simply doesn’t enjoy spending hours in the kitchen. Since the focus is often on meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, we’re seeing more skillet recipes (my favorite). Just put everything in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, then serve.
However, not all meals are stir-fry meals, so you’ll still need a frying pan when cooking stir-fries, meats, or other recipe ingredients on the stove. You can decide between Non-sticky, Ceramic or Stainless steel Depending on your preferences. Or, if you’re looking for a complete cookware set, here we have it Favorites.
Many of the recipes I’ve tried use rice or pasta as the base, so you should have another bowl, unless you plan to avoid these types of meals altogether (which I don’t recommend because they’re usually delicious). You can have one bowl if necessary, but I recommend having a couple in different sizes.
I use a cookware set from Caraway – CNET’s Choice for Best ceramic cookware – which includes a pot, frying pan, Dutch oven, and sauté pan.
In theory, you could use the bowl mentioned above as a mixing bowl if you’re in a pinch but I highly recommend investing in a mixing bowl, or a set of them, to make your life a lot easier. My mixing bowls double as popcorn bowls, leftover holders, and more, so I definitely think they’re worth the money.
This is nice to have but not essential because you can technically peel potatoes, carrots and other produce with a knife but a peeler is a safer option, especially if you are new to the kitchen.
During my meal kit journey, I also noticed that quite a few recipes called for the zest of one lemon to help kick up the flavor. You can use a dedicated lemon zester or a fine cheese grater for this step, but whatever you do, don’t skip it. It adds a lot more flavor than you might expect.
When cooking meat, especially poultry, I like to err on the side of caution and use a Meat thermometer To ensure it reaches the correct internal temperature before serving. This is one of the tools in my kitchen that I use weekly, if not daily, and it’s also great for summer BBQs.
As you become more experienced, you may feel when your meat is ready, but undercooked chicken and pork are no game to play with if you’re new to cooking.
Many meal kit recipes suggest lining the baking sheet with aluminum foil to make clean-up easier. This isn’t essential, but if you want the easiest cleanup, we recommend keeping a roll of aluminum foil on hand. Additionally, if you have leftovers, you can use the same aluminum foil to wrap them.
Read more: One culinary pro named the three knives every cook should own. Can you guess them?
Salt, pepper, cooking oil and butter
Although meal kits come with most of the ingredients you need, they usually don’t include these four basic items, so be sure to visit the store and get them before cooking dinner. this Modern olive oil It’s a great option, but if you want to know which oil is right for different cooking situations, take a peek at our site Cooking oil guide Which covers all the bases.