The Very Best Kitchen Tools for Easy Meal Prep

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Hi, I'm Tina!

I’m the owner of Carrots ‘N’ Cake as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P). I use macros and functional nutrition to help women find balance within their diets while achieving their body composition goals.

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Hey, hey! You guys know how much I love meal prep… oooh, baby, good times! 🙂

Devoting some time on the weekend is most definitely a necessity for our family because it helps us stay on track and eat healthy throughout the week. Of course, the thought of spending hours in the kitchen prepping multiple recipes is quite daunting, but with the right kitchen tools and little bit of practice, it just gets easier and easier.

Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of gadgets to make meal prep more efficient, so I created a round-up of the very best of the bunch. These kitchen tools are tried-and-true and ones that I rely on week after week to help me meal prep and set us up for success with regard to our eating habits.

Mixing Bowl, Food Prep, and Measuring Set

The first tool is most definitely an essential, and I’m sharing it first because it’s truly THE BEST. I love this all-in-one mixing bowl set with measuring cups and spoons because everything is neatly stacked together (the measuring cups snap together) and easy to find when it’s meal prep time. The small mixing bowl includes measurements inside for added convenience (milliliters/fluid ounces) and a spout for accurate pouring. There’s even a stainless steel mesh sieve and large colander in the set. How’s that for the greatest food prep collection ever?!

Silicone Non-Stick Baking Mat

Next up is a new favorite, but I still wonder how I lived without them for so long. I actually mentioned these silicone non-stick baking mats last week because, after my first use, I was instantly in love. I honestly don’t know why I waited to long to get them?! No more non-stick cooking spray. No more parchment paper. These babies save time, money, and calories! Just throw one on a baking sheet and cook/bake/roast away! It doesn’t get easier than that.

Silicone Muffin Pan

Also in the silicone cooking family: This muffin pan! It’s awesome for whipping up a quick batch of protein muffins or egg muffins. It’s made from high-quality, food-grade silicone, so it cooks foods evening without burning and NOTHING sticks inside, so you don’t need to use non-stick spray or add paper liners. Just pour in your batter, cook in the oven, and done! The muffins pop right out! Related: I need this Silicone Muffin Top Pan in my life. I think it would make some really cool egg patties for on-the-go breakfast sandwiches! 

Set of Ramekins

I use Ramekins for everything. Every. Thing. Obviously, they’re perfect for portion control, but they’re awesome for all sorts of meal prep tasks, including making individual dips, sauces, and storing small amounts of leftovers. My favorite use, though, is pouring a little bit of oil inside and then using a silicone brush to quickly apply to veggies, meat, etc. before cooking. Easy-peasy!  I also love our oil mister for quickly spritzing foods for prep as well as salads. And it works great with vinegar and dressings, too!

Mini Crock Pot

I assume a lot of you guys love your crock pot for meal prep, but do you own a mini crock pot? I love mine and use it just about every week for smaller batches of food, especially the ones I know that Mal and Quinn probably won’t eat. I reserve our regular crock pot for bigger batches of food and typically have both going at the same time, which, of course, makes prep day come together even faster!

Cuisinart Food Processor 

Guys, I went years without owning a food processor, which is CRAZY considering how much I use it nowadays! Making protein balls, sauces, soups, and finely chop veggies for our favorite Hash Brown Breakfast Bake is the easiest thing ever now!

Handheld Spiralizer

If you don’t already own a spiralizer, you NEED one in your life ASAP! Quinn and I use ours all the time to make veggie noodles for salads, “pasta” noodles, and our favorite everyday hash.

Glass Storage Containers

And, finally, once you prep and cook all that food, you need somewhere to store it! This set of glass storage containers is easily the best we’ve owned. Each one has a snap-lock lid with air-tight silicone seals for storing leftovers and meals-on-the-go. They’re also freezer, microwave, dishwasher, and oven- safe, so they’re a must-have for your kitchen! And, of course, I’m glad that we finally got rid of our scuzzy plastic containers!

Question of the Day

What’s your #1 favorite tool for quick and easy meal prep?

P.S. I don’t own this particular food scale, but I thought it was cool, especially if you’re short on counter space!

Just a quick note: I am sometimes compensated through my affiliate links in this post, but, as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting CNC!

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