Directions

Steps

1 Done	Glass Canisters with Wood Lids These beautiful, modern yet natural looking Olivewood & Glass Canisters from Williams- Sonoma are a great way to store flours, sugars, grains, pasta and more! They are slim and tall for easy storage and the clear glass allows you to see the contents and when you are running low! The silicone gasket on the lids also prolongs the freshness and they come is multiple great sizes! I currently store all of my goods in other glass canisters but I might have to make the switch to these with the beautiful wooden lids! (Image credit: Food 52)
2 Done	Enameled Cast Iron Casserole This is a new and already well used addition to my kitchen! It's a great size for feeding a crowd or meal-prepping and it can be used both on your stove-top and the oven! Enameled cast iron is great as it is non-toxic, high quality and very durable. It is very easy to clean and unlike a traditional cast iron product, it doesn’t need additional seasoning. Foods cook quicker and more evenly because the cooking material can withstand higher heat and it holds the heat more efficiently. This Lodge Oyster Enameled Cast Iron Covered Casserole comes with a lid that has a stainless steel knob which allows you to keep the dish covered while it's in the oven. You can use it to broil, braise, bake, or roast in the oven up to 500° F! I also love the fact that I can serve straight from the pot because it looks so elegant!
3 Done	Reusable Silicone Bag I think most of us are trying to use less single-use plastic. I for one, always bring my own reusable bags to the grocery store but we also need to consider single-use plastic for food storage. I recently made the switch from plastic to reusable and non-toxic Stasher silicone bags and I really trust and like. They are dishwasher safe, microwave safe, durable and better for the planet! They come in different sizes and colors so you can use it for snacks, cut vegetables, or even bigger items like big pieces of meat. (Image credit: Williams Sonoma)
4 Done	Food Processor I constantly use my food processor to make sauces like pesto or dips like hummus, homemade nut butters and even oat flour! If you don't feel like chopping vegetables with a knife, toss them into the food processor and it will do all of the work for you! This Cuisinart food processor also comes with some extra blades for shredding, grating and slicing which you can use for harder vegetables like carrot, potatoes and more!
5 Done	High Speed Blender Another kitchen gadget that I use almost daily is my high-speed blender. I use it to make homemade nut milks, soups, sauces and of course juices and smoothies! The white KitchenAid high-speed blender is a beloved tool and mega powerful!
6 Done	High Quality Knives There's not question about it - a good quality knife makes a world of a difference when prepping your meats or vegetables! But did you know that there are different knives for different purposes? I use 3 knives consistently - my chef's knife, a serrated knife and a paring knife. Having a chef's knife with hollow-ground indentations along the blade increases efficiency and decreases sticking when working with starchy vegetables like potatoes and hard squashes. This Global 3-piece knife set is a great one to have and I highly recommend it. They are stainless-steel from handles to tip, are seamlessly constructed and textured for a good grip, lightweight and made in Japan. (Image credit: Williams Sonoma)
7 Done	Low Bowls The hybrid between a plate and a bowl is life-changing! Every time I plate my lunch or dinner, I grab one of the West Elm low bowls as they make the food look so much better, they are the perfect size and it makes everything easier to eat!
8 Done	Cute Mugs Although I do not own these mugs, they make for a beautiful holiday gift! With the hints of gold, they are very holiday appropriate but still look great all year-round and have a powerful message! Very eye-catching and make your morning coffee or tea a little sweeter! (Image credit: Williams Sonoma)
9 Done	Wooden Spoons When cooking, I always prefer using wood as it does not scrape or damage the pots or skillets and they also feel better in your hands! Wood also lasts much longer than plastic - just don't toss then into the dishwasher and only wash by hand. As described on the OXO website, these wooden spoons are natural, durable and versatile. You should always have a wooden spoon, spatula and a slotted spoon, so go for the trio!
10 Done	Pepper Mill This pepper mill is at the very top of my holiday list! This Unicorn pepper mill comes highly recommended and Molly Baz from the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen LOVES it! According to her, "It's the best pepper grinder on the market!" Plus it looks so sleek and chic! (Image credit: UNICORN)
11 Done	Wide Mouth Mason Jars If you were to open my refrigerator right now you would probably find at least 6 of these 16 ounce wide-mouth mason jars. I use them for food storage like seeds, cut vegetables, homemade jams or pickled vegetables, hummus and more! The air-tight lids are perfect for keeping foods fresh and the wide mouth opening is perfect for when I need to use your clean, little fingers to grab anything out of the jar or want to use a carrot stick to scoop out some of my homemade hummus. They also make for a great to-go glass for a smoothie, juice, oatmeal or soup!
12 Done	Stainless Steel Tongs Stainless steel tongs are durable and a great tool to have on hand when cooking vegetables, meats and more! Get the ones like these OXO Good Grips tongs with non-slip handles, an easy closed position lock for convenient storage and they are dishwasher safe. I don't recommend tongs that have a rubber tip as the heat from your pot or skillet can melt that plastic. (Image credit: Sur La Table)
13 Done	Stainless Steel Sauce Pan with Lid My one and only sauce pan that gets a lot of love in my kitchen! It is affordable, high quality, comes with a clear lid so I can see when the rice or quinoa is done cooking and it has a spout on the side for easy pouring when I make sauces! I give this small yet mighty Cuisinart sauce pan a 10 out of 10!
14 Done	Stainless Steel Skillet with Lid Stainless steel is the way to go when it comes to pots and pans. They are non-toxic, high-quality and durable, have better and even heat distribution and make your food taste better! Toss your non-stick pans and switch to stainless steel. The trick to making a stainless steel skillet as "non-stick" as possible is heating the skillet until it's hot, then add the desired oil or fat, lower the heat a bit and toss in your meat or vegetables. Heat is the trick and stainless steel can take some heat! I also love that it can go from stove-top directly into the oven. Getting a skillet with a lid is an obvious choice!
15 Done	Cast Iron Skillet Oh so many of us are afraid of the heavy-duty cast iron skillet. After buying my first Lodge 10-inch cast iron skillet, I quickly realized how amazing cast iron cooking is. Just a few short months after, I added to the collection with a cast iron grill pan for those beautiful grill marks on any meat, vegetable or hot sandwich! Cast iron skillets are non-stick, chemical free, have a long life span (they will most likely outlive you), add iron to your foods, can be used on any stove top and in the oven, are very inexpensive, and last but not least are easy to clean! Yes, super easy to clean as you just need hot water and the right brush! Never use soap, only hot water and it will be perfectly clean and looking like new every time.