Cookware
When choosing cookware, start with the basics. You will find every product in this category in my own kitchen. If you have questions about any of the items, feel free to reach out to me personally.
DELIGHTED CHEF
10” Bamboo Steamer
- Solid construction with stainless steel rims for longer use
- An absolute MUST for every healthy kitchen, as it is the best way to steam anything. Veggies come out perfect every time and it can be used to steam ANYTHING, including meat and fish.
LODGE
Pre-Seasoned 12” Cast Iron Skillet with Silicone Hot Handle Holder
- This is one of my favorite skillets. Cast iron is inexpensive, durable (should last generations if treated right), and just gets better with age. You can choose your size, but if you're only getting one, the 12" is the most versatile.
- Lodge is made in the USA and I trust the brand. Cast iron is pretty inexpensive, so there is no reason to risk poor quality only to save a few bucks on something that's designed to last forever.
HELEN’S ASIAN KITCHEN
Steaming Ring for Bamboo Steamers
- Works to keep steam from escaping and quickly converts stockpots or Dutch ovens to accommodate bamboo steamers on top
KITCHEN ELECTRICS
Thee are my favorite kitchen appliances from my own kitchen. They make food preparation easier, quicker, and more fun. If you have questions about any of the items and why I chose them, feel free to reach out to me personally.
AICOK
Slow Masticating Juicer
- Masticating juicers are the superior juicers because they get substantially more nutrition out of your fruits and veggies. Because they create almost no heat or friction, there are more vitamins, enzymes, minerals, trace minerals and nutrients reserved in the juice. There is also less foaming and no clogging.
- This unit is quiet, BPA-free, and super easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts.
CUISINART
Pulp Control Citrus Juicer
If you follow my advice and drink lemon water every morning, this is one of the most useful small appliances you can buy. It takes a second to juice that lemon and maximizes the amount of juice you get from each fruit. You can also juice a couple lemons and refrigerate the fresh juice to be used over a few days. Also great for juicing other citrus. The main selling point for me was the dishwasher-safe parts. There are less expensive juicers out there, but I find this to be the best of the bunch.
WATER
Water Ionizer
Not all water is created equal. This magical machine creates clean, delicious water using patented technology. Not only does this device filter toxins out of your tap water, but it also produces highly antioxidant and alkaline (and acidic for disinfecting) waters through electrolysis. Water from this ionizer can be used for drinking, cooking, and beauty.
BRIEFTONS Glass Water Bottles
18 ounce, stainless steel leak proof lid reusable drinking bottles. CLICK HERE to see why your should replace all your plastic with glass.
▶️ CLICK HERE to get the insulated, anti-slip, protective sleeves
MEAL PREP CONTAINERS
I spent months looking for the perfect lass meal prep container, and have tried out a myriad sizes and brands. The three options below represent the best meal prep containers I have found thus far in terms of glass (vs. plastic), durability, size and shape. Scroll down to find out why (1) glass is far better than plastic, (2) the importance of size and shape, (3) how many you should plan on buying, and (4) how your should store them.
PYREX
6-Cup Food Storage (Pack of 4)
The up side is that these are the most economical choice. The down side is that they do not have "no-leak" lids. They are perfect for the meals you are going to eat at home, but if you are going to travel with your container, the other two options to the right would be a better choice. These containers feature:
2 6-cup containers with plastic lids
Pre-heated glass is oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, & dishwasher safe
Non-porous glass won't absorb stains or odors
Nest and stack for easy storage when not in use
ANCHOR HOCKING
6-Cup TrueSeal Food Storage (Pack of 4)
TrueSeal is a superior seal that keeps food fresher longer. It was the only product out of 28 that earned a perfect score for air tightness from the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. The soft plastic seal's parameter allows for easy use. Transparent window allows for easy viewing of contents. The tempered glass container is oven safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The glass is made in the USA by Anchor Glass, has 5-Year Warranty and is dishwasher safe.
Includes 4 glass containers and 4 TrueSeal BPA-free plastic Lids
Tempered glass is oven, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher safe
A. WHY GLASS VS. PLASTIC?
Glass does not leech, nor does it change the taste of your food. And yes, I am aware that there are plenty of BPA-free plastics now widely available. However, the safety of BPA-free plastic is questionable at best, because in order to keep our plastics plastic, the BPA had to be replaced with other chemicals, which aren't all that different. Their effects on health remain unclear at best, and scary at worst, according to recent research. BPA's replacements, related compounds like bisphenol-S (BPS) or bisphenol-F (BPF), actually appear to have similar—and sometimes even worse—endocrine-disrupting effects. So the bottom line is it is best to avoid plastics to the greatest degree possible. Although it may not be financially feasible to switch over all of your plastic containers to glass, you can begin by not buying any more plastic and gradually moving away from it, by buying only glass containers going forward.
Besides being safe, glass is very convenient. If you have to put your container in the microwave or toaster oven (which is preferable), you don't have to switch out containers or put your food on a plate, as these are oven and microwave safe. This is particularly convenient if you are taking your food to work with you.
B. WHAT SIZE AND SHAPE ARE BEST?
Size is an important issue for meal prep. It has to be just right. Too small or too large just doesn't cut it. Also, containers need to be rectangular, as your food will simply fit better inside of them. Additionally, if you are traveling with your food, lids have to be leak-proof. The issue I have found when looking for the perfect container is that most glass containers come in odd shapes, which are not conducive to meal prep and storing multiple containers in the refrigerator. Additionally, they are sold in sets, which include a variety of different sizes (most of which you won't need and too few of which you will). Therefore, it is important to find ones that are sold individually or a set that only contains multiples of the same container.
C. HOW MANY SHOULD I BUY?
After months of research, I have finally found a few different brands that are perfect containers for meal prep. These are cheaper on Amazon than in any brick & mortar store I've visited. And the great news is that even when you don't need them for meal prep, they are perfectly useful containers to have on hand for any leftovers going forward. Moreover, you can start tossing your chemical-leeching, endocrine-disrupting plastic containers and be on your way to really good health in every aspect of your life.
If you are just starting out with meal prep, I would recommend that you start out by buying about 8 containers, which should be enough for 4 days of breakfast and dinner if you meal prep twice a week. You can always buy more should you need them, but 8 is a good number with which to start.
If you are not traveling with the containers, the optimal choice for you is the Pyrex containers with the red lids below.
If you are going to be traveling with them (e.g., taking lunch to work in these or taking them on a road trip), you definitely want to purchase the Pyre No Leak Lids with the gray lid below.
The optimal and most economical solution would be to mix and match these with the Pyrex "no leak lids," keeping these for home use and using the others for commuting. I usually recommend that people buy only about 3-4 No Leak Lid containers so that you have enough for your lunches, and buy the Red Lids below for the rest of your containers. In addition to saving money and having the exact containers you need for your purposes, since they are all the same size, they will still nest into each other in your cabinets.
D. STORAGE
When nesting these containers, make sure to keep a paper towel between them to prevent sticking or possible cracking.