The healthiest meals are the ones you cook at home. You can make cooking healthy meals quick and easy with the right equipment. I’m always looking for new ways to be inspired to cook. When I’m running low on energy and motivation, some of my favorite kitchen tools help make the job easier and family time around the dinner table more rewarding.

Here’s a list of 4 essential kitchen tools to inspire you to cook more nourishing, traditional foods for yourself and your family!

1. QUALITY CHEF’S KNIFE

Nothing feels better in your hands and makes you feel like a “real” cook than a good chef’s knife. A chef’s knife can be used to cut just about anything you need while cooking. The knife you choose should have a very strong, sharp blade and should feel great when gripped in your hands. According to Cooking.com’s Best of Top Rated Chef’s Knives, the 8-inch knife by Wusthoff was top rated in the Chef’s Knife category.

2. OIL SPRAYER/MISTER

Fill your sprayer/mister with your favorite cooking oil  (canola, olive oil, sesame) and use it to coat pans to prevent sticking. The benefit of these sprayers is that they will help you use less oil and they are aerosol free. 

 3. MULTI-CHOPPER/SLICER

This is one tool I can’t live without. My brother gave it to me as a birthday present. A food chopper/slicer allows cooks to chop, dice, slice and julienne a variety of fruits and vegetables in one swift motion. They make food prep and cleanup easy and convenient. Most choppers have a catch container that allows food to be easily dumped into soups, salads, or wherever you want. These gadgets are really a life saver in the kitchen when you have lots of produce to prepare.

4. WIRE WHISK