It’s the new age conundrum, “What’s for dinner?” Cooking, meal planning, and prepping good eats can feel daunting in this day and age. It’s a go-go-go mentality out there and nourishment can get left behind. No bueno!!

One way I’ve made time for damn good food is finding the perfect meal kit service to sustain us during the week. The age old query of what’s for dinner is thus forth eliminated. Not only that, I get the prep and cook my own food, which I’m all about. 

Once you’ve decided what’s for dinner—or even what’s to snack on—if you have the proper arsenal of must have kitchen tools on hand, you’ll be pretty darn surprised at what you can do in a condensed amount of time.

MUST HAVE KITCHEN TOOLS: A SHORTLIST

1) Mandoline

If you don’t have this tool, buy it right now. This tool alone has made my life easier and cook so rewarding. This blade is tack sharp. Be sure to use the hand guard. Moms’ can end up in emergency room for stitches on occasion.  

2) Microplane / Zester

This tool is the fairy godmother of citrus. And sometimes ginger, who’s a total beeyotch to chop up.

3) Herb Scissors

My girlfriend gave me this speciality tool for Christmas one year. Gotta tell ya, saves a heck of a lot of time mincing herbs. It’s fun, too!! The bonus: no need to pluck those bastardly leaves from the stems either. Pure prepping genius.

4) Garlic Press

Maybe this is obvious, maybe it ain’t. Much like the fairy zester and the herb cutter, this takes the pain out of mincing your garlic fine. Because it does it for you. If you get a heavy duty one, you don’t even need to peel the skin off. MY GOD.

5) Julienne Peeler

My favorite little finisher. This fancy tools shaves your vegetables into thin strands. Garnish a salad with carrots, strip a turnip for asian-style soups, this little chickie’s got your back.

6) Silicone Spatula

I’m a waste not, want not kind of broad. I ain’t got no tiiiiime for wasted anything. Aioli in a bowl, mayo in the jar, sauce in the pot—nuh uhhh, sista! I possess approximately ten silicon spatulas in varying sizes to assist in all the need-to-wipe-clean jobs.

7) Spider

Spider is a terrible tool name, but you’ll have to get over that and accept its magical drainage powers. Excellent for draining ravioli, tubular pastas, gnocchi, etc. It’s not an everyday tool, but when you need it, she gunna shine.

8) Pasta Scoop

Piggybacking on the spider (which I realized focused mainly in the Italian pasta category), the pasta ladle is a specialized tool for scooping those “noodz” out of boiling water. Let’s say you need to reserve the pasta water to thin a sauce, this is how. Mixing pasta into another pan full of deliciosness? Do it seamlessly, with a pasta ladle, people.

9) Fish Spatula

This skinny spatula is a wonder for flipping fish, but amazing when you’ve got grouchy foods sticking to your stainless steel surfaces. We use it for eggs, fish, balls of meat, you name it. It makes a world of a difference when your spatula is that fine.

10) Cheese Slicer

My husband is fully responsible. One of his original items (came packaged with the human) was a cheese slicer. I had no idea what it was; I even remember asking with a strange look on my face. It’s a godsend for quickly slicing cheese whether for charcuterie of the comfort of grilled cheese. Must. Have.

11) Cast Iron Skillet

Don’t even start telling me how heavy it is!! Yeah; I went there. You need at least one cast iron skillet in your kitchen. Why? A real damn good sear, that’s why. You simply cannot accomplish this on stainless steel. That is unless you plan to burn your house down and are fully prepared to explain to the masses that it burned down because you’re suuuuch a great cook. Buy a skillet. Save your house.

12) Oyster Shucker

I’m going full-blown New Englander on this one, but lemme tell you, don’t you dare try to shuck an oyster without the proper blade. Your hand gunna die. Strangely enough, there’s a very specific-shaped tool for shucking oysters. Shucking them yourself saves you half the cost. Win-win.

WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITE COOK’S TOOLS?!

I WANNA KNOW SO TELL MEEE.