Every time I move or even just cook in someone else's kitchen, I am reminded of what a huge difference a well-stocked kitchen is!
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| Fortunately, I've never been anywhere near this desperate. |
If you're still moving a lot, don't cook that often, or don't want to spend a lot on kitchen supplies, you can get away with skipping some of the fun extras, like food processors and rice cookers, as long as you have these ten kitchen essentials!
1) Cutting Board.
Some people like to get at least two cutting boards (one for meat/fish and one for produce/grains), but at least one good cutting board is absolutely necessary! I can't imagine how one could possibly cook without one, unless everything is pre-prepared (and buying only pre-chopped ingredients is such an expensive, wasteful, and packaging-heavy way to cook).
I highly recommend wooden cutting boards, because then you know there are no icky chemicals rubbing off into your food. If you take good care of your wooden cutting board(s) it/they can last forever!
2) Knife Set.
Good knives are expensive and are so, so, so fun too cook with. But if you're on a budget, moving a lot, live with roommates, or just don't cook enough to justify the cost to yourself, a cheap knife set from Ikea will do (that's what I have at the moment, since I live with roommates, and I make it work).
3) High-Speed Blender.
VitaMixes are obviously the dream, but their $400-$800 price tag is far from ideal. Unless you're making cream soups, produce-packed
smoothies, nice cream, dips, or homemade nut butters everyday, I recommend the Ninja system.
It has its quirks and limits, but I've been pretty happy with mine for a few years!