10 Kitchenware Must Haves For Beginner Cooks
When going through the detailed and categorized checklist of must-haves that you need for your new place, kitchen must-haves are essential. Having quality kitchenware is key for your budget from beginner cooks to professionals.
Investing in not only high-quality kitchenware but kitchenware you will use on a regular basis is so important. But knowing where to start on that list can be tricky. So for all your beginner cooks out there, here are my kitchen must-haves.
1. Measuring Cups
Whether you are cooking a gourmet meal or baking a batch of cookies, measuring cups are important kitchen must-haves because almost all recipes call for them in some capacity. It’s also important to remember the distinction between using dry ingredients vs wet ingredients in measuring cups. When it comes to insuring the longevity of your kitchenware, you can’t go wrong with metal measuring cups. They last longer than plastic measuring cups, and they have a sleeker design that will match more of your other kitchenware.
2. Measuring Spoons
Now measuring spoons come in all varieties. They are still an essential piece of kitchenware that you need and for beginner cooks, I recommend getting one with a built-in leveler. The leveler is a kitchen must-have for sure. This will make it easier to ensure you have the correct measurement without having to dig out an extra knife to level out the ingredient.
3. Cutting Board
For all you beginner cooks out there, there are two types of cutting boards that you will need. You need one made of wood and one made out of plastic material. It’s important to know when and where to use these two different types of kitchenware.
The wooden cutting board is a better type of cutting board than plastic but you don’t want to use any meat like raw chicken or beef on the board because the juices can seep into the wood grain and cross-contaminate with anything else you place on there like vegetables or potatoes.
So, for meat make sure you use a plastic cutting board and wood you can use for everything else.
4. Tongs
Tongs are an important piece of kitchenware because they are versatile. They can be used for serving a dish, cooking a juicy steak, or mixing chicken with a delicious marinade. I recommend getting at least two pairs because there will come a time when you need to use the tongs and they will either be dirty in the sink or dishwasher. So having a second pair will come in quite handy.
5. Meat Thermometer
While we always want our food to be delicious, we also want it to be edible. Meat thermometers are a must-have for beginner cooks because it allows you to gauge when meat is cooked all the way through and there is no guessing or having to cut the piece of meat open to check. There are many guides online to tell you what each different type of meat needs to be cooked to in order to be safe to eat.
6. Knife Set
No kitchen is complete without a good set of knives. This piece of kitchenware is a staple in any household. The knife set you choose should come with different knives to meet different cooking needs.
Whether you need to slice up Thanksgiving turkey or chop up vegetables for a tasty side salad, your knife set should include a variety of blades to meet your cooking needs.
7. Salad Spinner
Anyone who knows me knows that I love salad. It is a great side dish for any meal and it’s one of the first things I learned to make when I first started to cook.
After trial and error, I found that this piece of kitchenware is a must-have for all kitchens because it not only tosses the salad for you but if you add a little water it will also clean the produce for you. You can also use it to clean vegetables you cut up for a midday snack or fruit to toss into a tasty fruit salad.
8. Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
Similar to what I said about the measuring cups and measuring spoons, nothing gives your kitchen a cleaner more sleek look than stainless steel. This is why all my kitchen must-haves are preferably stainless steel.
All beginner cooks need to have a set of mixing bowls. Whether it’s to mix up the batter for a birthday cake or to stir up an amazing glaze to drizzle over some salmon and asparagus, the options are endless.
9. Large Strainer
If there is one thing I love more than salad, it’s pasta. While some pots have strainers built in, it never hurts to have a large strainer on your kitchen must-haves list. This can be used to strain a large amount of pasta for a big family dinner or if you need to wash produce or potatoes, you can let them sit in the strainer as you wash them.
Strainers are also useful when it comes to getting rid of unwanted grease from the cooking pan. I recommend getting one that can extend over the sink so you can strain the grease into an empty tin can without making a mess. It’s also helpful for washing the produce if you are able to do it in the sink and a large strainer will be perfect for that!
10. Pots and Pans Set
Finally, having a long-lasting set of pots and pans are essential kitchenware item. I have found that non-stick works best for my cooking needs but everyone is different especially when first starting this culinary endeavor.
Now pots and pan sets may be pricy when it comes to the 10-14 piece sets. I first started out with one really high-quality pan and pan and saved up for more items as I needed them for my cooking needs.
You can do the same or you can treat yourself and splurge on a nice pot and pan set from the get-go. The choices are endless!
