Top 6 Things You NEED to have in Your Frugal Kitchen

Top 6 Things You NEED to have in Your Frugal Kitchen – Save time and money in the kitchen with these amazing gadgets. You don’t need to break the bank to have useful tools.

I’m not ashamed to admit it… I’m clueless in the kitchen. Completely clueless.

I tried to cook bacon on the first Saturday morning in our brand new apartment with my adorable little pan… and I nearly burned the whole place down when I threw the entire package into the pan at the same time!

Yes, it’s that bad.

I’ve gotten better as I’ve grown in my cooking. I’ve learned a lot about how to cook and what my family likes.

And, most importantly, I did it all without absolutely breaking my bank! (What kind of frugal blogger would I be if I told you to spend $6,000 in your kitchen, right?)

The Top 6 Things You NEED to Have in Your Frugal Kitchen

 

1) Crockpot.

Take my stove, take my oven, take ANYTHING in my whole kitchen, just leave my crockpot! I’m not a very good cook (and even that might be being kind). But using my crockpot, I can fool people into thinking that I spent hours slaving over the stove to make the perfect meal.

I use my crockpot almost every day. Almost every single recipe I’ve ever posted on here has been for the crockpot. I need my crockpot!

It’s not expensive and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth when you buy it! I got this one for my wedding and it’s been holding strong ever since! It’s durable, programmable, and easy to use. Hands down, my crockpot is my #1 must-have!

Related posts: My go-to meal plan for less than $5 per meal!

2) Apple peeler and corer.

(Fun fact: I didn’t know this amazing invention even existed until about a year ago!)

I had been butchering apples (and my hands) for years trying to peel them with a knife, not knowing that there’s an easier option out there! I make my own applesauce and apple preserves, so I go through many pounds of apples in a sitting that all need to be peeled and cored quickly.

The apple corer/slicer/peeler helps me get done my prep for applesauce in almost 5 minutes for an entire crockpot full of apples.

I also use this to peel potatoes for mashed potatoes or potato soup. It saves me so much time! It’s amazing and well-worth the $20! If you can, go for the higher quality/ price. I had a cheap one to start and it worked, but it didn’t work as well as my more expensive replacement did.

Related post: [FREE training] How to start freezer cooking the easy way! 

3) Coffee maker.

I have a very mild coffee addiction. I LOVE coffee in the morning (and sometimes at around 1:30pm). I absolutely love my new coffee maker.

Believe it or not, I had been using the same coffee maker that I had since I was in college ($15, well spent), but I finally got a beautiful new coffee maker.

Brewing your own coffee can save you hundreds of dollars each year instead of going to a coffee shop every day. If you’re a more-than-one-cup person like me, think of it like this: you could spend $5/ day on 2 cups of coffee, or you can drink the same amount of coffee for $.25 or less.

Related post: DIY Starbucks Copycat Recipes

4) Blender

Where would I be without my blender. I use my blender to make so much! It makes being frugal easier in many ways. I started making baby food from fresh veggies and I can make 3 cups of baby puree for less than $1; compare that to a $1/ 2oz. container of food.

The same thing can be said for sauces. I started making my own marinara sauce in the crockpot and then blending it up to hide the veggie chunks from my picky eater. My blender is basically the only reason that my 2-year-old has ever eaten veggies; he’s very anti-green colored food, so blending it up with other colored foods makes it easy to hide!

Related post: 8 Ways to Sneak Vegetables Into Your Kids’ Food

5) A Cast iron skillet.

Yes, cast iron pans are pricey. But they’re amazing. If they’re seasoned properly and taken care of, they’ll last forever with very little trouble. I used to get the “non-stick” Teflon pots and pans, but they started falling apart and I read a lot of negative things about the safety of chipping non-stick pans… so out they went and we invested in some cast iron pans.

They make cooking breakfast much easier. It’s nice when I cook 6 or more eggs for the boys that I don’t have to worry about it sticking to the pan, or chipping the Teflon accidentally.

6) A good knife

Splurge and get a good knife. Almost every recipe you do will call for you to chop something. Especially if you make a lot of veggies, making sure that you have a good, dependable knife that can easily slice through soft veggies, like tomatoes, without squishing them is very important.

I tried for a long time to get by using cheap knives. My amazing friend bought me a Ginsu knife and it changed my life. It was one of those “you mean you don’t have to saw through cucumbers and peppers?” moments. This is a definite must in any kitchen!

I’m really not one to spend a whole lot of time and money in the kitchen. Everything that I’ve ever bought for my kitchen is made to last a long time and is also going to save me a lot of time!

Related resources:

• More With Less – The best cookbook for eating great food on a budget.
• $5 Dinners – This is the cookbook that changed the way that I cook (for the better).
• The Class That Saved Me $10,800/ Year (& Taught Me How to Cook!)
• How Much Should I Budget for Groceries?
• 7 Super Easy Ways To Make Your Grocery Budget Last
• How to Feed Your Family on a Budget (so You Don’t Feel Poor)
• My Secret Weapon for Easy Meal Planning

What couldn’t you survive without in your kitchen?