{"id":48225,"date":"2016-03-14T11:15:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T15:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=48225"},"modified":"2021-11-01T16:35:37","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T20:35:37","slug":"best-meal-prep-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/best-meal-prep-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"The Meal Prep Tools You’ll Need in the Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nothing really compares to the accomplishment of nailing a meal prep<\/a> Sunday and having delicious, good-for-you dishes to eat all week. With a fridge full of health-ified fast food \u2014 you\u2019re ready to grab-and-go<\/a> with an appetite-controlling breakfast<\/a>, an anything-but-boring salad for lunch<\/a>, and something warm and delicious waiting for you at dinnertime<\/a>. Meal planning has other benefits, too.\u00a0One study<\/a> found that spending an hour-plus on food prep daily can lead to better diet choices, particularly when it comes to munching on more fruits and veggies. Having home-cooked meals can also help you consume fewer calories, other research<\/a> found.<\/p>\n

The only real downfall: All that washing, chopping, baking and storing can take time. Thankfully, we found the solutions to all your planning woes<\/a>. These meal prep tools make every move go a little more smoothly \u2014 and quickly. From peeling eggs to slicing veggies, here are the 15 gadgets you need to keep in your kitchen.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>20 Meal Prep Tips from the Best Preppers We Know<\/a><\/p>\n

\"1<\/p>\n

1. Weigh It In
\n<\/strong>Take the guesswork out of portion sizes and calorie counts with the Escali SmartConnect Kitchen Food Scale<\/a>. It can analyze\u00a0more than 8,000 foods, telling you the weight, nutrients and calories. Plus, if you have the Escali SmartConnect\u00a0app, it sends the info right to your food journal, so you can see exactly what you\u2019re putting in your body. Bonus features: It has\u00a0a kitchen timer to keep you from over cooking a dish and a\u00a0glass surface that\u00a0allows for easy clean up. ($70; amazon.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"2<\/p>\n

2. So Fresh, So Clean
\n<\/strong>Wear the Veggie Scrub Veggie, Fruit and Herb Washer<\/a> as a mitt to scour foods like carrots or cucumbers. Or use it as a colander by placing smaller items, like cherry tomatoes, blueberries or herbs inside the pouch and running it under the faucet. Its durable bristles get rid of dirt and debris so you can enjoy all the deliciousness of fresh produce, without the risk of eating extra grime. ($10 for set of two;\u00a0amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Veggie<\/p>\n

3. Skim the Surface
\n<\/strong>Cute, convenient and foolproof, the Crate and Barrel Veggie Peelers<\/a> will be your kitchen staple. Choose from a serrated, jaw-like edge for tomatoes, julienne style slices for carrots (that\u2019s long, thin strips) or straight-edge peeling for potatoes. Better yet, buy all three so all your ingredients get just the right cut. ($6 each; crateandbarrel.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"4<\/p>\n

4. Zoodle Heaven
\n<\/strong>Kick up your veggie intake with the wallet-friendly OXO Handheld Spiralizer<\/a>, which turns everything from zucchini and carrots to beets and potatoes into a pasta-like dish. (Then you can try all these yummy veggie pastas<\/a>.) Just grab your cylinder-shaped produce of choice \u2014 it should be 1 1\/2-inches in diameter\u2014place the flat end against the blade, and use the topper to hold and twist. Voil\u00e0, you’ve got low-carb noodles! ($15;\u00a0amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 11 Delicious Veggie Pasta Recipes for Zoodle Lovers<\/a><\/p>\n

\"5<\/p>\n

5. The Slice Is Right
\n<\/strong>A mandolin with a rubber handle for a no-slip grip, four settings for thickness and a size small enough to store anywhere (even your picnic basket) \u2014 that\u2019s what you\u2019ll get from the soon-to-be-released Chef’n SleekSlice. It creates consistently sized cuts with every swipe, making it ideal for slicing tomato to add to a cool Caprese salad or for figs mixed with fresh greens<\/a>. ($19; chefn.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"6<\/p>\n

6. The Cutting Edge
\n<\/strong>This Fiesta 7-Piece Cutlery Set with Lemongrass Cutting Board<\/a> doesn’t only look good, it works well too. The stainless steel knives cut through even the toughest pieces of meat, starch or veggie \u2014 and the pop of color will help brighten your kitchen, too. ($50; amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"8<\/p>\n

7. Convenience, Cubed
\n<\/strong>When a recipe calls for chopped peppers, apples or any kind of produce, you’ll want the OXO Vegetable Chopper with Easy-Pour Opening<\/a> on hand. It cuts fruits and veggies into 1\/2-inch cubes and has convenient measuring marks in the attached cup so you can see exactly how much you\u2019re carving up (2.5 cups max). When you’re done, pour the contents right into your mixing bowl sans spills. ($25; amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"7<\/p>\n

8. Math Made Simple
\n<\/strong>Sure, Google makes figuring out how many tablespoons equal one cup a no brainer, but why get your phone dirty when you\u2019re slicing onions and garlic? Instead, use the Crate & Barrel Kitchen Conversion Cutting Board<\/a>, which shows fluid and dried measurements right on its surface. Recipe adjustments just got simpler. ($30; crateandbarrel.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Printable Meal Planning Templates to Simplify Your Life<\/a><\/p>\n

\"9<\/p>\n

9. Temperature Rising
\n<\/strong>Squash those fears about food borne illnesses.\u00a0The Taylor Slow Cooker Digital Probe Thermometer<\/a> lets you check the internal temperature of meat, poultry or fish whenever you want (no judgment if that’s every 30 seconds), thanks to its magnetic backing that sticks to your slow cooker\u00a0and a probe that’s slim enough to fit\u00a0under\u00a0the lid.\u00a0It also has a fold-out stand if you prefer to keep it on the counter. ($10;\u00a0target.com<\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"10<\/p>\n

10. Slow Cooker Upgrade
\n<\/strong>You can literally make all of your meals in one piece of equipment<\/a> with the Black + Decker All-In-One Cooking Pot. It has six functions: rice, saut\u00e9, slow cook, risotto, pasta and keep warm \u2014 and it takes the extra leg work out of most of them. The automatic keep-warm tool senses when rice is almost done and turns down the temp, and the automatic stirring arm makes sure your risotto hits the ideal texture. There\u2019s also a steaming basket for veggies. Once you try to this seriously souped up slow cooker, you’ll never go back<\/a>. ($75; blackanddeckerappliances.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"11<\/p>\n

11. Oh Sheet!
\n<\/strong>One sheet of the Cookina Parchminum Paper<\/a> is equivalent to buying 25 boxes of aluminum foil or parchment paper \u2014 that’s how many times you can re-use it. Place your favorite foods on it in the oven (anything from salmon to chicken to squash) and none of them will stick, even without oils or sprays.\u00a0Then throw it in the dishwasher for an effortless clean up. ($10;\u00a0cookina.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"12<\/p>\n

12. Shell It Out
\n<\/strong>Say goodbye to crunchy egg shells sticking to (and ruining) your go-to snack. The Eggstractor Egg Peeler<\/a> takes the outer layer off of hard-boiled eggs\u00a010 times faster than you would by hand \u2014 and minus the frustration of missing those little pieces. You’ll also get an accompanying book of 101 egg recipes<\/a>, so you can find even more ways to enjoy the brain health-boosting food. ($5; amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Brilliant Apps to Make Meal Planning Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

\"14<\/p>\n

13. Pan Party
\n<\/strong>Every nutrition-conscious cook needs a pan like this to make veggie-packed muffins or frittata for breakfast on the go. And the Pure 6-Cup Silicone Muffin Pan<\/a> means you won’t have to scrap out any leftover crust or flakes. Simply twist the dish and your mini meals should pop right out. You can also heat up leftovers right in the pan (it\u2019s microwave- and oven-safe) or chill extra scoops of your smoothie (like one of these top meal preppers<\/a>) by storing it in the freezer. ($20;\u00a0bedbathandbeyond.com<\/a><\/u>)<\/p>\n

\"14-Bentology-Portion-Perfect-Kit-w-Bag-and-Food\"<\/p>\n

14. Box It In
\n<\/strong>The foolproof way to pack a healthy, portion-controlled lunch: The Bentology Portion Perfect Weight-Loss Bento Kit<\/a>. It has a 1 1\/4-cup BPA-free container for healthy proteins (like salmon or lean turkey), a 2\/3-cup box for whole grains, 1 2\/3-cup section for veggies, \u00be-cup spot for fruits and 1\/8-cup container for healthy fats, like olive oil. Keep your waistline in check with the weight loss workbook that accompanies it, plus access to live support from an online coach who will keep you motivated. ($23 or $34 with insulate sleeve;\u00a0amazon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Igloo<\/p>\n

15. Temp-Regulating Tote
\n<\/strong>Igloo’s Everyday Tote Gingham features leak-resistant zippers, an antimicrobial liner and\u00a0insulation to keep foods hot or cold for hours. Its long straps also make it comfortable to carry on your commute, and looks so stylish you won\u2019t feel like a kid en route to the school bus. ($17;\u00a0igloocoolers.com<\/u>)<\/p>\n

Disclosure: All products featured on our site are hand-picked by our editorial team in the hopes of getting you closer to your health and fitness goals. We only recommend products we love and believe that you will, too. In some cases, you might come across an affiliate link on our site, which means we receive a small commission should you decide to make a purchase.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Save time (and frustration!) with these cool, new meal prep tools. Planning your meals for the week just got a whole lot easier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[322,317,292,341,381],"class_list":["post-48225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","tag-gadget","tag-meal-planning","tag-meal-prep","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2low-carb-diets"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48225\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}