Functional Kitchen Essentials

Functional Kitchen Essentials for Whole Food Eating (or any kitchen)

A hot topic pretty much everywhere today is the contents of the food on the shelves of our grocery stores today. Because of the array of additives, refined sugars, and processed grains we choose to eat a whole-foods based diet (basically just eating foods in their original form). Although it is well worth the alternative risk of relying on ultra-processed food products, you probably know that whole food eating comes with its own fun little challenges.

Finding the best quality ingredients, washing fruit and vegetables, breaking down produce, and properly storing our foods can be a time consuming process. As a single mother and student with a full time job, having these items to ease and shorten this process has made my kitchen experience both easier and more enjoyable!

1. Fruit & Vegetable Wash

Fresh produce is a staple in our kitchen, and this spray is an absolute must for cleaning fruits and vegetables. It quickly removes any waxes, pesticides, or residues, ensuring that my produce is as clean as possible.

Fruit and Vegetable Spray Wash Spray– perfect for a quick wash if you’re cooking or eating on the go, we use this on produce stored whole like apples, potatoes, and cucumbers.

Fruit and Vegetable Soak– for bulk produce and heavy grocery shopping, I buy groceries twice a month so I bring home tons of fruit and veggies at one time, the fruit and vegetable soak cuts the time and effort down a lot.

Fit Organic Produce Wash Soaker & Spray:

USDA-certified Organic and Kosher
no after taste or smell
works very quickly to remove impurities

2. Filtered Water Pitcher

Hydration is a big part of any healthy lifestyle, it is scaring to thing the things used to treat our water can harm us but having filtered water on hand is a must. This pitcher removes impurities and keeps our drinking water fresh, its important to use filtered water for both drinking and cooking.

Pur Filtered Water Pitcher– I use the Pur brand because it removes more impurities than the other popular water filter brand Brita. We started out with the PUR 7-Cup Water Filter Pitcher but now use PUR 11-Cup Water Filter Pitcher which requires less fill-ups and stays full and ready longer. The filter is pretty quick and even if all of the water hasn’t filtered through it separates the purified from unpurified water so you can still pour while it filters.

Why is filtered water important? Our water systems are not well or frequently regulated and can contain contaminates and harsh chemicals that are toxic to our bodies. I even have a filtered shower head to reduce exposure. Just for fun here are some water quality facts and resources:

source: The Brockovich Report

Here is a recent report of McCurtain County’s water quality:

“legal does not necessarily equal safe”. 11 total contaminates

source: EWG Tap Water Database

If you’re curious now, here are the water testing strips I use to test our tap water at home 22 in 1 Drinking Water Test Kit

3. Electric Kettle

While water filters do filter out most chemicals and heavy metals, it does not filter out bacteria, amoeba, viruses, parasites, and many other pathogens common in “legal” drinking water. To remove chemicals and bacteria, a reverse osmosis or distiller system would be required. We do not have a distilling system yet, therefore, we also boil our water before filtering it to eliminate as much as we can.

Electric Kettle– Very convenient and quick, it boils water in under 3 minutes. I am an avid tea drinker so I use this at least three times a day for tea alone. It holds 1.8L of water so you can boil a large amount without having to wait 10 minutes or more like if you were to use a stove-top. It has an automatic shut off which is great for me being forgetful and distracted easily. 10/10 recommend.

Chefman Electric Kettle

Removable lid for easy cleaning
Auto-shut off
BPA free
LED light indicator
Clear glass pitcher

4. Vegetable Chopper

Vegetable Chopper– Breaking down produce can be such a chore. I like this because you can use one tool to chop, slice, or cut a variety of different fruit and vegetables whether you’re making cucumber slices, french fries, or diced tomatoes. I wash and chop a lot of our foods and store them in the freezer to last, this vegetable chopper is really helpful for that.

5. Food Processor

One of my biggest struggles of eating a whole food diet is the size and texture of some fruits and vegetables, I also like to make a wide variety of things at home such as Homemade Protein Bars and Date Candies that require a food processor.

KitchenAid 5 Cup Food Chopper– This is probably my favorite thing in my kitchen, good quality and heavy duty. I’m big on aesthetics and it looks smooth and seamless in the kitchen but also a good size for cabinet storage, the cord wraps around the base and isn’t super visible.

This food processor is my go-to for everything from chopping veggies to making sauces and nut butters. It is great for creating a really smooth texture when making soup from whole vegetables or if you make homemade cashew or almond butter, salad dressings, etc.

KitchenAid 5 Cup Food Chopper

small, countertop friendly
Powerful, easy to operate
easy to clean
lasts a long time

6. Glass Food Containers

Glass Food Containers- For food storage, I prefer glass containers over plastic. They’re more sustainable, easy to clean, and keep food fresh without absorbing flavors. These glass food containers are microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe which is great. Nothing I hate more than handwashing dishes. The silicon seal on the lid is removable also for a thorough wash.

HOMBERKING Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids

Microwave, Oven (except lids), & Freezer safe
Leak Proof
BPA Free
dishwasher safe

8. Ceramic Frying Pans

Ceramic pans are non-stick, so they’re perfect for clean cooking with minimal oils. I love that they’re easy to clean and a healthier choice since they don’t contain harmful chemicals like other non-stick options.

ESLITE LIFE Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pans Skillets Set with Lids– is the set that I have and really love, super good quality, safe, and easy to clean. A lot of pans that claim to be nonstick, still stick?? But these do not even if you leave your food cooking a little too long.

ESLITE LIFE Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pans Skillets Set with Lids

Non-Toxic
PTFE & PFOA Free
Durable
minimal scrubbing

9. Silicon Spatulas

I find that a durable, heat-resistant spatula is essential for everything from flipping veggies to folding batter. I look for spatulas that are eco-friendly and silicone-coated, making them safe for non-stick pans and easy to clean. We don’t use any metal utensils because they will damage the ceramic or nonstick coating on the pans. I tried using wood utensils but they are hard to clean and not flexible.

U-Taste Silicone Spatula Set

600 Degrees Fahrenheit Heat Resistant
food grade silicone
BPA free
set of 4 different sizes

Lizwatzon.com

Functional Kitchen Essentials