This isn’t the most exciting post I’ve ever written, but it’s certainly one of the most practical. There are items I use every day, sometimes more than once.
When I was brainstorming this list, all I had to do was look in our dishwasher to see what items were in there. These are truly the most used kitchen items in our house.
On a side note, we run the dishwasher every other day. Is that normal for a family of four? It seems excessive, but on the other hand I have no desire to hand wash more than I need to!
I didn’t include a few basics in this list like our large pan, medium pot and knives.
12 Most Used Kitchen Items
ONE // Mini-Spatulas: I’d take these mini-spatulas over the regular size any day. I use them while making eggs, oatmeal, mixing veggies, and getting the last bits out of the applesauce jar.
TWO // Lasagna Baking Dish: When we moved from LA to Denver, we donated our 9×13 baking dish. I missed it immediately. While at Crate & Barrel, I found this grey baking dish and fell in love. I’ve never made lasagna with it, but I do use it multiple times a week. It is super easy to clean.
THREE // Le Creuset Dutch Oven: I picked up my Le Creuset at one of their outlet locations several years ago. To be honest, I don’t use it as much since I got the baking dish, but it’s still a go to for soups and one pot meals.
FOUR // Reusable Snack Bags: In the past six months, I’ve made a concerted effort to reduce the amount of plastic we use. The reusable snack bags are almost always filled with pretzels, cashews and cheddar bunnies for easy grab and go options. Any time they get too dingy, I throw them in the washer with our kitchen towels.
FIVE // Mini-Prep Board: This is one of my top 3 favorite kitchen items. I use it most mornings to cut sausage and potatoes for breakfast. It’s the best size for slicing apples or other fruits. For some reason, it seems easier to use a mini cutting board than dragging out the full size. This mini-prep board is always in the dishwasher.
SIX // Reusable Food Storage Bags: I’ve talked about these silicone storage bags before so I’ll keep it short and sweet. We use these daily for leftovers, apple slices, and cut veggies. Cleaning them is as easy as throwing in the dishwasher.
SEVEN // Tumbler: Another item that is always in the dishwasher, I use this tumbler daily for my morning iced chai and water or iced tea throughout the rest of the day. I like the option to use a straw with it. The only downside is it isn’t leak-proof. There are better on the go options.
EIGHT // Half Sheet Pan: I am a huge fan of sheet pan recipes (I rotate between garlic chicken and jerk chicken weekly) and cannot live without the half sheet pan from Williams Sonoma. I also use it for my nightly chocolate chip cookies.
NINE // Yolk Extractor: Jim got this for me as a gift years ago. It sat in the drawer until we had kids. When they were babies, I separated the yolk since they weren’t supposed to have egg whites until one year old. Now they don’t like the yolk, so I use it to make the egg whites.
TEN // Food Storage Container Set: There is little I can’t stand more than mismatched food storage containers. A close second are containers that don’t stack nicely. This set is basically a dream come true.
ELEVEN // Reusable Produce Bags: In my quest to reduce our plastic consumption, I came across these reusable produce bags. There are 10 different sizes and the tiering is on a tag so the cashier can easily tell. They are machine washable too!
TWELVE // Folding Step Stool: I got these step stools for Lawson and Sybil to help out in the kitchen. While they still primarily use the stools, I often grab one when I need to reach into cabinets.