Stocking your kitchen with helpful tools can make following an anti-inflammatory diet easier.
This list includes appliances and tools to help you prepare meals, containers to store food, and fun extras. It helps me prepare my favorite meals, snacks, and beverages.
Trying to stock your whole kitchen at once can be pricey. If you don’t have these items, consider purchasing them as funds become available or asking for them as gifts.
Why Choose Metal, Glass, Ceramic, and Stainless Steel?
Prioritize Big-Picture Nutrition Topics
Before focusing on food storage and cookware materials, revisiting the ABC Nutrition Funnel is essential. Prioritizing big-picture nutrition—like eating adequate and balanced meals —should come first. The type of material you prepare, cook and store your food in falls under the “Certain Preferences” section of the funnel. Mastering foundational nutrition habits (like eating enough fruits and vegetables weekly) that have a significant and known beneficial impact on your body.
Understanding Microplastics in Food and Daily Life
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from the long-term breakdown of larger plastic items. They are present in food (plants and animals) due to environmental exposure, including soil and water contamination.
How Are Microplastics Absorbed?
Microplastics can also be inhaled through the air or absorbed through the skin from personal care products, receipts, or bath water. While you can’t avoid them altogether, you can reduce your exposure.
Health Concerns Associated with Microplastics
Research is new and emerging regarding microplastics in food and their influence on human health. However, studies on animals show that exposure to high levels of plastics (such as phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and heavy metals in some plastics).
Microplastic exposure may cause disrupted estrogen activity, reproductive health issues, developmental changes, liver toxicity, and increased inflammation throughout the body.
Food-Related Tips to Reduce Microplastic Exposure
- Avoid Bottles Beverages
- Bottled water contains more microplastics than tap water.
- Carbonated beverages in plastic bottles release even more microplastics.
- Be Mindful of Heat and Plastic
- Heat releases more microplastics than cold temperatures.
- Cooking, reheating, and storing hot foods in plastic increases exposure.
- Researchers found that it would take six months of storage at room or refrigerator temperatures to release the same amount of microplastics as three minutes of microwaving a plastic container.
- Swap to Safer Kitchen Materials
- Replace plastic cutting boards with wood cutting boards.
- Avoid non-stick cookware (especially if scratched) to reduce microplastic exposure. Consider stainless steel and cast-iron cookware.
A Realistic Approach: Small Changes Over Time
Assessing cookware and kitchen tools through the ABC Nutrition Funnel helps determine practical changes. Replacing everything at once may not be feasible, but small improvements add up when done gradually.
Focus on Nutrition First
It can be overwhelming to consider all the factors that can impact your health. Remember that eating anti-inflammatory foods is a powerful way to support the body’s natural detoxification. Simply consuming enough fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains helps your body excrete microplastics effectively.
You may not be ready to swap your entire kitchen tools and appliances, but starting with eating anti-inflammatory foods is a great way to reduce microplastics.
Making Practical Kitchen Swaps
I prioritize improvements that will make a more significant impact first (like opting not to heat food or drinks in plastic but use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel) compared to swapping every utensil in my home.
As items break or need replacing in my kitchen, I switch to glass, stainless steel, or wood. These materials do not leach plastic into foods and will last longer.
Use the list below for inspiration and help make following the anti-inflammatory diet easier. Start with simple swaps that fit your lifestyle and budget; over time, these small shifts can contribute to better long-term health.
Top 15 Kitchen Tools to Help You Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
I selected my favorite and most-used kitchen tools for this list.
There are plenty of other helpful kitchen tools out there! Use this list as a starting point and add others that make preparing and cooking anti-inflammatory meals feasible in your house.
1. Good Knives
Have a set of knives or, at the least, a small paring knife and a Chef’s knife.
A paring knife can peel fruit and vegetables and remove spots you don’t want, whereas a Chef’s knife chops, slices, and dices vegetables, fruits, and meats.
My mom noticed I had an old set of knives when she was visiting once, and my next gift was a set of new knives! I forgot how good sharp knives can speed up meal preparation and are safer than dull knives.
2. Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker
I always used my slow cooker, but about 10 years ago, I received a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) as a Christmas gift, and I have never returned to it.
My Instant Pot can also operate as a slow cooker, so I reserve my slow cooker when preparing meals for a large group that requires several cookers.
I am notorious for forgetting to thaw meat for dinner, but an Instant Pot allows for frozen meat to be cooked in time for dinner.
I use my Instant Pot at least twice a week. I may make Zuppa Soup, Chili, Beef Stew, Beef Vegetable Soup, or Chicken Tortilla Soup.
3. CorningWare Baking Dishes
My favorite baking dishes include CorningWare baking dishes in various sizes. They are made of glass and ceramic and are microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe.
I use the smaller ones for roasted vegetables alongside a meal or a bigger dish for a mix of baked chicken breasts or thighs, carrots, potatoes, and onions.
They also look nice when served at the table. To reduce cleanup, I use the bare minimum of serving and cooking dishes. If I am tired, I store the leftovers in the same dish in the refrigerator. Since they are glass and ceramic, I reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day. These baking dishes do triple or more duty.
4. Stainless Steel Pots/Pans
You can find stainless steel pots and pans at stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon and kitchen-specific stores like Calphalon or Cuisinart. I have a few different types and brands of stainless steel cookware:
- Small saucepan with lid
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Large saucepan with lid (for pasta and soups)
- Large skillet
Some people struggle with food sticking when they transition from non-stick cookware.
Preheat the skillet with oil before adding food and cooking to prevent sticking. Also, cleaning the pans so no food residue remains will help prevent future sticking. There are plenty of ways to get burned-on food off of your pans…I know from experience.
The easiest way is to add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, bring it to a boil, and then use a wooden spoon to remove all the food spots. I’ve even added a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water to help the process.
5. Glass Food Storage Containers
Over the years, I have slowly built up my food storage containers based on what sizes our family tends to use. I have larger ones for holding leftover soups, energy bites, and mixed dishes, and smaller one-person containers for lunch or dinner meals.
Most of these containers have plastic lids that can be easy or difficult to put on. This is more of a personal preference than a preference for specific brands of containers.
I also use mason jars of various sizes for storing bone broth, cut-up onions, or other vegetables. The lids keep them fresh before cooking.
I often chop a whole onion, even if the recipe calls for half, and save the other half for a different recipe a few days later or pop them in the freezer for a future recipe. Mason jars are an inexpensive way to switch to glass food containers.
6. Blender or Food Processor
I use my Ninja blender weekly for smoothies, oat pancakes, and black bean muffins. The high-powered blender helps achieve a smooth texture. I tried to find a link to mine, but it is too old, a testament to its excellent quality. This newer one is similar.
My blender has a personal-size attachment that is convenient for making one smoothie (or a few small kid-sized smoothies). Although glass blender containers are available, I worry less about plastic when making cold foods.
7. Stainless Steel Baking Sheets
Any food-grade stainless steel baking sheets will do. These are essential for sheet pan meals, baking fish, roasting vegetables, and baking cookies.
I don’t worry if my pans get discolored over time. I’ve tried scrubbing them to restore their original shine, but I decided it wasn’t worth my time. Discolored baking sheets are not dangerous.
8. Metal Mesh Strainer or Colander
When you incorporate more fruits and vegetables as you follow the anti-inflammatory diet, you will need a good metal colander or mesh strainer to wash them.
My favorite metal colander (probably from Walmart) stays on my drying rack after washing since I use it daily. A mesh strainer would best strain smaller items like rice, beans, and whole grains.
There are many types, but I prefer ones with a base so the colander sits off the bottom of the sink. My garbage disposal is on the small side of my sink, and the taller colander fits better there. Some people like the kind that attaches to the sink and doesn’t rest on the bottom.
9. Measuring Cups and Spoons
This last Christmas, I asked for new metal measuring cups and spoons with the measurements engraved on the handles.
Other amounts on my past measuring cups and spoons would rub off, and I was never quite sure which was the ½ cup, ⅓ cup, or ¼ cup.
Quality kitchen tools make it more enjoyable when you cook most of your meals and prioritize an anti-inflammatory diet.
10. Wood Cutting Boards
Recent research reveals that plastic (polypropylene and polyethylene) cutting boards release microplastics into food as they are cut upon, and then as the food is transferred to a pan or dish.
Switching to wood cutting boards can prevent this form of microplastics. I reserve one cutting board for meat and the others for fruits and vegetables. After cutting fruits and vegetables, I hand wash the wood cutting board with hot water and soap and let it air dry.
You can sanitize a meat board with boiling water and soap. I usually avoid cutting raw meat and cook it whole in my Instant Pot or stainless steel pans. Then, I shred or cut the meat after cooking to reduce the spread of any food-borne illness.
11. Cookie Scoop
The cookie scoop is not just for cookies! I use mine to make filling and nutritious energy bites, baked tuna or salmon cakes, meatballs, or even melon balls.
I have a medium-sized scoop, equivalent to 1.5 tablespoons. This speeds up preparation and ensures that food items have even sides and bake evenly.
12. Grape or Cherry Tomato Slicer
This tool is entirely unnecessary, but it gives me so much joy!
I don’t know why I waited until my third child to buy one. This handy little tool quarters grapes or cherries quickly. I avoided serving grapes to my young kids because I hated the time it took to quarter them to prevent choking.
Now that my kids are older, I use it to make chickpea, grape cherry, cucumber, and feta cheese salad or a fruit salad with quartered grapes. It is also handy for quartering tomatoes or olives for any tossed salad.
13. Glass Chemex or Metal French Press
Coffee is full of antioxidants, in particular, polyphenols. Coffee can help boost your antioxidant intake, reduce inflammation, and may help prevent chronic conditions.
My husband and I like to drink coffee before our kids get up or on our patio on the weekends. A glass Chemex is a convenient, non-plastic machine that makes good-tasting coffee. It is also simple to make and clean. We keep ours on the stovetop to keep the coffee warm if needed.
We also gifted ourselves a metal French press a few years ago for Christmas that keeps the coffee hot for up to four hours. My husband would often make coffee before he left on his early mornings, so I had hot coffee when I woke up.
14. Glass Water Pitcher
I keep a glass water pitcher for making iced green or black tea, which is full of antioxidants like flavonols and phenolic acids. Tea and coffee are abundant sources of polyphenols associated with reduced inflammation.
A glass water pitcher allows me to brew the tea in the container without the risk of the microplastics leaching into the water from a plastic water pitcher.
15. Metal or Wood Spatulas, Stirring Spoons, Whisks, and Turners
Over time, I have replaced most of my plastic turners, stirring spoons, ladles, whisks, and spatulas with metal, wood, or 100% silicone (for the spatulas).
For most baking and cooking, I only need a few good stirring or wooden spoons, turners, and a small and large whisk. A nice metal ladle for soup and some metal slotted spoons are helpful.
Take inventory of your kitchen drawer and see what utensils you actually use for cooking. This will help you decide which tools to keep or replace.
Takeaway
Anti-inflammatory foods are nutrient powerhouses. Having necessary (and fun) kitchen tools makes preparing anti-inflammatory foods easier, faster, and more enjoyable.
Stocking your kitchen with the right tools can lead to more home-cooked meals and snacks and more fruits, vegetables, and protein choices that can reduce inflammation and promote overall health.
It takes time and money to build a kitchen gadget toolbox. Start with items you use daily and fit into your budget.
Do you have a favorite kitchen tool that helps you eat more anti-inflammatory foods?
Read more about anti-inflammatory foods to eat every week.
You might also be interested in the 10 Best Anti-Inflammatory Snacks to Buy or how to make a Berry Powerful Smoothie to lower inflammation and disease risk.
Let’s get UNstuck and stay UNstuck!