Ever wondered what small kitchen appliances are necessary to curate a healthy lifestyle? These are the tools/small appliances I use constantly, and in my opinion, your top 5 must-haves to make healthy meals at home. Some of them are more expensive but the investment is worth your while, I guarantee.
High Power Blender
- High Power Blender
I put this as number one, because it is hands down, my number one most-used small appliance. Let’s start with the unfortunate news; they’re expensive and there isn’t a whole lot of getting around that. You can shave a couple bucks off by purchasing used or re-furbished, but it’ll still set you back a few dollars. Now for the good news: they last a hella long time and so really are a worthy investment in your health. I’d recommend a Vitamix or a Blendtec, any model, as these brands are simply stellar. I use an older Vitamix that I picked up used; it is probably about 10 years old now, and it still works like a charm. High powered blenders are key for smoothies/shakes, fruit gelato/banana “ice cream”, soups, pancake and waffle batter, making hot drink blends, making nut milks, liquifying iPhones… and many, many other things. Simply put, you need one of these.
Crockpot, aka Slow Cooker
- Crockpot
This may come as a surprise as there has been a shift away from the once revolutionary crockpot by us younger generations, but I use mine ALL the time. The good news about this one is that unlike the high powered blender, it doesn’t break the bank. You can almost always find one “pre-loved” at a thrift shop (i.e. Value Village) for $8-10 and they too seem to last quite a long time. I use my crockpot for making healing bone broths, soups, stews, slow-cooking meats (such as grassfed stew beef) and cooking beans, legumes, beets, sweet potatoes, potatoes and squash. The crockpot slow-cooks your food so it maintains more nutrients and increases flavour and tenderness.
Mini Blender, Great for Travel
- Mini Blender
After I got my Vitamix, I didn’t think I would use my mini-blender much anymore, but turns out, I use it all the time. A mini-blender, such as a Magic Bullet, NutriBullet, or Tribest Personal Blender (what I have) is a really great tool for making smaller portions of blended things (if you live solo like me!) but also key for sauces, salad dressings, chopping or grinding seeds or nuts, whipping things or frothing things up like matcha green tea or nut milk lattes.
Food Processor
- Food Processor
This isn’t one I use everyday but I really am grateful that I have it. Food processors aren’t too expensive and are really useful for dicing vegetables evenly for sauerkraut or coleslaw, for mixing dough or energy balls/bites, making cauliflower “rice”, or chopping other things into pieces bigger than what a blender would do, and with more control (love the pulse).
Lemon Juice Squeezer
- Lemon Juice Squeezer
The simple hand-held lemon juice squeezer is inexpensive and super convenient for lemon juice extraction. No power required, it takes up minimal space, and it really is a useful tool. Lemons are very healthy and alkalizing so this is a great tool to get your daily lemon fix!
Handheld Veggie Julienne Tool
- BONUS – Vegetable Julienne Tool
Have you seen one of these? It’s an easy-to-use, space conserving, affordable way to julienne all types of vegetables by hand. I use this tool most often for julienning carrots for salads or cold rice paper wraps. Simple but awesome!
Laura Franklin, CNP, FMCHC
Functional Medicine Health Coach & Holistic Nutritionist at Health Upgraded
Laura Franklin is the owner of Fresh & Frank Wellness and curator of freshandfrank.com.
She is here to preach what she practices and help you to prepare amazing whole food meals from scratch, grow your own organic food and optimize your lifestyle and environment to promote the most vibrant, glowing and energetic you.
Laura is currently based in Dundas, Ontario, Canada but works remotely with people from all over the world!
She is here to preach what she practices and help you to prepare amazing whole food meals from scratch, grow your own organic food and optimize your lifestyle and environment to promote the most vibrant, glowing and energetic you.
Laura is currently based in Dundas, Ontario, Canada but works remotely with people from all over the world!
Latest posts by Laura Franklin, CNP, FMCHC (see all)
- Let’s Get Real: My Personal Health Journey (Part 3) - July 11, 2020
- IG: It’s happening… one of my fave vegetables is coming to life in the garden🤩🥦. Grew these baddies from tiny seeds started back in March.Have you seen brassica seeds? They’re like, sesame seed size but round. Tiny AF.Crazy that those wee balls of life can turn into something like this. Actually amazes me every time and never gets old. May be one of the reasons I love gardening so much.Anyway, these guys get bigger each day and I’m so stoked to eat them.Side note: please pray that the deer don’t get them before I do 😭I had an invader Wednesday night that ate all my green tomatoes, carrot tops, Swiss chard, a large head of romaine lettuce and my bean plants 😱. Stay safe little broccolis, you’re awesome - June 26, 2020
- IG: So I post a lot about gardening… I know. Butgrowing my own food is just one element of my decision to pursue lifelong health personally AND as a career.When my hands aren’t in the soil cultivating plant life, I’m on ZOOM calls with clients as a Holistic Nutritionist and Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach cultivating optimal health.I coach and guide my clients one-on-one towards renewed health and high performance using the fundamentals of Functional Medicine… a modality that is near and dear to my heart.I decided to specialize in Functional Medicine because a few years ago, I was a patient of Functional medicine myself. When I found myself in the throws of mystery chronic illness that could not be diagnosed or resolved via conventional medicine or other nutritional and natural therapies, I just knew there was something that was being missed.Upon pursuing Functional Medicine, which looks for the deepest root cause of what’s going on in the body individually, we immediately found the causes of my health challenges and were able to efficiently and appropriately steer me towards a path of renewed optimal health. Within 8 months, my life had completely changed and I was operating at a completely different level of vitality. Functional Medicine changed my life with the gift of renewed health from which I operate as a wellness leader today.So. If you, or someone you love could use help finding some answers to your chronic health issues, or just want to operate at an even higher level of performance and/or vitality, I encourage you to look into Functional Medicine.If you want to chat more about what I do and how my colleague @drnavazhabib and I can support you at our practice @healthupgraded, DM me.If this information helps just one person find answers and better health as it did for me years ago, I will be thrilled - June 22, 2020