Top 8 Things You’ll want to Food Prep Right

So this past weekend while we were food prepping for the week I realized there are just some things that you need to food prep that I haven’t seen anyone mention yet. Are they a must have? In my world yes, they make food prepping bearable. Could you get by without them? Sure, but why? So here are the top eight things I think you need to do this food prep thing right…

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1. Padded Floor Mats

That’s right, you are going to be standing for a few hours. A nice supportive pair of shoes would also work, but if you’re like me and not a huge fan of wearing shoes in the first place, you’re going to want to get you some of these fancy padded floor mats. We purchased ours as an impulse by at Costco. We don’t regret it. Here are some similar I found on Amazon if you were wanting your own. There are a lot of different designs out there so I’m sure you could find something to fit your style.

2. Stainless Steel Odor Absorber

When we got married setting up a registry was a bit of a challenge because we both had, for the most part, all of the necessities. In trying to find items of a wide price range we went through the kitchen gadgets and found quite a few neat toys. A Rub-a-Way bar was something I added to the list but hadn’t used. My aunts who hosted a wedding shower put together a gift bag of kitchen tools and admitted they had to google what it was used for! I will tell you, it works. And if you’re like most humans you’ll be chopping a lot of onions and garlic during all the food prep and your hands will stink for days! Unless you have something of this sort. It does work. Easy to use. Just wash your hands and use it like you would a bar of soap and you too will be amazed. (Apparently it is supposed to work for fish odors too? Who knew?)

3. Food Storage Containers… lots

You’ll need a lot of places to put the food. If you’re like me and like to prep lunches in individual dishes ready to grab, then get you some of those. I’ve tried the separated food prep containers but I wasn’t impressed. The different parts were not sealed off and the whole containers themselves didn’t seal. My lunch box also is not big enough for them to sit flat which meant that they always dumped out any liquids. Not happy so I stick with the classic Rubbermaid Takealong dishes. These are the ones I use for my salads so there is enough room to shake it all with the dressing. Speaking of salad dressing, these little containers were some of the best Christmas gifts. Great stocking stuffers! I may also have had a bad habit of not emptying my dish and I don’t feel bad if I toss out a container. (I have improved on cleaning out my dishes!)

Side note, be sure they’ll fit in your fridge. I have some larger Tupperware from when my mom was a consultant and they barely fit with condiments and such in the back. When everything you cook goes in the fridge, there isn’t a lot of room. Get things that’ll fit in the fridge, and the lunch box.

4. A Food Processor

I never really wanted a food processor. Well, since I bought a cheap one in college. I thought it would work nicely for making salsa and bought a cheap, little processor. Don’t waste your money. If you’re going to get one, get a good one. It DOES make a difference. We both had lived on our own for years before getting married so our gift registry included a wide range of items to replace old items (sheets, towels, etc.) and the expensive items we just never bought ourselves. One of those things is the Cuisinart Food Processor. The in-laws have this model that is going strong after a couple decades, but we opted to register for a newer, 12-cup, fully-loaded food processor. The in-laws purchased it for us as a shower gift and we are in love.

I also recommend the different blades that you can get as accessories. We have the adjustable slicing blade and two way grating disk. Cutting lots of celery for salads and that soup you’re making? Done. Chopping a lot of onion for all the different dishes you’re cooking? Done. Making salsa out of the last couple gallons of tomatoes from the garden? Easy, but in batches. Grating 5 pounds of potatoes for hash browns both in the egg muffins and for breakfast? Yep, did that this weekend in less time than it took the frying pan to heat up. (This baby in my belly really likes potatoes.)

I have a version of a chopper where you slap the handle part down but when you’re food prepping for a week you need a little more volume and less of a palm killer.

5. A Big ‘Ol Pan!

I have had a big, non-stick frying pan since moving out for college. It was one my mom had gotten as a Tupperware consultant and I’m not sure they even make the any more. But, you’re going to want a big pan. When making a week’s worth of breakfast scramble you don’t want to dirty a lot of dishes, make it all in one. It also works great to brown up a couple pounds of hamburger before dividing out into different recipes. The husband has always had stainless steel but I think since I moved in he is even a convert to the non-stick world… it might have something to do with the fact that I can get bacon to stick to one of those as-seen on tv red copper pans. I don’t know how I do it but I really do.

Also, get yourself some LARGE sheet pans. Measure the size of your oven and get the largest ones you can. Dirtying three different pans to roast vegetables for the week

6. Quality, Sharp Knives

Do not underestimate the time it will save if you have quality, sharp knives. I grew up with dull knives. I lived with dull knives all through college. It was just a way of life. No knife cuts through a tomato skin easily, right?

Wrong. They are out there. And they are worth the money! Unless of course you’re prone to cutting yourself. Our ceramic ones will cut you if you look at them wrong! I’m not often trusted to use them without supervision. My go to is the 7″ Santoku knife. That’s my kind of knife and works for cutting most anything. Good knives aren’t cheap so if you have a big event coming up, register for one or two. I’ve often wondered what can all go on a baby registry…

Of course with all good knives, you’ll need some cutting boards. Get a few. You’ll be surprised how many times you’ll plan to chop veggies before the meat but forget you need more veggies for the next dish. Sometimes we go through most of our collection which consists of 3 large, about 4 medium, and 4-5 smaller ones.

7. A Really Good, Mindless TV Show

Netflix on the tv is a great thing because you can skip the commercials and it will keep playing for hours. I say a “mindless” show because you want something you don’t have to give your full attention to. If you have to turn your back to the tv to keep stirring a dish or such thing you may get distracted. Having something to listen to that will keep you entertained is a great way to help the time pass.

8. A Floor Cleaner

Stuff hits the floor. It happens. The worst is carrot or sweet potato peels. They just seem to stick and are so hard to pick up!

You could purchase one of the many styles of floor cleaners out there ranging from a broom to a fancy all-in-one vacuum-mop combo but my preferred floor cleaner comes when called, if food is involved, and does the job without any need for harsh chemicals or bending over. She’s a one of a kind, Pointer-Great Pyrenees floor cleaner named Sunshine. She’s great at getting the floor clean and is always near by.

Plus, carrots and sweet potatoes are her favorite.

Leave a comment with some of your must haves for food prepping!