All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
In the name of good mental health, maintaining structure during such unprecedented times is vital. Although the way we exercise is a little different (miss you, spin classes… kind of), work happens from the sofa, things to do in isolation are becoming bizarre, and social interaction is a thing of the past, there is one thing we can keep constant. And that’s mealtimes. In all honesty, they’ve become the highlight of my day. Not that they weren’t before.
I’ve set myself one lockdown challenge: to get better at cooking. While I’m unlikely to be the next Jamie Oliver by the time we leave lockdown, I am making an effort to be more adventurous with my recipes and batch cook where possible to minimise on waste.
The best way to reduce stress in the kitchen (I get famously flustered) is to invest in nifty gadgets which do (most of) the work for you. So in a bid to supercharge my mealtimes, the search for the coolest kitchen equipment commenced. The result? An edit of the best at-home cooking equipment which will make your life a whole lot easier.
Start your meal prep off in the cleanest way possible thanks to Umbra Otto’s bestselling touch-free soap pump, before chopping or spiralizing your veg sans any effort with the VeggieBullet Electric Spiralizer. If you’re on the hunt for a healthier alternative to frying, COSORI’s Air Fryer helps you cook food quickly with up to 85% less fat, while the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker acts as a slow cooker, yoghurt maker, steamer and more. We’ve also thrown in some simpler, accessibly priced gadgets like this avocado cutter and Le Creuset’s oil sprayer cos, well… every pro-chef needs them. Oh, and Le Creuset’s Calm Collection has landed to help you present your food in the most Instagram-ready manner thinkable.
In other food news, we’ve rounded up the best meal delivery services from Gousto to Hello Fresh and Mindful Chef which will help you streamline your mealtimes (and take pressure off the supermarkets). We’ve also rounded up the best cookbooksof all time, from classics to new releases, for an injection of much-needed culinary inspiration. Vegan? Here are the best vegan cookbooks to widen your plant-based meal portfolio, as well as a guide to going vegan if you’re a newbie.