I’m a Dietitian, and These Are My 5 Go-To Meal Prep Tools

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Prices start at just $16.

Dietitians are human too, and dinner meal prep on a weeknight can feel especially draining after a long day of work. The number one way I stay on top of things is by building my collection of kitchen gadgets to make the most of my time in the kitchen. Altogether, they help me feel more efficient and less frazzled while I prep.

Best of all, you don’t need to buy expensive new appliances for meal prep, but rather you need daily staples that make the process of prepping, cooking, and cleaning simple and easy to do every day. Whether I am going for a convenient, microwaveable dinner or a quick, crispy air-fried meal, these are my favorite kitchen products that I use almost every single day as a dietitian who won’t spend more time in the kitchen than I need to for dinner.

A Dietitian’s Favorite Meal-Prep Products

• Hmzxsy Microwave Ramen Bowl, $15.99

• Oxo Vegetable Chopper, $22.95

• Cosori 6-Quart Air Fryer, $99.99 (originally $119.99)

• Oxo Salad Chopper With Bowl, $28.29

• Oxo Bench Scraper, $15.99

Hmzxsy Microwave Ramen Bowl

$16 at Amazon

Everything from frozen vegetables to ramen can be blitzed in the microwave with this steamer. Fitted with an easily detached strainer bowl, this microwavable steamer helps dinner come together in minutes. It’s great for cooking solo, and I love that it has a steamer insert, and doubles as a bowl and a colander. It’s one of the most versatile kitchen tools I own.

Oxo Vegetable Chopper

$23 at Amazon

Vegetable choppers are everywhere, and I’m proud to say that this one is dietitian-approved (by me!). If you love a chopped salad, but cutting ingredients is the biggest barrier for you, this product might be the hero of your story. Oxo makes a high-quality product that can cut through tough, cruciferous veggies and even cooked protein. It comes with a compartment to catch the chopped ingredients and an opening to quickly dump them into a bowl while prepping. Clean up couldn’t be easier with a flexible, removable grid to clean the small nooks and crannies of the chopper. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe, so you don’t have to add another hand washing task to your clean up.

Cosori 6-Quart Air Fryer

$100 at Amazon

At least once a week, my air fryer saves me precious time and energy. Most air fryers don’t require preheating for long, won’t overheat the house in warmer months, and are energy efficient ways to cook for one or two people at a time. This air fryer is so simple to use. It helps me “set it and forget it” while I cook the rest of my meal. It holds 6-quarts, so there’s plenty leftover for the rest of the week, too.

Oxo Salad Chopper With Bowl

$28 at Amazon

Perfectly chopped greens, like in this viral green goddess salad, can come together in minutes with this tool. OXO’s Salad Chopper is paired with a perfectly curved bowl that keeps contact while you chop. From salads to nuts to chopped chicken, you can quickly break down your ingredients into uniform, digestible bites.

Oxo Bench Scraper

$16 at Amazon

Scrapers get overlooked when kitchen gadget shopping, and in my opinion, that is a mistake. Quick chopping big batches of vegetables, dough and proteins is so much easier with a scraper. Plus, they make transfers so much easier: from cutting board to the pan or scraps to the trash. I feel more efficient with a scraper in my hand, and it helps me quickly move around my kitchen from task to task. OXO’s scraper comes with a rounded handle and easy-to-clean stainless steel. Rinse, pop it in the dishwasher, and you’re ready to use it again tomorrow.

Read the original article on Eating Well.