Below is a list of the kitchen tools I use almost everyday; tools that make cooking easier, faster, and more efficient. I realize many of these items are not cheap, and you by no means need to go out and buy them all at once; however, I am a firm believer in investing in good quality products, rather than purchasing something that you will have to replace in a year and end up spending more on.  Not only do they work better, but they will last you much, much longer if you take good care of them.

A GOOD SET OF KNIVES
Once you use a good knife it’s so hard to go back to a regular one; they make the prep work so much more efficient – this is an investment that is SO worth it.  If you take care of them, they will last you forever.  If you just want to invest in one knife, I’d recommend an 8-inch chef’s knife (I use this one). I also use this set of knives just about everyday.

HIGH-SPEED BLENDER
As of recently, I use a Vitamix (best Christmas present ever) – this is definitely an investment, but the speed, power, and efficiency is unparalleled.  If you love to make smoothies, soups, nut butters, sauces, etc., this is an incredible tool that will last you a very long time. I’ve heard that Blendtec also makes very good blenders, and if you’re more into just having a personal-size smoothie, a Nutribullet should work well too.

FOOD PROCESSOR
I used to use an older model of this amazing food processor from KitchenAid – I found it for half price and I used it to make sauces, energy balls, nut butters, and perfectly shredded vegetables. Sadly, after 6 years of constant use and shipping across the continent it broke down on me, and after getting a Vitamix I couldn’t justify getting a new one. I highly recommend it though and maybe one day I’ll purchase it again!

What I currently use is this mini food processor from Cuisinart.  It’s great for making sauces and dressings, and because it’s so small it’s much nicer for clean-up! If you’re just starting out with a food processor or have a small kitchen, this one is much cheaper and will work fine.

SPIRALIZER
This tool is so great to make noodles/pasta out of vegetables. You can spiralize so many things – zucchinis, beets, sweet potatoes, cucumbers – you name it. Veggie noodles are a healthy, low-calorie alternative to pasta, and having your veggies in new shapes can make eating them more fun (and your salads more beautiful)!

I use this handheld spiralizer, which costs around $10. It doesn’t take up much space in the kitchen and is easy to clean, which I love. The only downside is that you can’t spiralize wider vegetables, so for that I would recommend a classic spiralizer, which I may invest in soon!

MANDOLINE SLICER
THE fastest way to thinly and evenly slice fruits and veggies.  I use this all the time for salads (especially my favorite cucumber salads), and you can use it to make vegetable ribbons too.

GLASS FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS
Great for batch cooking, storing leftovers, packing lunch, and meal prep. I use these ones.