When it comes to gifts, especially around the holidays, some of my favorite gifts to receive (and give!) are upgrades to every day items. Not because there's nothing else out there, but because something that makes my life just a bit easier throughout the coming year makes me happy. If you are in the same boat, this list is for you!
It is focused on kitchen and food related items and things to make the life of a parent who has to prepare 3 meals and 2 snacks every day easier!
Make sure you check out the other gift guides I have, as well!
- Robot vacuum and mop: This is a serious game changer when it comes to mess. No more scrubbing yogurt or rice off the floor, this will do it all for you!
- Pantry and fridge boxes: It may seem simple, but trying to bring a bit of order to the chaos of my pantry can make dinner time much easier!
- Can storage: Never knowing which cans you have in your pantry can be a thing of the past with this.
- Wooden cooking utensils: Gorgeous wooden spoons and spatulas can add some style to your kitchen and just make you smile when you go to cook with them.
- Silicone cooking utensils: When wooden ones won't cut it, these silicone ones are great for all your kitchen tasks.
- Maple cutting board: Not only does it look great on your counter, a wood cutting board is the best surface to cut on for your knives!
- Food thermometer: Food safety is important! A great and cheap addition to any kitchen so you never have to wonder if the food is safe for your kids to eat.
- Glass food storage containers: No more mismatched tupperware containers filling your cupboards. Glass is a safer option for food to come in contact with, and this set will help you make the transition away from plastic.
- Stainless steel tumbler: No more room temperature drinks! We all know as parents we might not get to our drink as quickly as we would like. This makes it so thats not quite as much of an issue.
- Insulated cooler bags: Sometimes a change of scenery is called for. This bag helps to make picnics just a bit easier!
- Water-resistant picnic blanket: Useful in so many situations! It folds up easily for carrying and storage, and makes those picnics even easier.
- Paring knife: It's surprising how helpful a sharp one can be! This cheap version makes cutting smaller things easier, and is a great first sharp knife for kids, too!
- Chef's knife: Having a good chef's knife like this one that can get through anything is key to making meals quicker, easier, and safer!
- Santoku knife: This more delicate knife is perfect for slicing all sorts of foods!
- Utility knife: This utility knife cuts through the most delicate of things with ease. No more mushy tomatoes!
- Large cast iron skillet: Perfect for doubling recipes and making enough for leftovers. Cast iron can add a bit of iron to food, too, which is really useful when cooking for kids!
- Lidded cast iron skillet: This cast iron has a lid that functions as a second skillet, making it really versatile.
- Medium cast iron skillet: The perfect size for a skillet pancake and an everyday standard.
- Small enameled cast iron pan: The perfect egg pan, without all that teflon and non-stick stuff we want to avoid!
- Cast iron griddle: This stays on our stove most days, and is great for cooking pancakes, tortillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, and so much more.
- Dutch oven: The perfect pot for soups. You can even use it to bake bread!
- Large sauce pan: This is our go-to pan for everything from oatmeal to pasta, and is used literally every day in our house.
- Essential pan: This pan is my not-so well kept secret. It is the perfect pan to cook up a large pan of veggies, stir a full pound of pasta and sauce together, and so much more. It's the one pan you need if your goal is to cook one pot meals.