10 Helpful Kitchen Tools for Weight Loss

Article posted in: Lifestyle

When you prepare food for yourself, you have much more control over the ingredients, so you can be sure every meal and snack fits with your weight loss plan. A well-equipped kitchen makes cooking quicker and easier, but that doesn’t mean you need to stock up on expensive, professional-grade gear. These 10 practical kitchen tools for weight loss help you prepare healthy food without busting your budget:

1. Food scale
Why: A digital kitchen scale lets you portion out ingredients to the exact recommendations of your weight loss plan.
Price: About $20.

2. Steamer
Why: Cook fresh vegetables or seafood to fork tender in minutes without added fats, while preserving the food’s nutrients.
Price: About $30 for stand-alone unit, under $10 for a basket insert for your own pot.

3. Immersion blender
Why: With this handheld tool, you can whip up smoothies in a glass and purée fresh vegetables into soups and sauces right in the pan.
Price: About $35

4. Juicer
Why: Raw fruit and vegetable juices can be a healthy, fat-free refreshment or snack that’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. Centrifugal types are less costly, but the masticating kind retain more fiber in the juice, which is always preferable.
Price: About $130 for centrifugal, about $180 for masticating.

5. Slow cooker
Why: Soups, stews and other hearty meals cook gradually (and safely) while you go about your day.
Price: About $30

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6. Grater/zester
Why: Sprinkle lots of flavors such as lemon and cinnamon on your food without loading up on excess calories.
Price: About $10

7. Oil mister
Why: Keep the amount of fats in your food to a minimum by spritzing cooking pans, salads and other foods with a light spray of oil from a mister.
Price: About $15

8. Herb mill
Why: Fresh seasonings punch up the flavor of your meals without adding excess salt, which can cause you to retain water and slow your weight loss progress.
Price: About $20

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9. Food chopper
Why: With a small chopper, there’s no need to pull out the heavy food processor to dice, slice, chop, grate or grind vegetables, fruits, nuts and other healthy ingredients.
Price: About $25

10. Spiralizer
Why: Make fresh pasta in minutes from zucchini and other vegetables, no cooking necessary. It’s so easy even kids can do it and everyone in the family will love the low-carb noodles.
Price: About $25