10 Helpful Kitchen Tools for Weight Loss

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