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At CNET, we’re big fans of the meal kits. Over the years, we’ve tried dozens to find our favorites in all categories, including ready-to-eat foods, vegan optionsTHE best budget choice and even the best for popular Mediterranean food.
While I don’t use meal kits every single week, especially during busy times in my life or when I find myself in need of new recipe ideas, this is my solution. With pre-portioned ingredients delivered directly to my door, it’s so easy (and dare I say, fun?) to have dinner on the table every night. Plus, as someone who isn’t the most experienced home chef, meal kits give me the confidence I need in the kitchen and the practice to master delicious dishes on a regular basis.
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Although meal kits come with most of the items and ingredients you’ll need, there are some must-have pantry staples and cooking tools that will make your meal kit journey as smooth as possible. Here’s everything you need to get started.
Since you still have to prepare the meals, there is some cutting included in each meal kit. Whether it’s an onion, shallot, potato or a bunch of bok choy, you need a solid chef’s knife to complete most meal kits. This is our top picks.
A cutting board comes with a chef’s knife, so this is another must-have. I personally prefer wooden cutting boards but it’s nice to have a small plastic cutting board on hand for when you need to cut raw meat or dress something with spices. With a plastic cutting board, juices won’t soak into the board like a wooden board and you can pop it in the dishwasher when you’re done. This is our picks for the best cutting boardswhich includes two options.
One of the best parts about meal kits, in my opinion, is that most of the meals require little effort, making them ideal for busy individuals, novice cooks or anyone who doesn’t like spending time in the kitchen. Since there’s always a focus on meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, we’ve seen a lot of sheet pan recipes (my favorite). Just put everything in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, then serve.
Not all meals are sheet-pan meals, so you’ll need a frying pan if you cook stir-fry, meat or other ingredients in a stovetop recipe. You can decide between non stick, ceramic or stainless steel depending on what you want. Or, if you’re looking for a complete cookware set, here’s ours favorites.
Many of the recipes I’ve tried use rice or noodles as a base, so a pot is another must, unless you plan to avoid those types of foods completely (which I don’t recommend because they’re usually tasty). You can get away with one pot if needed, but I recommend having a couple of different sizes.
I use the Caraway cookware set — selected by CNET best ceramic cookware — which includes a saucepan, frying pan, Dutch oven and sauté pan.
In theory, you could use the aforementioned pot as a mixing bowl if you’re in a pinch but I highly recommend investing in a mixing bowl, or a set of them, to make your life easier. My mixing bowls double as popcorn bowls, food scrap holders and more, so I really think they are worth the money.
It’s nice to have but not a necessity because you can peel potatoes, carrots and other produce with a knife but a peeler is a much safer option, especially if you’re new to the kitchen.
During my meal kit journey, I also noticed that several recipes called for the zest of a lemon to help raise the flavor profile. You can use a dedicated lemon zester or a fine cheese grater for this step, but whatever you do, don’t skip it. It adds more flavor than you might expect.
When cooking meat, especially chicken, I like to err on the side of caution and use a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches the correct internal temperature before serving. It’s a tool in my kitchen that I use weekly, if not daily, and it’s also great for summer barbecues.
As you become more experienced, you can feel when the meat is ready but undercooked chicken and pork are no joke when you are new to cooking.
Many of the meal kit recipes suggest lining your baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. It’s not necessary but, if you want the easiest cleanup, we recommend keeping a roll of foil on hand. Also, if you have leftovers, you can use the same foil to wrap them.
Read more: A Culinary Pro Names The 3 Knives Every Cook Should Have. Can You Guess Them?
Salt, pepper, oil and butter
Although meal kits have most of the ingredients you need, they usually don’t include these four pantry staples, so be sure to stop by the store and pick them up before cooking dinner. it fashionable olive oil a great choice, but if you want the breakdown of which oil is right for different cooking situations, check out our cooking oil guide which covers all the bases.
