Essential Keto Kitchen Tools & Gadgets

Breakfast:

We tend to bend the rules and eat items often associated with later-timed meals, but it's just about preference, no harm done. Eat intuitively and flow with what your body seems to want; your tastes will gravitate toward foods with less sugar more often as your palette resets on keto.

However, selecting a meal rich in healthy fats and proteins is an ideal way to set the pace for the day as the combination will boost energy and help sustain muscle as you work to release excess body fat and lean out.

Here are a few delicious and fuss-free gadget options to add to your arsenal to aid in whipping up satiating meals to break your overnight fast:

• High-powered blender (e.g., Vitamix, Blendtec, etc.): Get your hands on the highest-powered blender you can afford to create velvety smoothies and creamy homemade nut butter, among many other things.
• Non-stick or Cast-iron Skillet: You will make great use of quality pans in many instances on a low-carb, high-fat diet. Whether cooking up wraps or gently frying a breakfast of bacon and eggs, get premium pans, and consider using cooking spray to further prevent sticking and simplify preparation.
• Keto Coffee Electric Handmixer: Although a high-powered blender is an essential tool in any foodie's kitchen, sometimes it's easiest to reach instead for a smaller, hand-held, option to whip up some keto coffee—bring on the butter, cream, and stevia, please!
• Food Storage Containers: Prepping ingredients, in addition to fully-assembling meals, is a great way to set yourself up for success throughout the week. Chop cucumbers, bell peppers, and whatever other foods you intend to use throughout the week, so you always have fresh ingredients ready to add to a, quick and easy, keto breakfast on-the-go.
• Hard-boiled Egg Maker: Referred to by some as the perfect food, for its balance of fat and protein, and absence of carbs, eggs are a fantastic food choice any time of day when eating a ketogenic diet—bring on the deviled eggs and egg salad.
   
  You can make the eggs freestyle in a pot of boiling water, but some choose to use a kit or hard-boiled egg maker for consistent results; the choice is yours.
   
• Waffle Maker: Brands like the mini Dash have risen in popularity thanks to the advent of the chaffle (keto waffle). Chaffles, essentially a waffle made from cream cheese, a harder cheese, eggs, and your chosen flavorings, are a versatile breakfast option. And, the heating units are affordable, and make an adorable waffle that provides all the carby feels without the guilt.
   
  Try a sweet, maple pecan, or a savory keto Reuben chaffle with a side of lightly crisped bacon and scrambled eggs for a filling and delicious keto breakfast option—so simple and delicious!
   
• Coffeemaker: Morning's can be rough without coffee during normal times and even more so now as we navigate the various phases of the pandemic.
   
  Many find themselves short on sleep due to burning the midnight oil doing work or organizing to keep life on track—as a result, even everyday life tasks may feel like a lot, lately.
   
  Units like a k-cup style coffee maker or larger single pot brewing unit option are helpful to have on hand to provide a jolt to get you going each morning—and some have timed functions so the unit starts making your morning coffee on cue (now you can feel fancy as you work from home in your PJs, you win)!
   
• Air Fryer: This device is excellent for making meals for any time of the day. Plus, bacon crisps up nicely on the air-fryer setting of a fryer oven if processed for about nine minutes.
   
  In addition to air frying some bacon for a particular meal, you can also crisp them up and jar-seal them with a pressure canner to make your savory strips last long-term and become shelf-stable for years—an excellent tool to help expand your pantry!
   
• Veggie Chopper/Food Processor: You may have mornings when you want something that reminds you of potato hash without loads of carbs and starch. Use a veggie chopper to cube some zucchini to create a savory and satisfying keto hash substitute quickly on days like this.
   
  ou can also utilize your food processor to chop cauliflower florets to produce finely-textured faux rice! Cauli-rice is perfect for making a keto stir-fry, but it can also transform into a creamy faux mash or act as part of a keto pizza crust; you have many recipe options to explore on keto.
   
• Silicone Baking Molds: These molds are an excellent item to use to make keto muffins, bagels or donuts.
   
  Also, here are some tasty options that you can make with the aid of some of the gadgets mentioned above—perfect foods to maintain ketosis without sacrificing flavor:
   
• No-Bake Chocolate "Oat" Bars
• Ultimate Strawberry Keto Shake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Keto Shake
• Cheesy Spinach Puffs
• Keto Apple Spiced Donuts
• Crunchtastic Keto Granola
• Konscious Keto Strawberry Green Goddess Smoothie
• Konscious Keto Strawberry Chia Smoothie
• Too Good to be True Keto Bagels (easy keto bagels)
• Quick N' Easy Breakfast Sausage Keto Quiche
• Triple Berries and Cream Keto Smoothie

Lunch:

Some of the tools noted above will come in handy when making lunch, as well. Again, remember, it's best to acquire devices that perform many tasks to save on space and clutter but maintain efficiency in the kitchen.

An air fryer is a tool that’s useful in any keto kitchen for so many reasons. You can rotisserie a whole chicken, keeping the meat tender while crisping the skin, or make low-carb and reduced-calorie onion rings or chicken tenders for yourself or the littles.

You could also use your air-fryer, maybe even on the baking setting, to make a tender slice of salmon with a nutrient-dense platting of fresh microgreens and a hearty drizzling of fatty dressing.

In addition to the overlap of devices from breakfast to lunch mentioned above, here are some more options for gadgets and tools that may prove helpful when prepping keto lunch options:

• Instant Pot: You can use a pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot, to make everything from savory party wings to a NY-style keto cheesecake. Here is a link to our recipe for irresistible, Impossible Keto BBQ Chicken for you to try.
   
  Plus, it's simple to make the BBQ chicken recipe in your pressure cooker and it’s always a crowd-pleaser!
   

Besides, you can make and parcel out some savory Instant Pot keto chili to heat and eat your lunch within minutes, regardless of how busy your day becomes.

You could also make our tasty King Keto Taco Casserole in your air fryer, and store it in either the fridge or freezer to enjoy whenever you choose throughout the week.

Also, the veggie chopper we mentioned above would act as the perfect tool to quickly prepare the components needed to make our Kickin' Keto Chicken Salad recipe. Yum, lunch is served in minutes!

You could also make our Bang Bang Keto Shrimp recipe in an air fryer or frying pot with hot avocado oil. This seafood platter option is simple to make and easily pair with a fatty keto sauce for a dish the entire family will love.

Also, making a quiche or savory keto pie is a fantastic way to use up the veggies and other fixings you have on hand and create something that looks fancy and well planned, even if, in reality, you used whatever you had.

Use your oven or air fryer to process our beloved Keto Savory Pie with Zucchini recipe, and you'll add variety to your available options of keto conscious meals to heat and eat throughout the week.

Also, making and storing various keto soups and keeping keto instant soup powders at home is the perfect way to stay on track during the quarantine with ease—again, just heat or add boiling water and eat!

We love Creamy & Keto Broccoli and Cheese Soup and Creamy Keto Pumpkin Soup, and you only need a pot, blender, and maybe a food processor to make them—enjoy!

Again, you may have noticed some overlap in the gadgets used for various meals, and, as we mentioned, that's what you want! Seek to own devices that perform several tasks to get the most for your money.

• Waterbath or Pressure Canner: Using hot water or pressure to preserve meats and fish allow you to convert them from foods subject to the overgrowth of harmful microorganisms to shelf-stable food fit for long-term storage.
   
  From vegetables to stock, soups, and sugar-free jellies or jams, using a food canner to bolster your pantry is a wise and cost-effective choice that improves your food security.
   
• Pressure Cooker: You can also use a slow cooker or pressure cooker, different from a pressure canner, to make and then properly jar bone broth, rich in electrolytes, and full of flavor, which is excellent to have available whenever you're in the mood for the savory brew.
   
  Plus, we feel so strongly about incorporating keto-friendly soups into your meal plan for added nutrition and convenience, that we dedicated an article to our top picks for you guys to try. Click here to browse through our low-carb, high-fat soup selections.
   
• Fermentation Kit: It's possible to ferment with a bacterial starter, brine, a food to ferment, and possibly some food weights to keep food submerged while processing.
   
  However, handy kits are available online that removes any guesswork when fermenting cabbage or cucumbers (yay, pickles!) and they're pretty affordable too!
   

You can make delicious foods and beverages like sauerkraut, kimchi, or kombucha with fermentation. Go ahead and grab a step-by-step or automated fermentation set if you're new to the process. Immediate success will likely inspire you to make more probiotic-rich fermented foods that are pantry-friendly and store well long-term.

Speaking of delicious and effortless fermented foods: here's a refreshing and straightforward recipe that's perfect for a filling but light So Keto Kimchi Salad to add to your meal plan—you can thank us later.

Dinner:

A high-quality wok is a great tool to have to heat and toss a savory stir-fry with whatever ingredients you've got. All premium skillets and pans come in handy at dinner time; buy the best quality you can because you'll use them daily.

However, regardless of the kitchen tools used, the most important thing is the ease of preparation and whether it is good. Here are a few of our favorite keto dinner recipes that deliver:

• Keto Beef Tenderloin
• Keto Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Zoodle Keto Alfredo with Bacon: Grab your spiralizer and fresh zucchini and make some zoodles so you can enjoy this yummy and super-simple recipe.
• Keto Pizza
• Amazingly Keto Avocado Buns: You can easily make avocado buns if you have an avocado scooper to remove the meat from the flesh of the fruit, still intact, easily.

Dessert:

Don't forget to leave room for dessert! Yes, we have many mouth-watering sweet treats available for us to enjoy on keto. From mini cheesecakes to decadent, layered, chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, there are so many recipes to try!

Some kitchen tools aid in the process of making low-carb desserts. Here are a few items that our team often uses in our homes and will likely help you along your keto journey:

• Springform Pan (with removable bottom): Having springform pans available is perfect when making a layered cake of any kind, and our German Chocolate Cake is a recipe for the books, see it on our site here.
• Icing Knife
• Fine Strainer/Cheesecloth
• Sugar Alternatives: Some may argue that a sweetener is an ingredient rather than a tool, but it is essential for most people following a ketogenic diet.
   
  The cravings you may have had for sweets before starting keto may diminish once you eliminate carbs from your diet, but most of us still love sweets, at least on occasion. And there's no need for love lost; simply use keto-friendly sweeteners in place of sugar to enjoy confections without the unwanted sugars.
   
  Dessert is absolutely on the menu on a low-carb, high-fat, ketogenic diet! Check out our article dedicated to the best sweeteners to use on keto, here.
   
• Parchment Paper: Not to be mistaken with wax paper, parchment paper is used in virtually all keto baking and is an essential item to keep close in your pantry at all times.
• Butter/Basting Brushes: You can use kitchen brushes to coat recipes with egg wash or butter, and they come in handy when basting meats.
• Flour Milling Unit
• Dehydrator
• Handmixer & Standmixer
• Baking Pans
• Cooling Racks
• Heat-Safe Mits
• Ramekins

Again, there's no need to deny yourself a decadent treat throughout the week on keto; the key is indulging in sugar-free confections that don't spike blood glucose levels or compromise ketosis.

Here are some fantastic keto-friendly desserts that we enjoy and love sharing with others:

• Keto German Chocolate Cake
• Keto Cheesecake Fat Bomb
• Keto Almond Cake Fat Bomb
• Keto Cookies
• Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
• Konscious Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
• Delightful Zucchini Bread
• Keto Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing
• Keto Chocolate Soufflé
• Avocado Keto Chocolate Pudding
• Irresistible Keto Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
• Love My Lemon Keto Pound Cake

As you can see, we have no lack of dessert options on a ketogenic diet. You'll wonder why you waited so long to make the switch as your waistline dwindles, and you continue to enjoy sweet treats—keto style.

Also, there are a few other items to have on hand if you're finding yourself in the kitchen more often, as they do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Other Handy Kitchen Tools:

• FoodSaver & Storage Bags or Containers
• Reusable Silicone Bags
• Measuring Spoons & Cups
• Mason Jars & Labels: These air-tight containers are made of glass and useful for everything from canning foods to storing baking basics like keto-friendly flours and sweeteners.
• Storage Bins and Containers (refrigerator or pantry storage organization)
• Digital Scale
• Digital Meat Thermometer
• BPA-free plastic or glass containers for meal prep and food storage
• Large, medium and small glass bowls to use during recipe preparation

Summary

There is a vast array of keto-friendly recipes to try and enjoy at any time of day, and you'll discover your favorites as you continue to follow a low-carb, high-fat, ketogenic diet.

Now is a time that requires adaptation, flexibility, and the capacity to maximize everything we have. To that end, leveraging your efforts in the kitchen with the aid of a helpful tool or gadget can save you loads of time and help you save money, as well!

Again, focus on acquiring items with multiple uses, so you don't clutter your space with less efficient one-off items. Also, use the tools you have available to prepare your food to the degree of your choosing at the onset of the week, so you're ready and able to remain on track, no matter what the week brings your way.

Use your keto journey as an opportunity to explore the potential of unfamiliar ingredients and experiment with ways to use them to recreate some starchy favorites, converting them to keto-friendly options.

Plus, all the items mentioned will help you get more done in less time, and for most of us, spending time and effort on anything is at a high premium at the moment.

Enjoy learning more about the gadgets and tools that you already have, and explore alternative ways to use them. And make mindful kitchen gadget purchases that suit your needs so you can be the rock star in the kitchen you've always wanted to be—with a helping hand from various forms of culinary ingenuity, of course!

Sources

• Mcdermott, J., & Brauw, A. D. (2020). National Food Systems: Inclusive Transformation for Healthier Diets. doi:10.2499/9780896293670_06
• Low-Carb Diet Beats Low-Fat for HDL-Cholesterol Levels. (2010). SciVee. doi:10.4016/20185.01
• Dupuis, N., & Auvin, S. (2016). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a Ketogenic Diet. Oxford Medicine Online. doi:10.1093/med/9780190497996.003.0017
• Flipsen, B., Koot, J., & Timmers, G. (2001). Design for Energy Efficiency as a Basis for Innovations in Kitchen Appliances. Energy Efficiency in Household Appliances and Lighting, 182-191. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-56531-1_24
• Pearson, H. (2004). Low-carb diets get thermodynamic defense. Nature. doi:10.1038/news040816-2
• Vergara-Balderas, F. (2016). Canning: Process of Canning. Encyclopedia of Food and Health, 628-632. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-384947-2.00110-0
• Chitrakar, B., Zhang, M., & Adhikari, B. (2018). Dehydrated foods: Are they microbiologically safe? Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59(17), 2734-2745. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1466265
• Floch, M. H., & Kim, A. (2014). Probiotics, prebiotics and gut health. Clinical Insights: Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health, 2-6. doi:10.2217/ebo.13.588