Have you ever found yourself in a rut in the kitchen? Me too. I tend to make the same meals, go through the same rhythm, use the same kitchen gadets, and eat the same quantity regardless of what my body needs.

A few years ago around the month of February, my son sweetly asked if he could please have a ham sandwich for lunch. Apparently I’d made peanut butter and jelly every day that year. February, folks. The 100th day of school had come and gone. We were turning the corner on Spring Break and this kid consumed the same lunch every day since August.

Anyway, sometimes I just need a little inspiration. Perhaps you do too. And what better way to be inspired that with a new kitchen toy.

Today I present to you my four favorite kitchen gadgets. If you are creating new Pinterest-worthy meals every night, well, these may not be for you. But for the rest of us mortals, consider one of these to make your meal prep easier.

Nutribullet

Two years ago I emailed Santa a wish list via my husband. One of the items was a Nutribullet. Santa came though. He treats me pretty well.

The Nutribullet pulverizes your fruits and veggies into particles small enough even the pickiest of eyes can’t decipher a stray spinach leaf. I’ve found it’s power extends beyond smoothies. Homemade dressings and hummus are other easily prepared items (I especially like this pink hummus!).

My favorite aspect about the Nutribullet is the ease of cleanup. Gone are the days of a bulky glass blender that has a jillion parts and won’t fit into the dishwasher. The container is small enough to fit into the dishwasher top rack. The blending unit needs a simple rinse-off then dries on the counter. Easy button pressed.

When I use it for blending salad dressings I throw it in the dishwasher even though the directions discourage it. I have never had a problem with it rusting or changing the quality. I’ve also never had a problem with my Pink Power smoothie having a hint of garlic leftover from the dressings.

Vidalia Chop Wizard

My mother loves blessing me with kitchen trinkets. Some of these are helpful. Others I forget to use. One gift I used so much I broke was the Vidalia Onion Chopper, now just called the Vidalia Chop Wizard.

I have to say, smart move by the marketing folks at Vidalia. I never understood why it’s called an onion chopper. Many veggies have seen their way through this gadget, but onions are not one of them. If you cut the onions right, half the work is already done as the layers fall apart.

This is my go-to device when preparing chopped salads and what I creatively call “bean dip.” (Others name it Texas Caviar.) This particular brand has a two different sized blades (they look more like grates to me but I’ll go with what they call it).

My current chopper only has one smaller setting but that works just fine as well.

It’s worth noting that while I love the ease of chopping, my dog, Grace, hates it. The loud slam startles her. After three slams, she’ll move to a different room.

Instant Pot

Honestly, I thought most people had an Instant Pot by now. I’m wondering how I cooked without it. One of the girls in my bible study was asking about it and you should have heard two of us selling how wonderful it is. My other friend said her college daughter uses it in her dorm room to cook healthy food … brilliant!

My three favorite aspects of the Instant Pot:

1. Cleanup. The stainless steel bowl can be thrown in the dishwasher.
2. Lightness. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come close to dropping a 65-pound ceramic slow cooker in the sink. The Instant Pot bowl weighs about a pound and is easily managed.
3. Versatility. It is not just a slow cooker. Yes, it slow cooks. But it also sautees, cooks rice, and steams eggs. When I cut up beef and pressure cook it for my Garlic Teriyaki Beef, the beef stays in cubes rather than shredding apart. One of my kids has a strange aversion to shredded meat (insert eye roll here) so this works perfectly.

Click here to see my favorite bulk-prep foods the Instant Pot.

Cutco PB&J knife

I admit: this gadget is a non-discetionary item. Parents have been making peanut butter and jelly for years before Cutco decided to get all fancy and triple it’s width. But man, this is a great one.

As I’ve discussed before, I’m always challenged to keep my kids full. One of the ways I do this is by slopping a significant amount of peanut butter on their sandwich. No thin layers here! The Cutco knife gets it all in one scoop and spreads it quickly.

The bonus to this knife is its serrated edge. It makes slicing the sandwich in half easy (especially for my boys who are now tasked with making their own sandwiches, thank you very much). Then it can easily cut the tops of strawberries off. Less utensils = less washing and work.

Cutco is sold only by sales reps. I’d love to put you in touch with mine, who is working his way through college by selling amazing knives. Please email me if you want his name.

I tend to go in seasons of favorite gadgets. If you missed my grilling essentials, make sure to check that out. Grilling season is right around the corner!

What did I miss in the kitchen? What are your favorite gadgets?