If you've been following CNET's coverage over the past few years, you know we're big fans meal kits. We've tested dozens to find our favorites in every category, including ready meals, vegan dishes And best budget choice.
While I don't use meal kits every week, during particularly busy times in my life or when I need new recipe ideas, they are my go-to solution. With pre-portioned ingredients delivered straight to my door, it's so easy (and dare I say it, satisfying?) to get dinner on the table every night. Plus, as someone who isn't the most experienced home chef, meal kits have given me the confidence I need in the kitchen and the practice to make delicious meals on a regular basis.
Never miss any of our unbiased technical content and behind-the-lab reviews. Add CNET as Google's preferred source.
While meal kits include most of the items and ingredients you'll need, there are a few must-have items and kitchen utensils that will make traveling with a meal kit as comfortable as possible. Here's everything you need to have before you get started.
Since you still have to cook the food, each set of food requires chopping. Whether it's onions, shallots, potatoes, or a bunch of bok choy, you'll need a trusty chef's knife to put together most meal kits. This our best choice.
A cutting board goes hand in hand with a chef's knife, so it's another essential item. Personally, I 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 season it with spices. With a plastic cutting board, the juices won't soak into it like with a wooden one, and you can put it straight in the dishwasher when you're done. This our selection of the best cutting boardswhich include both options.
In my opinion, one of the best things about meal kits is that many of the meals require minimal effort, making them ideal for busy people, novice cooks, or anyone who just doesn't like spending hours in the kitchen. Since the focus is often on dishes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, we're seeing more sheet pan recipes (my favorite). Just throw everything in the oven for 20-30 minutes and then serve. These These are the ones I personally use, but really any type will do.
However, not all dishes are cooked on a sheet pan, so you'll still need a sheet pan when you're cooking roasts, meats, or other recipe components on the stove. You can decide between non-stick, ceramic or stainless steel depending on your preference. Or if you're looking for a complete cookware set, here's our favorites.
Many of the recipes I've tried use rice or noodles as a base, so a saucepan is another must-have unless you plan on avoiding these types of dishes entirely (which I don't recommend because they're usually very tasty). You can get by with just one pan if necessary, but I recommend having a couple of different sizes.
I use the Caraway Cookware Set – CNET's Picks best ceramic tableware – which includes a saucepan, frying pan, Dutch oven and sauté pan.
In theory, you could use the above saucepan as a mixing bowl if you're stuck, but I highly recommend purchasing a mixing bowl or a set of them to make your life a lot easier. My mixing bowls can be used as popcorn bowls, food waste holders, and more, so I definitely think they are worth the money.
It's nice to have, but it's not a necessity since you can technically peel potatoes, carrots, and other produce with a knife, but a vegetable peeler is a much safer choice, especially if you're new to the kitchen.
During my meal kit journey, I also noticed that many recipes use the zest of one lemon to enhance the flavor profile. You can use a special lemon zest or a fine cheese grater for this step, but whatever you do, don't skip it. It adds a lot more flavor than you might expect.
When cooking meat, especially poultry, I like to be careful and use meat thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct internal temperature before serving. This is one of the tools in my kitchen that I use weekly, if not daily, and is also great for summer BBQs.
As you become more experienced, you may be able to tell when the meat is done, but undercooked chicken and pork are not worth experimenting with if you are new to cooking.
Many meal kit recipes suggest lining the baking sheet with foil to make cleanup easier. This is not necessary, but if you want to make cleanup easier, 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: The culinary expert named three knives that every chef should have. Can you guess them?
Salt, pepper, vegetable and butter
While meal kits include most of the ingredients you'll need, they usually don't include these four staples, so be sure to stop by the store and grab them before preparing dinner. This fashionable olive oil is a great option, but if you want to know which oil is best for different cooking situations, check out our vegetable oil guide it covers all the bases.
