I remember when starting on our health journey, the thing I found most helpful was knowing from the people I trusted what they bought, and from where. Still one of the most common questions I get asked is “What brand/kind of _____ do you recommend?” followed by “Where can I buy it?”.
Here is a list of our favorite go-to items, and resources I recommend on a regular basis to clients and friends. These are all things we use regularly in our own home.
It’s really important for us to balance high quality yet affordable, so these resources allow us to strike that happy balance!
Kitchen Equipment
Food Storage
Glass Snapware Containers: The ‘tupperware’ cabinet can be one of the most cluttered and overwhelming parts of a kitchen. To majorly simplify this, we tossed all of our mismatched plastic tupperware and got these glass storage containers with matching color-coded lids. Not only are they healthier than plastic, but you can prep, bake, and re-heat all in the same container– so it cuts down on dishes BIG TIME. We literally got rid of a ton of random containers and just bought 3 sets of these. (We found a good price at our local Costco, so if you have one nearby, you may check there too!)
Deli Containers: These large BPA-free deli containers are the BEST for storing broth, leftover soups/stews, sauces, etc. They are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave friendly, too! Often, I have a whole heap of these in the freezer with an assortment of bone broth, or my most recent batch cooking creation.
Wide-Mouth Glass Jars: We use different sized glass mason jars for the majority of our kitchen use and storage. I buy mostly wide-mouth jars since they’re easier to clean and pour into. These smooth 16-ounce jars and tall 24 oz jars are great for smoothies and drinks. I also like the smooth-sided 32 oz. jars so I can easily label them with freezer tape. The wide-mouth half gallon (64 oz) size is great for larger batches of homemade almond milk, cashew milk, cashew cream, etc. that I generally store in the fridge throughout the week.
Wide-Mouth Caps: We use these BPA-free plastic storage lids to simplify our mason jar lid situation. This lid fits all of our wide-mouth jars, and they’re 1 piece rather than 2. I also love this flip mason jar lid for easy pouring of drinks, smoothies, etc.
Freezer Tape: This stays sticky much better at cold temperatures, which is perfect for labeling freezer bins, containers of leftovers or freezer meals.
Herb + Spice Containers: I store my homemade herb blends in these air-tight containers and love keeping these stainless steel scoops inside of each one so I don’t have to get a new spoon dirty every time. For individual dried spices, I use 6-ounce square glass jars with labels which helps maximize space in the pantry.
Tools + Appliances
Instant Pot: This is hands down my most used kitchen appliance, so much so that it basically stays on my counter. I use it for last-minute dinners like Instant Pot BBQ pulled chicken, and cooking Whole Chickens that I can do in 30-40 minutes. I also use to to make homemade bone broth. There are a few fancier more expensive models out now, but I get all the functionality I need with the one. I recommend at least one extra Instant pot insert so you can store leftovers (soups, etc.) in the fridge and still use the Instant pot.
Chefs Knife: I recently bought this new knife because the target knife block from 10 years ago just wasn’t cutting it anymore 😉 But seriously, a good knife makes ALL the difference in the kitchen, saves times, and fingers.
Butcher block cutting board: I noticed that Giada and Ina on Food Network always used a large butcher block to chop and prepare foods, so naturally felt like it was a good idea. A good work surface really cuts down on prep and clean-up time, and cleared the clutter of several random cutting boards. You’ll want to seal it once a year with the board oil and cream to maximize sanitation, and life of the board!
Knife Sharpener: Sharpens knives in about 10 seconds- to keep your knives in top condition
Baking Sheets: I love that I can bake or roast more things in less time by using large baking sheets. It’s one of the easiest ways to increase efficiency in the kitchen! These are heavy-duty and super high quality. Bonus: it also allowed me to simplify our kitchen and toss the small flimsy random sizes we had.
Silicon Baking Mat: These silicon baking mats cut down majorly on clean-up time! Also, since the sheet pans are made of aluminum, I like to put a barrier between aluminum and the food to minimize exposure to unnecessary heavy metals when we can.
Cooling/Roasting Rack: These fit perfectly in the large baking sheets, and I love roasting things on top of them because it allows the oven heat to cook things evenly (no more charred veggies!). You can cook bacon, meat on them too. They also help make the perfect chocolate chip cookie 😉 They are made of stainless steel which a great non-toxic option for cooking foods at higher temperatures.
Nut Milk Bag: We use this to make quick almond milk and cashew milk for a cheaper, ‘cleaner’ option than store-bought. I like it because it’s larger and more durable than the cloth versions, and it comes with 2 bags. It also washes very easy.
4-cup Glass Measuring Cup: We use this as a 2-in-1 bowl to measure AND mix in–dressings, sauces, pancake mix…anything! I hate creating more dirty dishes, so a larger container that I can do both in makes this one of our most used kitchen items. Here is the larger 8-cup (2 quart) version as well.
Ceramic griddle: This thing is perfect for making Saturday morning breakfast or food for guests. I use it to batch cook pancakes (and freeze leftover for the week), and it helps me make breakfast quicker without getting several pans dirty. The ceramic surface is a great non-toxic non-stick option that makes for really easy cleanup.
Organization
Magnetic pantry strips: We hung these on the wall of our pantry to store lids for stainless steel pots and pans, colanders, and knives. They have been a GAME CHANGER in organizing our pantry. We pieced the 10-inch strips and 16-inch strips together to make a few rows that hold everything really efficiently.
Other
Dishwasher detergent: In a continual effort to eliminate as many household toxins as possible, I wanted to find a ‘cleaner’ dishwasher detergent. This gel is not only non-toxic but cleans really well!
Supplements
Practitioner Account Resources
Emerson Ecologics/Wellevate: This is like the “Amazon” of practitioner-grade supplements. Get access to the best practitioner-grade supplements at a 15% discount (cheaper than Amazon!). I love it because it’s a super convenient one-stop-shop for most of the supplement-related things we use regularly.
This is where I buy vitamins for the hubby, kids and I, protein powder(s), and any other ‘specialty support’ we may need at the time. You will also be able to view the specific products and brands that I use most often.
Metagenics: There are a few specialty supplements that aren’t available through Emerson or Fullscript, but you can still access them at my discounted practitioner price here.
Natural Remedies
Garlic Ear Drops: We use these to help ward of early signs of an ear infection, and it has been super effective. The blend of garlic and other herbs serve as antimicrobial agents that soothe the ear. We do 1-2 drops (2-3x/day) and massage behind the base of the ear at the first sign of an ear infection, and until symptoms have resolved. It makes your babe smell like an Italian dinner, but it’s truly been a game changer.
Tools + Testing
Blood Ketone Monitor: I have found this brand to have the most reasonably priced blood ketone monitor and strips. For best use, I also recommend the corresponding blood glucose strips. Since blood ketones can be expensive to test often, I recommend to use urine ketone strips as a more routine option to get a rough idea if you’re in the range of ketosis.
