Below are my kitchen and lifestyle favorites. Nothing makes it onto this list without me having purchased it myself, with my own money, and loved and used it for at least a year. None of these items are paid placements, though the links do give me cents on the dollar in commission when you use them.
Kitchen Gadget Favorites
Dash Mini Waffle Iron
We use this for our Monday waffle day with my Paleo Crispy Waffles or Hash Brown Waffles. It’s very affordable, usually around $10, and makes perfect “Eggo” sized waffles in 3 minutes.
Double Rotating Waffle Iron
I have a large family of 7. So, though we love and use my mini waffle iron regularly, we use a workhorse double-sided Belgian waffle iron to keep up with the crowd.
Mini Ninja Food Processor
I love this for all the small chopping jobs and use it more than my large processor. It’s perfect for finely chopping cilantro for my Cilantro Salsa Slaw, apples for my Chicken Apple Sausage, or carrots to blend them into my Chili.
It varies whether it’s cheaper on Amazon or Target. Here are both options for you to price compare:
Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
I never thought I’d be the kind to make my own ice cream. But, my 4-ingredient Paleo Ice Cream is fast, creamy and delicious! It has convinced MANY people they need an ice cream maker and this is the one I love and have gifted to many people.
Reusable Produce Bags
I use these not only to minimize waste in the grocery store, I also use them for straining ghee or squeezing the excess water out of zucchini. They are durable, washable, and affordable!
French Fry Cutter
I love making homemade fries – my Garlic Fries are a family hit demanded on many special occasions or date night at home. But, cutting the fries, especially for a large family, gets oooollllddd. I went through many fry cutters I returned before getting this one and have loved it!
Electric Skillet
Making pancakes for my family is tricky on just a regular pan. We live by this electric skillet to get the job done! Perfect for pancakes like my Buttermilk Pancakes or Chocolate Chip Pancakes or gluten-free French toast, sausage, breakfast burritos and more. This one is amazingly nonstick!
Dash Mini Donuts Maker
We missed the occasional Saturday morning donuts when we went Paleo as a family. I love that this little maker can make my Chocolate Covered Donuts or Birthday Cake Donuts in just 3 minutes per batch. I have an oven donut pan but hands down prefer this – comes out perfect every time!
Immersion Blender
I tried soooo many times to make mayo and homemade sauces like ranch with a blender and a food processor. It resulted in a lot of ruined batches and wasted ingredients. I bought this from Walmart and have had it for over 5 years. Budget-friendly and has worked fabulously for years!
Meat Masher
The tool you didn’t know existed but soon won’t be able to make anything with ground meat without! Perfect for mixing seasoning into meat for meatballs like my Pineapple Chicken or Turkey Meatballs or for getting the perfect crubles, breaking apart the meat without scratching the pan like for tacos. Sturdy and budget-friendly!
Reusable Stasher Bags
Going “green” felt overwhelming, so a few years ago I started with replacing my single use zip top bags with reusable Stasher bags. Not cheap, but they have lasted me for YEARS and I slowly built up my stash in every size. Great for storage, steaming veggies in the microwave, freezing, and lunchboxes!
Popcorn Bowl
We love this reusable microwave Popcorn Bowl! My family is a big fan of microwave popcorn on movie night, but I wasn’t a fan of all the ingredients and additives. Make your own in a just a few minutes with this bowl. We use raw popcorn kernels and either ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil (or sometimes a combination like ghee + olive oil).
Large Bento Lunch Box
I get SOO many questions as to what bento lunchbox I use in my Lunchbox Chapter of my cookbook. They no longer make this exact model, but here is the newer version with slightly different shaped sections. I love that it cleans up easily and is actually big enough to hold a lunch for myself or my boys.
Spiralizer
I have ordered and then sent back or broke a good handful of spiralizers. Finally, two years ago I bought this one and I have loved it. I use it to make my Curly Fries, sweet potato or potato noodles, carrot or zucchini noodles, and more.
Large Food Processor
My small food processor (above) is fantastic for small jobs. But, sometimes you just need a large capacity food processor. I love this 13-cup Kitchen Aid one I have. I can shred zucchini for like my Chicken Zucchini Nuggets, or blend in veggies to meat like with my Chicken Nuggets with Hidden Veggies, or make Oreo Truffles so easy to make!
Lifestyle & Pantry Favorites
My Favorite Slippers
I can’t with closed-toe slippers. I love that these don’t have fur under where I put my foot and have thick soles that will last. Breathable but keep my feet warm. I have had them for 6 months and still love them!
Shoe Deoderizer
As a house with 5 teenage boys, we deal with stinky shoes A LOT. These inserts were life (or at least nose) saving by truly neutralizing odors. Simple to use – just stick in your shoes between uses and super effective, even with our stinkiest of shoes!
Drill Brushes
I can’t tell you the number of people who have asked me for this link. I had no idea they existed but bought them randomly on a whim and LOVED them. It really changed the game for cleaning, doing the scrubbing for me in showers, oven, and grout (just be careful not to scrub away the sealant). Cheap and so helpful. Must already have an electric drill to attach it to.
Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is the main paleo granulated sweetener because it’s more affordable and easier to find. I generally have found most coconut sugars to be created equal and get whichever one is cheapest.
Tapioca Flour
Tapioca flour comes from a cassava root and is a gluten-free flour. Not great by itself, but it has great “stretch” properties meaning it can give paleo baked goods a softer texture in combination with another flour like almond and/or coconut flour. If you have a Winco local to you, it’s cheapest by far in their bulk bins.
Almond Flour
Almond flour is great for bulk in baked goods so they hold their shape and as a swap for breading instead of bread crumbs or panko. I highly recommend getting one that says “super fine” on it. Those that aren’t super fine will result in a grittier texture. My favorite by far is the Blue Diamond brand you can get at Sam’s Club or on Amazon. I am also linking one that is pretty good from Walmart as well.
Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is incredibly absorbent. Due to this, it’s rarely used in a recipe by itself, but great in combination with other flours. I haven’t found a lot of difference in brands for coconut flour – get what’s the most affordable!
Dairy-free Chocolate Chips
Dairy-free chocolate chips that are also all top 8 allergen free? Yes please! These I love in my muffins like my Chocolate Chip Muffins or desserts like my Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats. They taste great and melt well.
Affiliate Codes
My favorite collagen powder that is truly flavorless. Blends in like a dream to soups, hot cocoa, coffee, and smoothies. I also add it to my boy’s muffins and waffles for added nutrients and satiety.
Use code WHOLEFOODFOR7
(*please note that this code will not work for subscription orders or already discounted bundles)
Thrive Market is an online natural food store. It does have a monthly or annual membership fee. I only buy things when they are on sale and cheaper than I can get on Amazon.
Use code WHOLEFOODFOR7
Your food blog amazes me. I follow you on Instagram and I’m always excited when you post new recipes. I’m always on here searching for it to print and create another cookbook for yours. -just binder style. 🤣
I have tried many of them since buying the cookbook-(which is so worth the money. Love all the ideas. Your passion for food shines. Thank you and keep the recipes coming.
What a lovely comment! Thank you so much for those kind words! <3