Culinary How-Tos
Combatting Cooking Fatigue with Today’s Best Kitchen Tools.
Air Fryer
While only 25% of home cooks report having an air fryer, this up-and-coming appliance is worth mentioning. Why? Air fryers continue to appear on wish lists for those wanting healthier versions of comfort foods, says research from the Hartman Group. And we couldn’t agree more! Not only do air fryers provide that crispy crunch of fried food without excess oil and fat, air fryers speed up cooking time as well. Learn more about this amazing kitchen gadget from Big Y's Living Well Eating Smart registered dietitian team.
The Slow Cooker
This oldie-but-goodie is a staple in more than half of American households, and for good reason. The saying “set it and forget it” is something that appeals to many, especially when following hectic schedules. When utilizing a slow cooker, plan ahead. Use it to help create easy meal solutions by cooking up lean proteins to repurpose throughout the week. If something like pot roast is on the menu, chop up veggies the night before and add ingredients to your slow cooker before starting the day.
The Instant Pot®
The rise of the multi-cooker, and the most popular brand, Instant Pot®, seemingly happened overnight. This multi-purpose kitchen tool is handy, since you can use it for so many functions: from pressure cooking and slow cooking to steaming and sautéing.
Besides replacing a number of kitchen appliances at once, the Instant Pot® cooks complex meals – that traditionally take hours to prepare – in no time flat. Think you must simmer homemade sauce all day, or slow-roast a cut of meat so it becomes tender and juicy? Not anymore, thanks to this versatile kitchen helper.
