So You Think You’re a Foodie? 10 Items Every Foodie Should Own

Photos (L-R) courtesy US Department of Agriculture, Lars Plougmann, Andrea Goh

You scoff at Easy Mac and Ramen, you know the best spots in town to eat, and you have even tried re-creating things you have eaten at a restaurant in your apartment…does this make you a foodie? Maybe, depending on how good cooking actually is. If you’re serious about creating your own dishes at home, according to Whole Green Love, you must own the following items:

Immersion blender. You need one. I’d have to say we use ours four days a week or more. We use it to blend smoothies, puree soups, make homemade fruit snacks, among other things. I have even used it to make dog treats. I’ve heard people say, “Well, I have a blender.” I would probably kill myself trying to blend hot soup in batches in a blender. With an immersion blender, you don’t need a traditional blender. Plus, it’s WAY easier to clean. 

Butter. I think I put this on my list because I got super anxious today when I noticed the only butter we had in the house was what was left in the butter dish. I need way more than that on hand to feel comfortable. I am currently soaking oats in a butter, coconut oil, and yogurt mixture. Lyla and I made cookies last night with butter, and we cook just about everything in it when we aren’t using coconut oil. It’s a great high temperature cooking fat. And let’s be real – the flavor is amazing. Kerrygold is a wonderful option and is easy to find in stores.

Coconut oil. While I’m talking about fat, coconut oil is a must have in any foodie kitchen. It goes great in smoothies, and I find more and more recipes that I’m using it in. The last few body products I’ve made included coconut oil. It’s not only moisturizing for the bod, but it’s nourishing as well. It’s antiviral, antifungal, and contains a wonderful saturated fat called lauric acid, which is known to increase your HDL (good cholesterol). Find a great source here.

Mason jars and glass food containers. Last year, I rid our kitchen of any food storage containers that were not glass or BPA free. We had some old containers our cabinet that were warped and stained, and I just wasn’t sure if they were BPA free. As more research comes out, they still aren’t sure if BPA free products are keeping us completely safe. Because of that, stocking your kitchen with glass food storage containers is so important. We still have some plastic containers, but I’m careful that we do not heat food in them. Plastic still serves us well when we need to keep food in our chest freezer. Glass just doesn’t always work well for that.

Eco-friendly cleaning supplies. The kitchen is a dirty place. We are always in the kitchen and as soon as you clean up and leave, you are back in there again preparing the next meal. I’m not an antibacterial freak in general, but I like to use a cleaning product in the kitchen that can disinfect with after I’ve handled a big ol’ raw chicken. I use this for cleaning the sink to get rid of grime and keep it squeaky clean, and I made this natural spray to use as a disinfectant. You can find tea tree oil here. Ready made cleaning products can be found here.

Bone broth. Easy to make and a serious superfood, bone broth is a staple in our kitchen. We use it in soups, I drink it straight, use it when cooking grains, and I include it when cooking a roast for extra moisture. If you buy part of a cow, you should have gotten the soup bones which is what you need to make broth. If you don’t, ask your local butcher. The other ingredients are inexpensive kitchen scraps that you likely already have. Here is a recipe to get you started!

Nourishing Traditions. Basically the bible for real foodies, this book includes wonderful non-mainstream guidelines for nourishing your family. It also includes some great recipes to get you on the right track. Click here to check it out.

Quality olive oil. Two things about olive oil: not all oliveoils are created equal and there are many reasons you should stop cooking with it. It is, however, a perfect topping on already cooked veggies, drizzled on top of soup, used as a salad dressing, or in dips, and it contains some excellent fats and nutrients that we need.

Stainless steel pots and pans. Non-stick pans contain toxic coatings, which leach from the pan to your food during the cooking process. Stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel-coated cast iron are better options for fabulous cooking without the toxins. It is possible to season your stainless steal pans in order to create a non-stick surface. Read more about that here.

What items would you add to this list? What are your favorite Denver kitchen stores? Share your comments below!