Stocking your kitchen with durable, quality homestead kitchen essentials, will allow you to prepare from scratch meals for your family. Start with purchasing items you don’t already own and then replace lesser quality items as they break. Many of these items can be purchased secondhand. This will be an investment that you will benefit from many times over.
Before making any purchases, take an inventory of what you already own. Make a list of what you need, starting with the most important and work your way down. Make room in your cabinet by getting rid of anything you don’t use and don’t anticipate a need for in the future. Take note of any tools that will need to be replaced, but prioritize the most needed items first. Keep an eye out for these items at thrift stores, ask for them as holiday gifts and check Facebook Marketplace.
Twelve Basic Homestead Kitchen Essentials
- Chef Knife For chopping vegetables and slicing meat, an absolute must have.
- Paring knife– These knives were recommended to me by a local butcher who uses them in his shop.
- Serrated Knife It’s mostly used for cutting bread.
- Knife sharpener– Most of us don’t sharpen our knives nearly enough. This one is a good option.
- 12 Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot You will need it for everything from soup to making your first batch of tomato sauce to can.
- 5 Quart Pan This size pot is great for boiling pasta, potatoes, rice and so much more.
- 12″ Cast iron or stainless steel skillet. I have a cast iron skillet that I love, but stainless is also a great option.
- Dutch Oven I debated about including this, but I use my Dutch Oven three or four times a week. It allows me to turn many meals into a one pot dish. I love that.
- Cutting boards You will probably use that cutting board everyday. A quality wood one will last forever and look better the more it ages.
- Rimmed baking sheets From cookies to roasting vegetables, this will be necessary.
- 9×13″ Pyrex Baking Dish You probably already own one. They are great for casseroles, cakes and using as a serving dish.
- Glass Measuring Cup The Pyrex cup can handle hot liquids. You will have yours forever.
- Stainless Steel Cooking Utensils No cheap plastic ones that bend over when you use them. Get quality stainless utensils that will last. Buy well, buy once.
- Wooden Spoons You will 2 or 3 at a minimum. Definitely something you will use daily.
Learn to Cook With The Basics
This short list is the bare bones of cooking essentials. These are things you need to just get by. After you have the basics, you may want to focus on getting some essential electrical appliances like a crock pot. You can go a long way with just this short list until you can afford to add on. Start homestead cooking now with store bought meat and vegetables. Try different recipes and figure out what your family likes to eat. As you are cooking, you will start to know what kitchen tools will be the most beneficial.
