5 Kitchen Tools to Help Include More Produce in Your New Year

The new year is here, which means New Year’s resolutions!

And one resolution that I almost always recommend to clients is to eat more fruits and vegetables.

While fruit and vegetable intake has been increasing over the past 50 years, Americans are still on average falling short of meeting intake goals set by the Dietary Guidelines

The current recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake are 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit per day.

And while there are many benefits of eating more produce, studies have found that increasing your intake of these nutritious foods can greatly aid in weight loss and weight management. 

To help you meet those fruit and veggie goals, I’ve rounded up 5 kitchen gadgets that might make it easier to incorporate them into your meals and snacks.

1. Vegetable Spiralizer

Vegetable spiralizers are gadgets that take veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, or beets and turn them into noodles.

I love spiralizers as they make it so easy to add vegetables into your favorite noodle-based dishes, such as our Snap Pea and Zucchini Noodle Salad.

There are generally two types of spiralizers: tabletop and handheld.

Hand-held spiralizers are less expensive, but only make one or two sizes of noodles.

Tabletop spiralizers are more expensive but usually come with a few attachments for different shapes of noodles, such as thin, angle hair-like noodles, flatter fettuccine-like noodles, or curly noodles.

Hand spiralizers generally cost around $10, and tabletop spiralizers can range from $15-$45.

2. Food Processor 

I love my food processor! It makes chopping, slicing, and shredding vegetables so easy and quick.

Plus, food processors aren’t just for vegetables. You can use it to make sauces and dips like hummus, blend frozen fruit to make fruit-based “ice cream,” or homemade energy bites by pulsing together dates and nuts.

I recommend getting a food processor that comes with both the standard “S” blade and a shredding blade to get the most use out of your machine.

While you don’t need to splurge on the most expensive model, I do recommend looking carefully at reviews to make sure the model you’re looking at is big enough and has a powerful enough motor for your intended uses.

Breville and Cuisinart are popular, trustworthy brands with several models to choose from. Oster should also be on your radar for a more budget-friendly option.

3. Pineapple Core Remover

A pineapple core remover is a must in my kitchen drawer. 

It just makes it so much easier to core and slice fresh pineapple. This will help your grocery budget in the long run because you won’t ever have to spend extra money on pre-sliced pineapple at the grocery store.

Plus, using a pineapple core remover makes getting the pineapple fruit out easier, quicker, and cleaner than cutting it with a knife.

The best part about this gadget? They’re generally not expensive. In fact, you can probably buy a pineapple corer for about the same price as a container of pre-sliced pineapple.

Pineapple core removers range from $5-$30 depending on the brand. On average, I see them at stores being sold for around $10.

4. Air Fryer

I use my Air Fryer at least 2-3 times per week.

The benefit of an Air Fryer is that it makes food crispy, like chicken wings and sweet potato fries, without needing to use excess oil. As a result, you end up with lower-calorie and lower-fat versions of your fried favorites.

One of my favorite uses for my Air Fryer is roasting vegetables like potatoes, asparagus, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini. They get deliciously crispy and tender.

You can even use it to make “grilled” fruit or crispy fruit “chips.” Apple chips, in particular, is my go-to.

For 2 people, a 2-3 quart Air Fryer should be sufficient. 

Air Fryers vary in size and price. Depending on the features you’re looking for, you can find an Air Fryer for as low as $30.

Recipe for Air fried Apple chips

What you’ll need:

• 1 apple
• Knife or a mandolin
• Seasoning of choice (I like cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Use a knife or a mandolin (2.5mm) to slice the apples. If using a knife, the apples may be thicker and will take longer to cook.
2. Place the apples in the Air Fryer basket, sprinkle your seasonings, and cover with the Air Fryer metal rack. 
3. Cook the apples at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes if apples are sliced with a mandolin. If sliced with a knife, cook for closer to 20 minutes. Flip the apple slices every 5 minutes to keep them from burning.
4. Once cooked, let the apples cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack and enjoy!

5. Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is a great option for those who want a faster way to prepare meals.

It’s especially helpful if you prefer cooked vegetables, but feel like cooking them takes too long. This gadget can steam cabbage and eggplant in 4 minutes, broccoli in 2 minutes, and potatoes in 15 minutes. 

In addition to vegetables, you can also whip up homemade applesauce or fruit jam in 30 minutes or less!

Of course, it can also be used to make veggie-packed main dishes.

The Instant Pot does have a variety of models and sizes, ranging from $60 -$200.

The Bottom Line 

There are many ways to add more fruits and vegetables into your daily routine. Having certain kitchen appliances can make eating these colorful foods easier and more convenient.

What are your favorite kitchen appliances for prepping and cooking produce? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated by Anna Smith, RDN 01/2022