Sad as it is, getting a great meal at home is going to require you stepping into the kitchen and doing more than opening a pre-made package of food. Since I’ve been spending time in kitchens for years now, it’s pretty obvious that it’s crucial to your health, your workouts and your wellbeing, to have some items to help you cook great meals. I make the following recommendations for these items because I use them. I get great results with them and believe you will too.

1. 1. Cookware: Unfortunately you won’t get very far without some pots and pans in a kitchen. It’s hard to boil water over an open flame holding it in your hands (I don’t recommend doing it). I started out with various off brand non-stick types, but it wasn’t until I really got a great set of pieces where I really understood the art of cooking without non-stick. To learn more about cookware, click here.
   2. Knives: Any budding cook or master chef has to rely on their knives. Without a great set of knives it will be difficult to cut, chop, or slice any ingredient without making a mess of it. There’s a certain joy in working with the right knife for the job and having a properly tuned blade for that knife. To learn more about knives, click here.
   3. Mixers: For a lot of recipes there’s no doubt you’ll spending time mixing ingredients. Whether it’s dough for breads or pizzas or desserts, it’s a really good idea to have a couple of different mixers on hand. To learn more about mixers, click here.
   4. Utensils: Spatulas, wisks, spoons, etc. The are the handy tools of the trade. Need to clean out a bowl of it’s ingredients? Stir a pot of hot food? Again, it’s not a great idea to be using hands and fingers where they can get burned. To learn more about good utensils, click here.
   5. Sous Vide: The newest addition to my cooking arsenal that I now believe no home gourmet should be without is a sous vide. Some call it cooking with a condom, but what it is is cooking in a controlled temperature of water. This leads to the most tender of chickens, burgers, eggs. It also makes an incredible way to make your own yoghurt.