The dazzling array of kitchen gadgets and equipment on the market can make the task of setting up one’s kitchen for Traditional Cooking seem an overwhelming and expensive undertaking.
This need not be the case!
In my newest video lesson, which I filmed for the Weston A. Price Foundation (please click here to become a subscriber of their YouTube Channel), I show you exactly how to set up your kitchen quickly and inexpensively!  The equipment shown in the video consists of exactly the same type of items I use in my own kitchen. These items easily meet all the needs I have for cooking meals from scratch day in and day out for my family of five.
What type of equipment do you find indispensable in your kitchen when preparing traditional meals? Do you have a favorite appliance? Please share your ideas!
For a complete transcript of this video, click here.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
Oops forgot…the ice cream maker is used DAILY here. Love that thing. The kids wanted “Italian ice,” so we mixed strawberry puree, freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and raw honey, and tossed it in the ice cream maker. Delicious. It makes frozen raw milk yogurt. Plus the ever-popular ice cream! We usually use plain raw milk because my husband does not like it so creamy. We picked strawberries today, so tonight we’ll have fresh strawberry ice cream. 🙂 (Hence why I bought a gallon of grade B maple syrup at the farmer’s market the other week…)
I have most of what you recommend. Stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel cookware — I try to use the latter two whenever possible. I have mostly glass bakeware, Pyrex, lots of mason jars. I don’t have a microwave. I love my dehydrator, and my Vitamix, which grinds grains as well as being a blender (and food processor). I use my dehydrator ALL the time to make jerky, dry spices, incubate yogurt, make dried fruit and fruit “leathers,” and so on. My husband was wary when I wanted it a year and a half ago but acknowledges it was totally worth it. I’d so recommend it if you are planning to do a lot of preserving. (Oh, and the stock pots…I just have 8 and 16 qt which is enough most of the year but another one would be a HUGE help during canning season.)
hi kate-
what kind of dehydrator do you use?
I really like how you made everything seem so simple and clear. I still need an ice cream maker for summertime, but I have everything else you mentioned… but, my favorite “cooking” item is my juicer! I use it for making coconut milk- my favorite morning treat 🙂
Very helpful and informative-loved it!
Just viewed your video, great job!
Great video! Ha, I guess I’m not the only one using the microwave to store baked goods! My only problem is that sometimes I forget they are in there. 🙂
Didn’t you have another article about not using cast iron? After I threw everything out and bought lots of cast iron! 😀 Great video, and I have a similar kitchen (and the same ice cream maker). I didn’t see any stoneware in your video, but I love mine. I don’t promote Pampered Chef, but I did host a party so I could stock up on it. I use it almost everyday, and feel good that it was made in the USA, plus it gives great flavor to food. I was lusting for a Bosch, but you’re right, I make do without one. One thing I have to add is a stockpot, for the amount of broths I do.
Enamel cast iron is ok .. I mention this as being an option if I recall.
I love my Danish Dough Hook for mixing my own bread dough by hand. I also use vintage pyrex glass bowls and refridgerator dishes for storing and reheating food. I’ve gotten some great deals on ebay for the pyro-ceram corningware blue cornflower baking dishes. They are amazing for almost anything you are going to make. I soak my grains in them and then cook them in the same dish. I make yogurt in them. You can heat the milk in it on the stove top, then cool it, culture it, and then store it in the refridgerator, all in the same dish. I love them.
Thanks .. I so hope that folks find this information helpful on their Traditional Cooking adventure.
Hi Sarah. Does your oven go below 170 degrees for drying nuts and such? Or do you feel that doesn’t matter? I am looking to buy a dehydrator but not sure if I REALLY need it for drying my nuts, etc. Please let me know your thoughts.
Hi Elizabeth, My oven does go below 170F, but I had do basically reset the oven temp to do this. If you check your oven’s user manual, it will tell you whether your model can do this or not. My oven is 12 years old so it doesn’t have to be really new to have this option. If you don’t have this option, you will need a dehydrator or a toaster oven that you can set a low temp for. The problem with toaster ovens is that you can only dry very small batches.
My oven doesn’t go below 170 and all of my nuts, with the exception of Brazil nuts which are very large, turn out wonderful. The Brazil nuts would need a lower temp to completely dry in the center.