Kitchen Storage & Organization
The most comfortable kitchens are free from clutter with the most frequently used utensils within easy reach. Adequate storage space is essential to ensuring your kitchen stays tidy and well organized— if your kitchen is short on storage, clever design ideas can maximize space and increase the functionality of your kitchen. The proper choice of cookware can also help with storage limitations. For food storage, other factors should also be considered.
Cookware Materials
1. Enamel Coated Cookware
The top choice of cookware material for my kitchen will always be enamel. The enamel coating is made of glass, an inert material that provides a completely safe cooking surface. As long as there are no chips in the coating, chemicals from the metal base won’t leach into your food. The inner core of enamel cookware can be made of cast iron, stainless steel, or aluminum, giving the cookware the versatile ability to perform different cooking and baking tasks.
2. Stainless-Steel Cookware
Stainless steel is durable, elegant, and easy to maintain, making it highly attractive to many cooks. Most stainless steel cookware lines are dishwasher safe and do not need to be seasoned before the first use, a useful time-saving feature for cooks with a busy schedule. The metal alloy also doesn’t react with foods (except for those that are highly acidic), so you can cook delicious meals without fear of chemicals dissolving into your food.
3. Ceramic Coated Cookware
Ceramic-coated cookware has increased in popularity during the last decade as many cooks have started looking for a safer non-stick alternative to Teflon. The practical non-stick feature and variety of colors are two main advantages of many newly-launched cookware lines. However, the longevity of the non-stick functionality has often become a concern after multiple uses. Manufacturers have been investing in new technologies to make the ceramic coating more durable with increased non-stick capabilities for many years. Have their efforts paid off?
Kitchen Accessories
Cutting Boards
No kitchen is complete without a cutting board. This essential kitchen accessory can be made from many types of materials, each with its pros and cons. Some attractive cutting boards are not knife-friendly, while some of the more knife-friendly cutting boards lack sturdiness and durability. Most kitchens have at least a few cutting boards, and it is recommended to use different boards for different types of foods. Some board sets are conveniently color-coded to avoid any guesswork in using the same board for raw meat or vegetables.
Kitchen Utensils
Kitchen utensils are multitasking tools for preparing, cooking, and serving meals, and must be compatible with your cookware. For example, most non-stick cooking surfaces are fragile and cannot handle metal spatulas, spoons, or ladles, and require wooden, bamboo, or silicone utensils to avoid scratches. Wooden kitchen tools look elegant, fit perfectly in the hand, and are pleasantly quiet. Silicone utensils with a stainless-steel core can offer the optimal combination of sturdiness, flexibility, and smooth design.
Eco-Friendly Disposable Tableware
Due to increasing environmental concerns around the continuous use of disposable plastics, the production of plastic tableware has dropped significantly in recent years. There is also an increasing demand for biodegradable and reusable tableware for use at weddings, parties, and special occasions. Eco-friendly tableware is produced from sustainable materials with minimal environmental impact, and there are also green alternatives for single-use plastic packaging and food covers.
