The holidays are inching closer by the moment, and that means it’s time to prepare for all those deliciously festive dinners you’ll be making. Perhaps you’ve been pinning your most anticipated Christmas dinner recipes for months in advance, or you’re scrambling to find easy holiday dinner recipes like crostinis or veggie chips, or you’re just in it for the Christmas cookies. Either way, you’re going to need the cooking equipment to execute these dishes.
Kudos to all of the resourceful cooks who can think on their feet. They serve appetizers in cereal bowls or wash lettuce in a pasta strainer. But if you want to reduce the amount of panic you may face in the kitchen this holiday season, equip yourself with the proper tools. With these cooking essentials ready to ship quickly to you from Amazon, preparing your favorite holiday dishes will be a piece of cake. (Literally.)
Salads
1. 1 Step Kitchen Salad Cutter Bowl ($12): Sometimes the greatest assets are the ones which we never knew existed. This salad cutter is equipped with a cutting board, strainer, salad spinner, vegetable chopper, salad cutter, and vegetable sliver, a mini chopper, and a bowl all in one. If that seems like a lot, it’s because it is. And that, precisely, is why this affordable contraption is a cooking essential.
2. OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner ($30): Once you have your fruits and veggies all cut up and ready to go with your lettuce and leafy greens, it’s time to wash and spin your salad with a handy spinner like this one. As a bonus, the container also doubles as a serving dish.
Appetizers
3. KEBE Stainless Steel Tongs ($13): That tong t-tong tong tong. (Sisqo, anybody?) When serving appetizers (or anything, really), it’s important not to skimp out on the actual serving part. A nice pair of stainless steel tongs will allow your guests to tastefully (and sanitarily!) grab the hors-d’oeuvre you’re serving. Not to mention, you can use tongs to serve chicken wings, salad, or whatever else you whip up.
4. Avant 3-Compartment Appetizer Tray ($13): Don’t just leave those store-bought finger foods in the plastic containers. Instead, you should go the extra mile by displaying them properly in an appetizer tray. Cooked your own holiday appetizers? Even more of a reason why your precious creations shouldn’t just be strewn on paper plates or haphazardly placed in cereal bowls. An appetizer tray is a kitchen essential that will make the lovely foods that you cooked (or bought) look that much better.
Main Dishes And Sides
5. Corningware Casserole Dish ($50): Let’s be real for a second: Is there anything that screams “holiday” louder than a good old casserole dish? Whether you’re serving turkey, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, or anything else that is part of your usual holiday menu, a Corningware dish (or four) will make cooking and subsequently serving your dishes a bit easier.
6. GDEALER Cooking Thermometer ($29): Food safety is always of the utmost importance, but even more so when you’re heading to a potluck with your favorite recipe or hosting a big holiday dinner. This makes a cooking thermometer an absolute necessity — that way you can know exactly which temperature your meat is and cook it until it’s safe to eat.
8. Lipper International Bamboo Trivets ($11): If you’ve never heard of a trivet, you’re in good company. Many people haven’t, but they’re a glorious tool to keep handy in your kitchen. Trivets are what you rest hot pans on when you’re serving food on your table but don’t want it to get marked, stained, or burned. A trivet will disperse and diffuse the heat, and you can get them in tons of styles, from these bamboo ones to silicone or cast iron options.
For Christmas Cookies and Holiday Pies
9. UtenLid Cookie Tower ($40): Sure, you may have your epic holiday cookie recipe down to a science. But what about your display? If you just throw them on a cute little plate, you’re not alone. But you could up your holiday hosting game by using a cookie tower. You can also use this tray to display cupcakes or appetizers.
10. Talisman Designs Adjustable Pie Crust Shield ($8): Crafting the perfect pie is a skill, and definitely not for the faint of heart. But even the most seasoned bakers can occasionally end up with a disfigured pie crust or a pie crust that is burnt. Yuck. Instead, a pie shield will ensure that your pie is perfect from the inside out. It’s a small price to pay for the bragging rights of the best. Pie. Ever.
What holiday dishes will you be serving this season? For more holiday cooking inspo, check us out on Pinterest!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
