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Eating out less was by far the most effective method that my family implemented to save loads of cash quickly. We saved $200 in our first month of meal planning, packing lunches, and eliminating over 75% of eating out. However, I learned quickly that this required planning, organization, and prep time. Here are 20 kitchen gadgets that save money in the long run and are worth the splurge. They will pay for themselves in no time and will be saving you loads of cash month after month.

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20 Kitchen Gadgets that Save Money

1. A quality, stainless steel, vacuum insulated water bottle

I’ve saved time and money, just by making sure to take a water bottle before I leave the house. You never know when an errand or an appointment will last longer than expected. Having water on hand prevents you from cutting errands short, or even worse, paying for a beverage because you’re dying of thirst.

I’ve purchased several water bottles in the past and didn’t see the need to replace my trusty, budget-friendly Contingo bottle, at first. It’s leak-proof, durable and keeps water ice cold for a few hours.

Until I received a Hydroflask as a Christmas gift a few years ago. Not only does my water taste more fresh, but my water stays ice-cold hours longer than my Contingo. I’ve left my Hydroflask sitting in my car for hours, and my water stayed ice-cold and fresh tasting!

I’m also a fan of the Yeti tumblers. I fill it with ice before I leave for work and just fill it with water throughout the day. My water stays super cold all day. I’m always shocked at the end of my 9-10 hour workday since there’s always a large amount of ice left.

2. A quality, stainless steel and vacuum insulated travel mug

This also goes along with recommendation #1 above. Having a durable, strong insulated travel mug makes all the difference. I’ve tried several cute plastic coffee mugs that weren’t durable or not insulated enough. With my hour-long commute, it’s extremely important that my travel mug withstands an occasional fall or two. It also needs to keep my coffee piping hot. This is the one that I’ve been using for the last few months.

3. A cute, adorable sturdy lunch bag

Packing your lunch is a huge cost saver, so buy a lunch bag that you’ll enjoy using every day. I recommend purchasing something cute and adorable. I don’t see anything wrong in investing in a lunch bag that you’ll love looking at every day. It will keep you motivated to pack your lunch.

4. Several reusable snack bags

I actually owned Blue Avocado reusable snack bags before I started on my debt-free journey. I randomly found them at Target on clearance a few years ago. These are handy for carrying dining utensils back and forth for lunch. I transport forks, spoons, and knives this way. You can also use these as snack bags too.

5. Several glass divided containers

Packing lunch has become a favorite part of my day now. Half the battle is trying to find ways of transporting different types of food without spilling or damaging the food. Buying divided glass containers will make lunch prep something that you actually look forward to. I use glass containers for items that I will need to reheat at work.

Glass food containers also keep your leftovers and food fresh in your refrigerator. I have several to store cut fruit, veggies, and sliced or shredded cheese.

6. Several BPA free plastic containers

This recommendation also goes hand in hand with recommendation #5 above. Plastic containers are very useful for lunch items that don’t require reheating like sandwiches fruit, veggies, and salads. Plastic containers are lighter and easier to transport than glass containers. Since I’m only storing food for a few hours, I don’t have a problem with freshness.

Quality plastic containers may seem like an unnecessary cost, but they won’t warp, discolor, or break like the cheaper alternatives. I love this salad container from Bentgo. My salad stays fresh and all of the ingredients stay dry and separated.

7. Airtight food storage containers

Buying in bulk and storing in airtight food containers will save money and time. We store pasta, cereal, flour, sugar, and snacks in these handy containers. You can easily see how much you have on hand too.

8. A BPA-free leakproof bento lunchbox.

A bento meal is a Japanese method of arranging a single take-out or home-made packed lunch. The meal is transported in a decorative lunch box container. A quality Bento lunchbox is leak-proof, BPA-free, and has different compartments that prevent spills and food mixing.

We bought this Yumbox for my son when we realized he wasn’t eating the school’s cafeteria lunches. He came home raving how jealous his friends were of his cool lunchbox. Plus, he ate every single thing we packed.

He quickly outgrew the kid-size Yumbox, so we invested in a larger Bentgo Fresh lunchbox instead. We’ve been satisfied with the durability of both lunchboxes and highly recommend them. They’re also really fun and practical for adult lunches too.

9. Personal Heated Lunchbox

I have been using this HotLogic Mini Personal Heated Lunchbox for over three years. It reheats my food perfectly, and I’ve stopped using the microwave at work. My lunch heats up beautifully without being overcooked and tasting rubbery or tough. Plus, my lunch is ready when I am. It holds the perfect serving temperature until I’m ready to eat. I’ve never had anything dry out or burn.

The HotLogic oven heats up a variety of leftovers that I would never dream of heating up in a microwave. I easily heat up steak, pizzas, and even grilled cheese sandwiches. I look forward to lunchtime now since I don’t have to worry about waiting for the microwave. My food tastes way better reheated this way.

10. A good cutting knife or salad cutter

So, I know you’re probably saying, “Of course I need a good cutting knife” so why is this even listed? After throwing salad bag mixes away, I realized that it would be way cheaper to prep my own salads at home. The salad bags wilted, browned, and spoiled within a few days. I wasted a lot of salad and threw out way more salad than I care to admit.

Chopping greens at home takes very little time. Salad greens taste more fresh and crisp too. Having a good knife or salad cutter makes all the difference. I absolutely love this salad cutter! Cutting salad lettuce and veggies is quick, easy and fun! This is definitely a splurge if you have a good cutting knife, but I highly suggest it.

11. A salad spinner

A salad spinner is a necessity when rinsing and drying salad greens sliced with recommendation #9 above. It takes absolutely no time at all to rinse and dry salad, and it’s also pretty fun too. I never realized how fresh and crisp newly washed, dry salad greens can taste. Before this, I was so frustrated that my salads never tasted as fresh as the restaurants. Now I know their secret.

I used to rinse my salad greens in a regular strainer, drip dry, and serve. Using a salad spinner makes all the difference! I can’t remember where I purchased mine, but here is a similar one.

12. A produce storage bin

A produce storage bin will keep your salad greens fresh too. You’ll be shocked at how much you’ll enjoy eating salads again. All of your salad ingredients are ready when you are. You won’t dread the thought of chopping, rinsing and drying salad veggies every time you want a salad.

13. A cheese slicer

A good cheese slicer will save loads of money. Before we realized how easy it was to slice our own cheese, we would buy packaged sliced cheese weekly.

Taking the time to buy the big blocks of Costco cheese and slice it ourselves is worth it. We slice the cheese right away and store them in glass containers from recommendation #5 above. The cheese stays fresher longer than buying bulk sliced cheese too.

14. A rotary cheese grater

A rotary cheese grater also saves time and money. Before I knew these rotary cheese graters existed, I owned the typical metal box grater. Shredding cheese with the old metal box was annoying. The cheese constantly slipped out of my hand. I always ended up with that last little piece that I couldn’t shred.

Finding a rotary cheese grater like this one was a game-changer. It’s easy to drop the cheese in, crank the wheel, and watch your grated cheese pour out the other end. We shred the Costco cheese block and have saved a ton of money this way.

15. A food slicer or mandoline

Eating at home requires meal prep and planning. Rinsing, cleaning, and cutting veggies was one of the chores that I hated. As I mentioned before, I dreaded making salad simply because I didn’t want to chop everything up. A quality food slicer or mandoline will make cutting veggies like cucumbers or carrots a breeze. Life is easier when all of your salad items are ready to go. My hubby uses this to make homemade pico-de-gallo. It’s fast, easy and a snap to clean.

16. A combination lemon and lime hand juicer

We drink a lot more water now to save money. On a normal week, we could spend up to $15 a week on beverages like juices, soda, or iced tea. But drinking plain water gets boring really fast. We squeeze lime or lemon in our water with a drop or two of liquid stevia for sweetness. This handy juicer is easy to use when we want to add a little twist of lime or lemon to our water.

17. A beverage pitcher

This recommendation also sounds like common sense. We were so used to buying beverages that we never thought of making our own at home. Instead of drinking soda or juices, iced tea has become our main beverage other than water. We brew a pitcher at a time. It’s always ready whenever we want something to drink other than water.

18. A Slow Cooker

I’ve been using a crockpot ever since I got married over twenty-five years ago. It saves time and makes lower cuts of meat tender and full of flavor. This is by far one of my top favorite kitchen appliances of all time.

19. An Electric Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

I confess that I just started warming up to the Instant Pot craze. I love my crockpot and was convinced that slow cooking created tastier recipes. This handy appliance can cook just about anything in less than half the time.

20. A Food Saver

A Food Saver vacuum packs meats, leftovers, and a variety of items that you’d like to preserve. I’ve had mine for over 10 years and have saved so much just by freezing leftovers and bulk meats.

The Last Thing You Need to Know About Kitchen Gadgets that Save Money

These twenty kitchen gadgets save time and money. If you really want to save some serious cash, commit to cooking at home. You’ll need these kitchen gadgets to help store, transport, and prepare your meals. You’ll also be eating healthier and spending more time with family prepping and eating meals together. These kitchen gadgets that save money will soon become your favorite kitchen items.

Please share the kitchen gadgets that you use that save time and money. I would love to hear your money-saving tips and tricks in the kitchen too.