Shake It Up
For those who want or need to avoid excess sugars or allergens found in some of the most popular dressings, it's simple to make a from-scratch salad-topper or chicken marinade. Pop the lid off of this OXO Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker, and the process is as easy as layering ingredients (up to 1.5 cups) according to the measurements labeled on the side of the canister. Replace the airtight top, shake, and flip back the lever to open no-drip spout. Whatever doesn't get used in one meal can be stored in the fridge until the next. Available on Amazon; $14.99.
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Spa Water At Home
Soda sales may be on the decline but that doesn't mean Americans have given up their love of sweet drinks. For a healthier alternative to the popular sugary beverages, many have begun to flavor their drinking water at home. To sweeten filtered or tap water, simply cut a selection of melons, berries, or citrus into bite-size pieces and stuff them into the insert on the Vremi Fruit Infuser Water Pitcher—along with bagged tea or herbs like mint or basil—then reassemble the pitcher. Your custom flavor will be ready for sipping after it chills for just four hours. Available on Amazon; $18.99.
Related: 10 Gadgets for Every Lazy Cook's Kitchen
Keep Things Steamy
Steaming ranks among the very healthiest cooking methods, because like boiling, it involves neither fats nor oils. And whereas boiling tends to steal flavor, at least from many vegetables, steaming does not. A countertop steamer, like this one from Oster, makes it easy to get tasty, nourishing results every time. For added convenience, the two-tiered Oster enables you to prepare multiple foods at once, and the removable, dishwasher-safe bowls nest for easy storage when not in use. Available at Amazon; $23.07.
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Air Control
Those who have resolved to eat healthier this year, may not need to completely cut out fried foods like breaded chicken strips, fries, and homemade falafel. For any health conscious person who isn't quite ready to give up on their guilty pleasures, the answer is to start cooking with air. The Philips Air Fryer lets you cook your favorite fried foods with 75% less oil than traditional frying methods. Drop a mere tablespoon (or less) of oil into the machine, add your food, and let the cooker work its magic. An included cookbook contains 150 recipes to make with the versatile cooker. Available on Amazon; $101.99.
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Veggie Spaghetti
Carb-loving health nuts have discovered how to eat their cake (or pasta) and have it, too: Turn fresh veggies into noodles. The SpiralLife vegetable spiralizer makes it easy to transform zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, and more into thin strips that can be prepared as pasta alternatives or salad toppings. The manually operated gadget wastes almost no part of the vegetable, providing lots of food with little effort. Available on Amazon; $11.97.
Related: 7 Tips for Quick and Easy Cleanup After Dinner
Blend and Go
Fruit and vegetable smoothies have become enormously popular among the health conscious over the last few years, partly on account of powerful yet compact personal blenders. Small enough to leave out on your countertops, and with fewer moving parts to manage (and clean), user-friendly options like NutriBullet turn smoothie-making into a quick, painless process, while ensuring that it's dead-simple to take your drink creations with you as head out the door. Available at Amazon; $79.99.
Related: 11 Ways You're Accidentally Ruining Your Cookware
Crisp and Clean
Nobody likes soggy lettuce, so it's surprising how many health-conscious home cooks lack the proper tools to quickly wash and dry their salad greens. Enter the OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, which lets the user easily dry lettuce. Simply load the washed veggies into the BPA-free basket, put on the lid, and work the non-slip pump to remove excess water. Push the brake button when finished, then use the basket as a serving bowl for your delicious (and healthy) salad. Available on Amazon; $29.95.
Related: 10 Things Always to Keep Near Your Kitchen Sink
Good to the Last Drop
Chomping down on the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day can get boring. Get the nutritional benefits with less effort with the Aicok Juicer Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor, which can squeeze the juice of celery, oranges, apples, lettuce, carrots, and other produce while also keeping the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. With dishwasher-safe parts and quiet operation, the juicer is a staple in every healthy kitchen. Available on Amazon; $149.99.
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Perfect Portions
The question of how much pasta constitutes a serving so perplexes people that thousands turn to Google each month in search of the answer. While many home cooks simply eyeball it, boiling extra-large portions to be sure there's enough for all to enjoy, others prefer not to be tempted to overdo it on the carbs. For those people, there's the Delightly Spaghetti Measure Tool to help keep things in control. Whether cooking for one or for the family, the four serving size measurements give cooks the information they need to make exactly the amount of food they want—and nothing more. Available on Amazon; $9.99.
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A Light Mist
Americans are consuming more olive oil than ever before, thanks in large part to the perception that it is a healthier alternative to butter and other oils. While it's true that olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat (the healthier cousin of saturated fat), eaters should still use it sparingly, as they would any other oil. An olive oil spritzer, like this one by Misto, doles out a modest helping of the stuff to coat your food, pan, or grill. Available on Amazon; $8.99.
Related: 9 Genius Ways to Store Your Holiday Leftovers
Don't Miss!
All aspects of life look different in 2020—and that includes Black Friday shopping. Major retailers are already offering seasonal deals and promotions in their online stores, so you can stock up on gifts for friends, family, and maybe even yourself.
