We all obsess every year over cooking the perfect holiday meal for friends and family.
It all comes down to having the correct Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday gear with which to cook.
Some heavy hitters in the kitchen are a roaster for the Thanksgiving turkey, a sharp carving knife, cast iron pans, a gravy boat, a Dutch oven, instant-read thermometers, a casserole dish, a potato ricer, a rolling pin, and multiple baking sheets.
THT only recommends quality products at affordable prices, in the hopes that you and your family have the best Thanksgiving and Holiday Season possible!
What Tools Make an Easier Holiday Meal?
Some main staples on the holiday or Thanksgiving dinner table are turkey, pies, mashed potatoes, gravy, various casseroles, and salads.
With that said, there are tons of kitchen gear essentials that assist in making these dishes.
For a whole turkey, an oven-safe roaster is best, along with a fat separator for the gravy and a sharp carving knife.
Baking pies will require a rolling pin, a pie dish, and possibly baking sheets.
Are These Gadgets Oven Safe, Microwave Safe, or Dishwasher Safe?
Each tool will indicate how to clean it, and whether or not it is safe to heat in the microwave or oven.
Pay attention to the instructions on the packaging once your utensils are purchased.
Of course, a food processor may have dishwasher safe parts, but the battery or mechanical apparatus is not for the dishwasher.
Most cooking utensils should be dishwasher safe after use but check with the manufacturer.
What Foods Are Appropriate for a Christmas or Thanksgiving Meal?
THT always has your well-being in mind.
That is why we already have tons of tips on healthy holiday recipes to impress your guests.
From gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner recipes to GF Christmas recipes, to healthy holiday treats to make with your kids, we have your back this winter.
Holiday Gear Essentials
1. Cookware/Bakeware
Cookware and bakeware these days are not just eye-candy but are also promising lifesavers (especially during the holidays!).
Though it’s easy to be deceived by their aesthetics, their usefulness, durability, and versatility are far more important.
Thus, here are the Top 4 cookware and bakeware that you’ll need this holiday!
Top 1: Roasting Pan
A roasting pan is necessary whether you’re doing a roasted turkey, ham, lamb, or even vegetables during the holidays. While there’s a lot of disposable aluminum ones in the market, investing in a good one is worth it as you can use it a countless number of times and it will never tear. Not to mention that it’s less wastage too!
If you prefer the latter, this Stainless Steel Roasting Pan is big and sturdy enough for large meats and poultry. We love that it comes with an elevated rack to ensure even cooking. And, its stainless steel material ensures that you can use it at high temperatures. The drippings or fond (which is the secret to a flavorful sauce, btw) are caught easily on this rectangular stainless steel roasting pan.
Top 2: Baking Sheets
Baking sheets are essential in the kitchen and you might need a few of them handy. They come in different sizes and they can help with a lot of things from mise en place, to dripping trays, to baking the most scrumptious desserts.
While you can find a lot of them in the restaurant supply, these Non-Stick Baking Sheets make everything extra tidy and convenient. Not to mention that they are super easy to clean too!
Top 3: Pie Tins
Holidays are pie days! Make that famous apple pie, pumpkin pie, or any other pastry with a reliable pie tin. It’s great to get a pie tin with a detachable base so that it would be easy to clean the crevices and that no nasty thing would be left in it.
Speaking of which, this Attmu 9-inch Pie Tin makes a great non-stick pie pan. We love that it comes with a removable bottom too!
Top 4: Muffin Pans
Muffin pans are necessary to shape and bake our beloved muffins and cupcakes. But, did you know that you can also use it to make savory dishes like pizza cups, enchilada cups, quiches, and so much more?
Indeed! Muffin pans are so useful! And, if you’re looking for something durable and easy to clean, this Silicone Muffin Pan is our best bet.
2. Staple Items
These staple cooking items are so important that it’s hard to have a food prep day without them.
They have to be used on a near-daily basis as each serves a purpose in giving your food the best results.
Not to mention that they also help make your dishes extra presentable, keeps your cookware protected, and makes the entire preparation super tidy!
Thus, here are the Top 3 staple items that you’ll need during this holiday!
Top 1: Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is a valuable item not only for sweet treats but also for savory dishes. They have a thin layer of silicon which gives a non-stick property and heat-resistance. It also promotes even baking. Furthermore, parchment protects your baking sheets and pans from natural wear and tears and makes the whole cooking or baking process less messy.
While there are lots of parchment paper brands on the market, it’s good to know that you’ll often find two types: bleached and unbleached. Bleached parchment paper is treated with chlorine, which dyes it white. On the other hand, unbleached parchment paper is untreated and chlorine-free, which makes it brown. Though the choice will still boil down to your preference, we favor the unbleached ones since it’s safer for the environment and chemical-free. Remember, these materials will get in touch with your food.
Nevertheless, these Precut Parchment Papers allow you to choose between the two. It’s affordable and easy to use as well.
Top 2: Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil has been a staple forever. Foil works differently from parchment paper because the aluminum foil is a heat conductor. It can be used from grilling delicate meats and seafood to roasting ham, lamb, or turkey. Foil still receives much of the heat while keeping the meats moist and juicy inside.
It shouldn’t be used as a direct substitute for parchment paper or vice versa. Using an aluminum foil as a liner in baking cookies is a must-not as it can burn the bottom of the cookies.
Nonetheless, this Aluminum Foil is so sturdy that it can’t be punctured or torn easily. It’s made with a thick, high-grade material that is versatile enough to be used both in extremely low and high temperatures. Not all aluminum foil types out there can do that! After all, a sturdy aluminum foil also makes a great leftover package.
Top 3: Muffin Liners
There are many pros to using muffin liners when you bake your muffin or cupcake batter. When you use a good quality muffin liner, you can save yourself from greasing the pan, reduce the wear and tear of pans, and have a more hygienic preparation and service. Not to mention that it’s a decoration in itself too!
If you’re in for some shining, shimmering, splendid holidays, these disposable Gifbera Mini Muffin Liners are our best bet. However, if you plan to invest in something durable and reusable, these silicone muffin liners are the way to go!
3. Tools
Tools make life convenient.
These are investments, adding much value to your food, and better returns.
To create and design your fabulous holiday fare, these are the top gadgets that you should have in your kitchen arsenal.
Top 1: Probe Thermometer
Most recipes out there will tell you the food’s readiness or doneness not only by the way they appear but also based on their temperature. It’s because the most important part here is food safety. Perhaps you’re already familiar with the Temperature Danger Zone, or TDZ. If any food is in between 40ºF and 140ºF, they become more susceptible to bacteria as these pathogens thrive faster in these temperatures. That’s why it’s so important to cook, especially meats, past the 140ºF mark (except for preferred steak doneness, of course.)
Although you can certainly use a stick thermometer, we find that a digital cooking probe thermometer with timer is the best tool to use. Unlike stick thermometers, these come with a long probe that you can stick right into the thickest part of the meat (or pie), away from the bones (if any), and it’ll monitor its temperature while you’re baking, roasting, or grilling anything. The other good news is that it also comes with an instant-read timer that’ll automatically beep once the set temperature or time has been reached. Not only that it’ll allow you to abide by the food safety standards, but it’ll also prevent you from serving overcooked meals.
Top 2: Carving Knife
Any knife may be able to cut well, but the one that can cut precisely and with ease is a knife to keep. In this holiday season, when there’s a lot of delicious meat to be shared, a carving knife is your friend to make those thin, appetizing slices.
Anyhow, we’ve gathered the best carving knife that’ll suit your needs.
Top 3: Cookie Cutters
Cookie cutters are the utensils responsible for fun and creativity, especially during the holiday season. Although you can shape cookies and other baked goods with anything appropriate that you can find at home (and even with your hand), having nicely shaped cookie cutters make all the work easy, faster, and so much fun!
From Christmas trees, snowflakes, reindeer, Santa Claus, gingerbread, and snowman cutters, this amazing set of cookie cutters has got us covered for Christmas!
Top 4: Pastry Tips
Holidays are fun to be filled with creative decorations. Thus, owning a good variety of pastry tips comes in handy whether it’d be cookies, cupcakes, or cakes!
Top 5: Pastry Brush
A pastry brush can also be used as a basting brush. It’s an efficient way to spread or coat glazes, oils, sauces, and other liquids on the surface of the food for a more flavorful meal.
However, some brushes that are made from bamboo and/or boar bristles tend to shred and some tend to detach the handle. Thus, it’s better to choose the ones that come in one-piece.
For a more colorful, holiday-themed tool, this Silicone Pastry Brush Set is really useful and fun to have. Unlike regular plastic or wooden brushes, these do not melt, warp, shrink, or discolor, even at high temperatures. Not to mention that they’re super easy to clean and low maintenance too! You don’t even have to dry them after washing so that they don’t smell (some brushes made with other materials do smell if you don’t!).
Top 6: Rolling Pin
Holding a rolling pin instantly makes you feel like a pro-baker. But of course, it’s more than that as it’s a baking must-have tool. Although you can certainly use any other appropriate things like a wine bottle or long can, a rolling pin can easily thin-out your dough effortlessly. Plus, you can also use it to pound butter or even fillets for chicken cordon bleu or rolls! Definitely, something that a wine bottle cannot do!
Nonetheless, rolling pins come in sizes. A 10-inch traditional rolling pin works fine. But, if you’re in for an investment, this 12-inch gourmet rolling pin is positively worth it.
4. Equipment
It’s quite exciting to collect kitchen equipment as they are very promising for creating the best dish conveniently.
However, there are just too many of them out there that it could be daunting to make a good choice.
There may be factors to consider but it should boil down to this: choose the one that makes your life easier.
In that case, we’d say it’s good to have a combo once in a while (or once and for all).
A food processor helps in preparing holiday meals.
But, blenders sure come in handy for beverages as well.
Thus, we’ve gathered the Best Blender-Food Processor Combo to help you select the most suitable ones.
Bonus: Other Helpful Holiday Items
Christmas is indeed a season of love, fun, and creativity.
Thus, these items will get you covered from your holiday setup, preparation, service, gifts, and even the leftover takeouts!
Besides a stunning Christmas tree, this courtyard or balcony decor and centerpiece decorations add some energy and holiday vibes to complement your holiday setup.
For a more protected holiday preparation, this holiday baking set and dishtowel set has got your linens covered.
Hosting a large party? This tableware comes in handy too.
But, if you love the environment as much as we do, this more sustainable paper plate option is the best way to go.
As for the service, this Spode Christmas Tree bread basket and extra-large bamboo cutting board for the kitchen with a juice groove make the best cutting and serving dishes.
However, if you’re preparing for some holiday gifts (and some leftover takeout), these Christmas cookie boxes, take-out boxes, and food storage containers make great packaging and storage solutions.
Related Helpful Information
Now that you have the holiday essential products and some helpful items, it’s time to put them to use.
Thus, here are some healthy and yummy Christmas recipes that you can easily whip up this holiday season.
If you’re looking for yummy and handmade treats for gifts that you can do with your kids this holiday, here are some amazing recipes for you as well, as noted above.
As mentioned above, we’ve also gathered The Best Carving Knife and Best Blender-Food Processor Combo to help you with your preparation.
Note that the items listed also make wonderful gifts for the holidays.
It Takes Tools to Make the Holiday Thing Go Right
Now that we have touched on all the essentials for a fabulous Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, you will feel well-prepared when cooking your meal.
Make Thanksgiving and Christmas one to remember this year by having shiny new kitchen gadgets for your fabulous dishes.
Your guests will feel very special if you take the time to pay attention to detail, such as having nice take-out containers for leftovers.
Your meats will be more flavorful when cooked in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet.
The perfect holiday dinner is attainable when you have the right gadgets to execute all of the smaller details.
Happy Holidays, from our family to yours!
