20 Kitchen Essentials for Under $20

Must have beginner frugal kitchen items – What you need to start cooking at home more and save money.

If you saw my post about how we cut our monthly food expenses in half, you know that a huge part of that was due to eating at home. Well now that we’re starting to cook more, I’m realizing there are just certain things I can’t live without. And they are simple beginner kitchen items, really.

I feel justified in buying them because the hundreds of dollars we are saving each month by not eating out more than make up for the cost of these few items. It’s no secret that you can save a ton by cooking at home. In fact, this woman says she saved 10k a year by cooking at home.

And if it makes your life in the kitchen SO MUCH EASIER then they are worth every penny right? So here’s my list of kitchen essentials that are as useful as they are inexpensive.

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Kitchen Item Basic: A Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl

I can’t live without this. There’s going to be a lot of Pyrex-wear on this list because quite frankly it’s a miracle substance! Handles heat and cold super well, and something about using glass over plastic just feels better.

Pretty much every recipe I use includes mixing something together so I am always using it. And also, if you want to serve the meal in the bowl it looks beautiful since it’s just simple clear glass. Perfect!

Beginner Cook’s Necessity – Silicone Kitchen Utensil Set

I chose this one specifically because most of the items in it are one solid piece or have few grooves/cracks in the handles. I get skeeved out when I think about spatulas and pasta spoons that have all those little nooks and crannies.

Can you guess why? Because food gets stuck down in there and never comes out! Even in the dishwasher, with which I strive to have all of my kitchen stuff compatible, it’s so difficult to make sure it’s free of stowaway food particles. So, these are a great set, and the fact that they’re silicone is even better because they hold up to heat and are safe on nonstick cookwear.

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Essential Kitchen Item: Chef’s Knife

If you were only going to have one knife in your kitchen, this would be it. It’s absolutely necessary for cutting up all of those vegetables you’re for sure eating now right? Even if you’re not, it’s versatile enough to use when cutting meat as well. This one is a good basic starter knife that will allow you to get used to using it and then you can upgrade later should you find the need.

Frugal Kitchen Essential – Knife Sharpener

Now that you have a good all-around knife, you absolutely need to keep it sharp. It’s actually safer than letting it get dull and trying to use it. This is a great basic tool that is a must have in any kitchen, and will last you an extremely long time.

Starter Kitchen Tools: Cutting Board

Of course, once you have the knife you need to have something to cut on. And no, it can’t just be a plate or something! (Trust me I was guilty of this.) Not only is it bad for the thing you are cutting on but it will also wear out your knife. So use these instead. They are dishwasher friendly (my fav) and easy to handle.

Kitchen Basics – Liquid Measuring Cups

So important, I love the 1 and 2 cup versions. They are easy to read and I love how the measurements are in both cups and ounces. The latter comes in handy when I’m reading international recipes, which I do more of as I get braver!

Frugal Cooking Essential – Cast Iron Skillet

You know what’s amazing about this? You can cook on top of the stove with it and then transfer the whole thing into the oven and bake it all together! That just blew my mind when I started seeing recipes that did that.

Also, the cast iron skillet has a bit of a learning curve in that you need to care for it with seasoning and proper cleaning but once you get that down it can do some fantastic things. Iron’s properties give you an equal heating surface so everything cooks evenly, which is crucial to many recipes.

Must Have for a Beginner Cook – Pyrex Casserole Dish (with Lid!!)

The best thing about this is that it comes with a lid. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to cook a casserole, enjoy eating it, and then snap that lid on there and throw it into the fridge! No cleanup, and storage is a breeze. You’ll have to see it for yourself.

Dry Measuring Cups

Alright, so technically these measure the same amounts as the liquid measuring cups above BUT they are designed to measure your dry ingredients much more easily and accurately. You’ll find that in baking especially, getting exact amounts right can make or break your finished product. Which is why I still find these essential.

Every Starter Kitchen Needs Measuring Spoons

Rounding out the last of the measuring kitchen essentials are these wonderful measuring spoons. Yes, there is a set in the cooking utensils item above, but you can never have too many. Plus, these are metal, so they’ll last forever AND magnetic so they’ll stay together too!

Which is great for me because I always seem to lose the one that measures 1 teaspoon for some reason. I also like that these are double sided because sometimes you have a spice jar that is just more narrow than the rest.

A Frugal and Ecofriendly Kitchen Essential – Reusable Food Bags

These are an incredible product and have replaced all of my plastic baggy needs! One of my favorite products on this list because they 1) are awesome 2) help you save money (no more buying sandwich bags!!) and 3) help reduce plastic waste for the planet! SO lovely.

Trust me when I say, I’ve tried a few different versions of these bags and I keep coming back to this Stasher brand. It’s the most durable, best product for the job, hands down.

Beginner’s Kitchen Item – Reusable Food Wrap

Another eco-friendly find, these reusable beeswax wrappers are so cool. They are a sustainable way to wrap up food or cover bowls of all shapes and sizes. Best of all you can wash and reuse them, unlike plastic wrap! They last for about a year but after that they are compostable so still leagues ahead of plastic alternatives.

Starter Frugal Cooks Need a Nonstick Bakeware Pan

This versatile pan is a good quality brand that will last you a very long time. The fact that you can use it for baking a variety of things secures it’s position on the kitchen essentials list. But it’s just calling out for brownies, can you hear it?

Frugal Kitchen Essential – Silicone Baking Mat

I’m constantly surprised at how much I need this item now that I cook most things at home. When I make pizza – I need it. Cinnamon rolls – I need it. Shepard’s pie – I need it! It has come in handy so many times.

This set is a good quality, and most importantly for me, is non-stick. It’s also super useful that it has the measurements right on the mat, a multi-tasking benefit! However, I don’t use them in the oven higher than 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Thin silicone like this doesn’t stand up to that much heat very well.

Must-Have for New Cooks: Kitchen Shears

Next up on our list of kitchen essentials are kitchen shears. You’ll want these for all kinds of food related odds and ends. Clipping basil or other herbs, cutting celery, and even the occasional bag of tater tots if you’re me. What’s great about these is that they come apart for easy cleaning so you already know I’m a fan.

Beginner Cook Necessity – Soup Pot

More than any other pot or pan, you need a large soup pot. If you were going to buy only one of the cookware kitchen essentials, it should be this. Because think about it, not only is it obviously perfect for soup, but it can serve as a frying pan in a pinch.

From boiling water to cooking a one-pot meal this is your must have cookware. Yes, this particular one also costs just over $20 but I couldn’t pass it up because it’s so perfect.

Note: This next item isn’t quite under $20, but it’s are so close, and so awesome, that I hope you’ll forgive me for including it.

Essential Kitchen Item: Baking Sheet

Also a necessary baking item: the baking sheet. Not just for cookies, this sheet pan is ideal for baking veggies and meat for a simple, easy, and healthy meal right from your oven. This set of three ensures you’ll never run out of space when baking multiple foods at the same time.

Frugal Kitchen Item – Hand Towel

Another versatile essential, the hand towel can replace most of your paper towel usage. As a reformed chronic paper towel user, I can attest to this.

These are perfect because you can use them for recipes where you need to strain water from a fine substance and don’t want to lose anything other than the liquid. Also doubles as an oven mitt when the timer is blaring, smoke is beginning to curl up from the oven door, and you need to get that pan out now.

Necessity for Beginner Kitchens: Colander

Speaking of removing liquid, this colander should be a key element in your kitchen. I use mine practically every day and I love this particular one because it’s adjustable handles fit any sink. Also, it folds flat for storage which is neat.

For Beginner Cooks – Grater/Peeler

Okay, I cheated a little and this last one is actually two items. But they are both so important to your kitchen essentials I couldn’t choose and leave one out! Plus they come in a set so it counts.

The grater is so useful when you need finely shredded anything – cheese, veggies, herbs. And the peeler is necessary for, well, getting rid of peels! Things I definitely can’t live without and you shouldn’t either.

Rounding Up Essential Beginner Kitchen Items

That’s all 20! These are the most basic kitchen essentials I feel are necessary to get started when cooking more at home. Luckily, you can make great food with these without breaking the bank and as an added bonus end up saving yourself tens of thousands over a lifetime.

I’m sure as we continue I’ll find that there are some other items I need to truly maximize my skills. But for now, I’m set! Are there any must haves I’ve left off this list that you use all the time? Let me know!

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20 Kitchen Essentials for Under $20