Kitchen Tips and Tools
Check out these resources for quick access to recipes and tips for preparing, storing, and choosing fruits and vegetables. We’ve compiled this list to help make eating nutritious foods more time-and-budget friendly. Dive in, have a look, and let’s get cooking! If you have a recommendation for a resource you don’t see here, drop us a line using our contact form. We would love to hear from you!
Looking for more recipes and kitchen tips beyond what's in the Cooking with VT Fresh section?
- VT Fresh Quick Tip Booklet: Cooking with Vegetables A thru Z!
The VT Fresh Quick Tips booklet is a great reference tool for easy ideas on what to do with different vegetables. Each page has 4 – 8 quick cooking tips for 30+ different vegetables. - Food Hero
Food Hero is your go-to site for quick, tasty, healthy recipes and helpful tips. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you’ll find something new for your family to enjoy. - Kitchn: How to Roast Any Vegetable
Roasted veggies taste great and there’s no recipe required. Not sure how to do this? Check out this great post from The Kitchn. - A Guide to Freezing Vegetables
We don’t like freezer burn, and neither do your veggies! Check out this handy PDF for tips on how to keep your vegetables in the freezer, ready for that next VT Fresh recipe! - Just Say Yes to Fruits and Veggies
Our friends in New York put together this site with great recipes, articles and videos about cooking with fruits and veggies! - Cooking Matters
Cooking Matters is a resource for videos and recipes focused on shopping for and cooking healthy meals, even on limited food budgets! - Cooking Without a Kitchen
Select “microwave” and/or “no cook” at the top of this page to find recipes that don’t require a kitchen set-up or lots of preparation time. - Home Cooking Without a Kitchen Guide and Cookbook (PDF)
Click above to find lots of simple, tasty recipes, tips on cooking with limited kitchen tools, and to learn how to cook any veggie using a microwave! - The Produce Moms: How to Select, Store, & Serve
Here's a useful site explaining how to select, store, and serve a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- UVM Extension Nutrition Resources & Recipes
UVM Extension provides downloadable recipes and resources to encourage and support healthy eating and healthy living. - Hannaford Dietician and Healthy Living Resources
Check out Hannaford’s website for recipes, fun activities for kids, and to connect with a store dietician as well as cooking classes in Vermont!
Interested in taking a cooking class? Here are a couple we've found that might be a good fit!
- Produce Tutorials
Tips on how to steam, freeze, grill, roast, puree and more! - EatFresh.Org Mini Course
Boost your nutrition, cooking and healthy living knowledge. Each self-paced topic takes 5-10 minutes to complete.
These tips can help you identify what tools you might need to succeed in the kitchen.
- Must Have Kitchen Tools
Check out this article for a list of useful kitchen tools whether you’re a beginner or a cooking pro. You can purchase these types of items at many grocery stores or online. - Kitchen Tools for Beginners
New to cooking or have a new kitchen you need to stock? This is a list of items that could be helpful to have on hand for all your cooking needs.
Looking for ways to stretch your dollars at the grocery store?
- Weekly Meal Planner (PDF)
This weekly meal planner is a great resource to fill out before going to the grocery store or food shelf. Use the ideas provided and/or your family’s favorite nutritious meals to fill this out weekly. - USDA Eat Right when Money’s Tight (PDF)
Check out these tips on how to stretch your food dollars by planning ahead, budgeting, and preparing low-cost recipes. - Eating Better on a Budget Tips (PDF)
Cheat sheet on how to get the most for your budget! There are many ways to save money on the foods that you eat. The three main steps are planning before you shop, purchasing the items at the best price, and preparing meals that stretch your food dollars.
Are you cooking with little ones and need some help?
- Healthy Tips for Picky Eaters (PDF)
A few tips on how to support your child in trying new foods! - Kid-friendly Recipes
Check out any of these websites for simple, nutritious foods that even picky eaters will like. Try out some of these kid-friendly recipes if you’re looking for new ideas on how to get more fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet. - Healthy Eating Tip Sheets from the USDA MyPlate Program
Check out these tips for kids of all ages from the USDA: - Vegetable Gardening With Kids: Tips and Tricks!
Take your child’s cooking adventures outside the kitchen with these tips and tricks for growing your own ingredients!
VT Fresh is funded in part by the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. In Vermont, SNAP is called 3SquaresVT. It can help low-income people buy foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact Vermont Foodbank toll-free at 1-800-585-2265.
