Jackson Free Press

In our endeavors to live simply and cut back our food spending, my husband, Mason, and I have found how important it is to cook at home. A delicious homemade meal tastes so much better and is even cheaper than eating a meal at a fast food restaurant. Part of the motivation for cooking at home, however, is having good tools that make your time in the kitchen rewarding.

In addition to the challenges of eating on a budget, we also have the challenge of a small living space. Not only does everything in our kitchen have to be useful, but it has to fit adequately in our space, leaving us room to cook. We achieve this by owning kitchen appliances and utensils that perform multiple tasks and take up little space.

Mixing Bowls/Serving Bowls. We have a set of 10 glass bowls that nest inside each other. Because they are attractive as well as practical, they can go straight from the kitchen to the table. This saves space, time and dishwashing.

Coffee Grinder/French Press. Not only is French press coffee more delicious than drip coffee, it takes up a very small space on our counter. We can store a coffee grinder and French press in less space than a coffeemaker, and our morning coffee tastes better.

Dutch Oven. When you're making a stew, soup or meat dish, a Dutch oven is invaluable, as it can be used on the stovetop and in the oven, as well as on the table as a serving dish. They're heavy, sturdy and last forever.

Stand Mixer. Stand mixers are expensive, so they aren't great for last-minute purchases. However, if you do any amount of baking, they are a fantastic investment. As one who has made cakes entirely by hand without a mixer, I am thankful for mine, which sits prominently on my counter and gets used at least twice a week.

Its functions are many, but the basic model mixes, whips and kneads. If you're willing to purchase attachments, you can make ice cream, pasta, ground meat and fresh squeezed juice.

Bread Machine. This is one appliance that takes up a good bit of space on the counter, though it has only one function; however, I have found that it saves time as well as money. We now eat delicious, healthful bread that is made with real ingredients. All I have to do is put in the components and let the machine work its magic.

There is one major appliance that we don't have in our kitchen: a microwave. To be honest, we own one, but it remains stored most of the time. In my effort to make healthy, home-cooked, inexpensive food, I found that I was using the microwave less and less, and it was becoming a huge waste of space.

Our journey in frugality has led us to eat better and use our time and space more wisely. And in that we are blessed.

Chambord French press, $40, Everyday Gourmet
Le Creuset Dutch ovens, $48 (enamel-on-steel stock pot) or $303 (large enameled cast iron), Persnickety
Cuisinart Coffee Grinder, $26, Everyday Gourmet (Ridgeland location)
Cuisinart automatic bread maker, $134.99, Belk
Viking professional stand mixer, $369.95 (on sale), Viking Cooking School
Spice Carousel, $35.99, Organizers
Duralex mixing bowls, $2.50-$23.50, Everyday Gourmet

WHERE2SHOP
Belk (Northpark Mall, 1200 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-8525)
Everyday Gourmet (1625 E. County Line Road, Suite 500, 601-977-9258)
Organizers (Highland Village, 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 174, 601-981-1973)
Persnickety (2078 Main St., Madison, 601-853-9595)
Viking Cooking School/Everyday Gourmet (The Township at Colony Park, 1107 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 111, Ridgeland, 601-898-9292)