Dining out or ordering food can be especially expensive due to inflation and rising labor costs. Even fast food has become more expensive, and people are cutting back on drive-thrus due to being put off by the high prices. According to a recent LendingTree survey, “78% of consumers consider fast food a luxury because it has become more expensive, and half of Americans say they consider fast food a luxury because they are struggling financially.”
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The survey also found that 67% of people believe fast food should be cheaper than eating at home, but 75% of consumers say that's not the case. “Furthermore, almost half (46%) say fast food restaurants charge similar prices to local sit-down restaurants, while 22% say fast food is more expensive.”
As more people cook at home to save money, buying the tools you need to create delicious meals can be expensive. There are countless high-end kitchen gadgets out there, but you don't have to stuff your cupboards with fancy equipment. Cooking at home doesn't have to cost a lot of money or require expensive kitchen equipment. GOBankingRates interviewed Andrew Owens, a Michelin-trained chef and private caterer in Joshua Tree, California, who revealed the secrets of the inexpensive items every thrifty person should buy.
China Cap/Chinoise Strainer
“China caps or chinois strainers are essentials, and they come in a variety of sizes,” says Chef Owens. Great for straining soups and sauces, china caps can also be used for other purposes, making them even better value for budget-conscious shoppers.
“I also use it to make a delicious potato puree or gnocchi,” Chef Owens says. “You can use it to make sauces or purees where you need to break down starchy chunks, and it's the perfect tool for that.”
He adds: “I also use it as a pasta strainer – it's great if you dump something down the sink and need to strain it as only the liquid gets through.”
Cotton T-shirt
Although t-shirts don't appear on the typical list of kitchen gadgets needed to create a delicious meal, Chef Owens says they come in handy and can be used in place of cheesecloth and, in his case, for making milk.
“One of my favorite things to do is make my own homemade milk from oats and nuts. I use a new clean T-shirt that I've saved for this process,” he explained.
“Place the shirt over a large salad bowl and pour the pulp and liquid into the shirt, being careful not to let the shirt fall inside,” he explained. “It's important that the pulp stays in the center of the shirt.”
Next, Chef Owens grabs the ends of the shirt and gently gathers them together, twisting them into a knot over the pulp, then squeezes them repeatedly for several minutes.
“Once all the main liquid has been released, squeeze the remaining pulp for a few minutes with a few vigorous twists,” he explained. “The final squeeze extracts the fatty nutrients trapped inside the pulp!”
Chef Owens said, “It actually works better than cheesecloth. It doesn't let anything through and it lasts longer than cheesecloth!”
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Ninja Bullet
Another affordable kitchen gadget Chef Owens uses is the Ninja Bullet. “It's cheaper than a blender and a lifesaver,” he says. “It's great for when you're in a pinch. If you're making a cheese or custard sauce and the cheese separates while you're whisking to combine, or the eggs in your custard curdle, don't worry. Just blend in the Ninja Bullet for 30 seconds and it's fixed. It's great for making thicker sauces like béchamel or cornstarch – the Ninja will smooth it out!”
“The great thing is you don't have to get out a giant blender to make the sauce,” he added.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I'm a Chef: Here are the kitchen items every frugal person should have
