8 Kitchen Gadgets Every Parent Needs

Anyone with children will tell you that sometimes making it through a meal seems like an impossible feat. There are days when everything from the size of the kernels on an ear of corn to the shape of your child's sandwich can cause serious distress. Luckily, there are a few simple gadgets that parent's can have on hand in the kitchen to help solve (and many times prevent) the majority of these meal-related crises.

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Luckily, some of the best gadgets to have on hand are also some of the most basic; they're simple pieces of kitchen equipment that have stood the test of time. This means that you don't need to spend a lot of money stocking a wide variety of expensive tools (no need for that special avocado slicer); you'd be surprised how many kitchen gadgets serve not only their intended purpose, but some more creative ones as well.

Once you've figured out which tools your family needs and your kitchen is stocked with a basic arsenal of kitchen gadgets, you'll also need to know how to use them. Organize your kitchen so that you can access these basic tools quickly and don't be afraid to use them creatively when problems arise. When all the knives are dirty and your child needs something cut, grab the scissors; when you're out of pasta, grab your vegetable peeler and make zucchini or carrot "noodles" — there are a number of ways to use these basic gadgets to your advantage.

If you're not sure how to decide which kitchen gadgets are most useful for your family, start with some of these. They're basic kitchen tools that every home cook, especially those with kids, should have.

Multi-Purpose Opener

(Credit: Shutterstock)
Having a can opener on hand is always good, but look for one that allows you to open a variety of different containers —cans, bottles, jars, and more. Then, regardless of what you're trying to open, you only have to reach for one tool.

Small blender

(Credit: Flickr/Electrolux Design Lab)
Having an immersion blender or a small personal blender (designed for making smoothies) on hand can be extremely useful. If you need to make a quick, last-minute sauce or purée (say, to hide extra vegetables in your child's dinner), this blender will do the job with far less mess than a traditional blender.

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Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.