
33 Products To Help You Discover Your Inner Home Chef
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
I can hear Ina Garten's approval from here.
1. An Emeril Lagasse dual zone air fryer over combo with precise temperature control for both sides so you can cook two very different items at once (and in two different ways). It has the capability to air fry, bake, cook pizza, reheat, dehydrate, roast, broil, grill, toast, keep items warm, slow cook, and can be used as a rotisserie. Bam! Emeril is still killin' it!
Promising review:"What a great product! We love the duality of this oven. We can toast on one side while baking on the other. Simple to use, no fan or door issues that others reported. It was delivered about a month ago, and since then, we have used it several times a day, every day. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!!" — B Fox
Get it from Amazon for $329.99.
2. Or a Ninja Crispi Air Fryer system that'll have you feeling like you've just become an American Ninja Kitchen Warrior. Throw your go-to lazy day meal of nuggets and fries into the glass container, attach it to the air fryer, then enjoy the fruits of your labor straight out of the same container.
Amazon, www.instagram.com
Check out a TikTok of the Ninja Crispi Air Fryer System in action.
Each air fryer comes with the "PowerPod," two containers (a 4-quart and a 6-quart), and lids. The PowerPod has auto-shutoff and four modes: Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp. The "feet" are heat-safe, so you can prop it on any surface, no problem.
Promising review: "I got my Ninja Crisper today and reheated some stuffed bread with feta cheese and spinach, and it did a wonderful job. I t was like it just came out of the oven the first time. Nice and crispy outside, but the inside heated just right. I love that the bottom glass can be covered with the lid it comes with. They come with a metal plate you can put in the glass bottom part, and it actually fits into the lid, so it doesn't get lost. The glass makes a difference in the taste, too. It is a great product and well worth it." — Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $179.99+ (available in three colors).
3. A grape, strawberry, and tomato cutter will help you slice 'em up so gorgeously that a charcuterie board will hate to see you coming! Reviewers have also noted using the tool to cut meats and bagels evenly (which is no easy feat!).
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Rapid Slicer is a small business!
Promising reviews:" My husband and I use this almost every day. We love cherry tomatoes and green olives in our salad. Using the rapid slicer cut our slicing time down to about one minute! Love this product!" — Scout
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
4. An oil mister that'll help you perfectly cover your ingredients without getting your hands covered in grease so you can promptly get back to aimlessly scrolling your phone while your veggies cook.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "What a nice set for spraying oil and vinegar. I love that the containers are glass and very durable. The set comes with two little funnels for filling the bottles and a brush for cleaning the bottles. The bottles are not too big, so they don't take up too much room on my counter. The set is so nice that I might get another set for a second type of oil and soy sauce." — LB
Get a set of two from Amazon for $13.99.
5. A clip-on strainer for any pasta fiends tired of trying to locate their colander in the back of their kitchen cabinet while their rapidly boiling water threatens to overflow — al dente noodles are at risk here, people!!!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
It also works great for draining excess oil out of deeper pans!
Promising review: "I have a lot of kitchen gadgets, but this one gets used virtually every day. The rest come out once a season. This is great and saves space in kitchen storage, you won't need a big colander anymore." — Pen Name
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in six colors).
6. A Yonanas fruit soft-serve maker to help you satiate your cravings for a sweet treat while *also* giving you an extra way to use up all the fruit you bought before it goes bad. This fantastic gadget transforms ingredients into a frosty, ice cream–like dessert without as much dairy.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews:"I absolutely love this little machine! I use it every day! It is not like a blender… The fruit comes out just like soft serve ice cream! It is incredible! Someone complained about that it is hard to clean..this is so easy to clean. Anyone on Weight Watchers...this is like eating free ice cream! " — L. Whitted
Get it from Amazon for $35.97+ (available in five colors).
7. A veggie chopper because none of us have time to cry at the club anymore — and by "club" I mean your kitchen and by "us" I mean myself (I'm reserving for my annual viewing of Titanic). Anyways, this baby will dice up anything you throw in it at record speed. Chop, chop!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Fullstar is a small business established in 2017 that specializes in kitchen gadgets.
Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action.
Promising review:"Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food and it has a generous container." — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.97 (available in four colors).
8. Extra long oven mitts so if you're far too focused on whether your cookies are browning enough on the bottom to realize if your bare arms are about to touch the oven rack you won't *actually* be at risk of being burnt.
www.amazon.com
Promising reviews:"I absolutely love these oven mitts! It's one of those kitchen items that are a MUST, but always put off purchasing. I had criteria for what I wanted in mitts and found them. The mitts do everything they say they do and that's keeping my hands and arms safe. I highly recommend them." — Amazon Customer
"Great purchase. I use these every day. Had them for a while now and they hold up beautifully." — Badgerman
Get them from Amazon for $16.99 (available in six colors).
9. A stuffed waffle maker you can count on to make all of your brunch dreams come true — fill 'em with cream cheese, strawberries, chicken, or anything else your heart desires!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"Oh my goodness. This was way better than expected. Definitely only need one waffle per person, they are huge. T hey are beyond delicious and the stuffing options are endless. It does take about seven minutes to make one waffle but totally worth it. Comes out perfect every single time. No issues at all. Buy it now!" — armywife
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
10. Avocado Huggers that'll help you extend the life of that beautiful fruit you were weary about slicing in half because you KNEW you didn't need the entire thing for your recipe — this lil' tool will help keep that unused piece raring to go for tomorrow's breakfast.
Food Huggers is a small business! The set comes with a large and a small size of Avocado Huggers.
Promising reviews:" My niece gave me this set for Christmas last year, and I use it almost every day. It really minimizes the browning of leftover avocado. You can put it in the dishwasher, but I usually hand wash so it's ready the next time I need it." — EJ
Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.99.
11. A KitchenAid stand mixer with a reputation that precedes it — and for good reason! It is the appliance of ALL appliances! In addition to helping you expand your baking/cooking repertoire, it will also become the centerpiece of your kitchen. No pressure when choosing a color. 😉
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews: " I have used this almost every day since it got here. I am disabled and this has made baking a joy. I highly suggest it for those who might not bake as much because of physical limitations. I wouldn't be able to handle stirring, and I've never been able to make something like meringue. I can now! I did it the first day. Definitely the best investment in my kitchen." — KJ
Get it from Amazon for $449+ (available in 23 colors).
12. A cutting board and strainer combo, your mom will "ooh" and "ahh" over when you excitedly show it to her over Facetime while *also* asking her, "Do you think this chicken is cooked?"
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising reviews:"I love this product! I use it every day to slice or cut vegetables or fruit and then rinse them in the colander. Versatile and fits over my sink perfectly." — Jeff Wedgwood
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
13. A handheld garlic press that'll have you rockin' and rollin' your way to the perfectly crushed or minced ingredient your *almost* flawless sauce is missing.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews:"I just love this item. I use it just about every day when we have something that needs fresh garlic in it." — Ann E. Linvill
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes).
14. Cut-resistant gloves for anyone who has already had the somewhat horrifying experience of slicing one of their digits. Sorry, Chef, but no one wants blood in their meatballs. Safety first!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
You can even pop these in the washing machine for a thorough cleaning.
Promising reviews:"I got really tired of coming away with sliced fingers after manually grating cheese or potatoes. Measuring the glove size as instructed was easy, and the fit was perfect (small). I have used these gloves every day since I received them. I was going to try a mandolin, but that was more troublesome than it was worth. Just slip on the glove, and you are safe!" — S Martin
Get them from Amazon for $13.49 (available in sizes S—XL).
15. And an affordable and excellent chef's knife you can use to beautifully cut up ingredients in a way even Gordon Ramsay would applaud. (And we *know* how much he loves to aggressively shout criticisms!)
Mercer Culinary is a small business!
Promising reviews:"Aside from a Victorinox paring knife and a filet knife, this is the ONLY knife I own. I've used it just about every day for the last two months, and only now does it seem to be losing its edge. Since I primarily cook from scratch, I've put it through quite a bit! It's survived pounds upon pounds of potatoes, onions, garlic, a few acorn squash, and carving a whole chicken. I'd say it's a sound investment for the price." — Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $18.22+ (available in several sizes/types).
16. A hand-powered chopper that'll have you slicing and dicing in literally seconds. If you can pull the cord on a Woody doll (you know, like from Toy Story) then, congratulations, you can chop an onion!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
See it in action on TikTok.
Promising reviews:"Simple to use. I have used this every day for the past 10 days since receiving it. I have made salsa over and over again, and it takes me only three minutes to make. I have made hummus two times as well, and it was phenomenal." — Jill Clement
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three colors).
17. A set of gravity-activated grinders to make you feel like you've just landed inside an episode of Futurama whenever you use 'em. No twisting or turning is needed — these automatically release freshly ground salt or pepper whenever you tip it over.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Watch this TikToker use these automatic grinders while cooking!
Promising reviews:"These are really beautiful and add the exact touch of copper I was looking for in my space. When used, the end lights up blue, which is very cool and gives them a modern feel. They feel heavy and solid, including the clear receptacle that holds the salt/pepper." — Pink Dragon
"Pretty and so practical I love it and use it every day." — Cary Thorne
Get the set of two from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in three colors as well as a single grinder).
18. A rapid egg cooker with the ability to make hard-boiled eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, and omelets — which is about two more kinds than I know how to make on my own. Shh, don't tell anyone I'm about to rely on this gadget to make it seem like I know how to cook. With over 102,000 5-star reviews, you certainly can't go wrong.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising reviews:"We bought this in 2020. Used it almost every day without any issues, and finally, after three years, it's time to replace it. Such an amazing product to last so long." — Shal
Check out our deep dive into the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker here.
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in two sizes and 10 colors).
19. Plus a Crack'em egg cracker and spoon rest to ensure your scrambled delights will be shell-free every single time — and how cool will you look cracking eggs open singlehandedly???
Amazon
Crack'em is a veteran-owned small business established in 2013 that specializes in family-friendly kitchen accessories.
Check out a TikTok of the egg cracker in action.
Promising reviews:"I love the quality of this product and use it every day. Haven't had to fish out errant eggshells and like the clean straight break in shell; very easy to use." — Sue P.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in nine colors).
20. A"Gracula" garlic crusher that'll make you want to say "bleh, bleh, bleh" a la Hotel Transylvania whenever you use it — just don't let the Count hear you! With a few twists you can use it to mince garlic, ginger, nuts, chilis, and herbs.
Promising review: "My entire family is IN LOVE with this little guy. He's cute as a button and put garlic on almost everything (even in some of our drinks) so we use him every day. I used to hate cleaning out our old garlic crusher, it was dishwasher safe, but bits got stuck in the edges and holes. This one doesn't hoard the garlic, does a great job of making it just as small, and is easier to wash than a cup!" — Bob & Wife
Get it from Amazon for $17.95.
21. Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Seasoning to upgrade basically everything you eat — from avocado toast, eggs, and bagels to chicken, fish, and veggies, there isn't much this seasoning won't improve. Do you need a handkerchief? Because it looks like you're already drooling over the mere thought of adding this to your dinner tonight.
Samantha Wieder / BuzzFeed, www.amazon.com
My colleague swears by this simple mixture of sea salt, onion, and garlic. Check out her Everything But The Bagel Seasoning review for more deets.
Promising review:"This stuff is delicious. Every day I find a new application for it. I have used on everything from pizza to pasta to burgers to steads seafood and even popcorn." — Timothy M.
Get it from Amazon for $6.87.
22. And/or a bottle of truffle seasoning that'll ensure you never have to live another day without access to life-changing homemade truffle fries. It's what you DESERVE, my beautiful bougie friend.
My colleague Emma Lord (pictured above) is ready to divulge why this stuff is so great:
"Okay, I bought this on a whim because there's a sushi place down the street from me that makes truffle avocado sushi rolls and I was like, I need these in my life, but I also need money to live. I decided to DIY it with a regular $4 avocado roll and this seasoning and the umami bliss of it all basically exploded my brain. Since then I've tried it on eggs, on burritos, on potatoes, on chocolate mug cakes, pretty much every sweet and savory thing I can think of. The best part is you really get an excellent bang for your buck — it's so flavorful that I've been using this for months now and have barely made a dent in the container!"
Promising review:"Where has this black truffle seasoning been all my life? OMG I am putting this on everything every single day. It's really that good and I put it on eggs and potatoes and even on my turkey and avocado sandwich. I need to order more." — LMK
Get it from Amazon for $13.87.
23. Plus an Oxo Good Grips veggie brush to ensure your potatoes get a proper scrub down before you turn them into the delicious aforementioned truffle fries.
www.amazon.com
Promising reviews: "I use this every day. Works great on all veggies — potatoes and carrots from the garden, celery, apples, mushrooms, etc. I wish I had ordered one years ago!" — Katherine Croft
Get it from Amazon for $7.95.
24. A meat thermometer so you'll never have to guess your grilling skills — cook with the confidence of someone who just crushed an important exam or beat their personal Peloton record.
www.amazon.com
Alpha Grillers is a family-owned small business in Nevada that sells BBQ and grilling tools.
Promising review: "I really like this unit. It turns on when you unfold it and turns off after a time or when you fold it back up. It reads super fast and, so far, seems to be right on the money for accuracy. I use it almost every day, and the length makes it easy to check your turkey or roast. It is quick to change from F to C. Just push a button, and you will be ready to go. It also has the safe range of temps for the different types of meat on the handle so you have a quick reference in hand." — K Hamby
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
25. KitchenAid shears with over 69,000 5-star reviews to convince you to stop using your regular ol' crafting scissors when you're cooking. 😅 Use these to beautifully cut quesadillas or pizza into slices (a must-have for parents!) or to finally chop some herbs.
Promising reviews:"These scissors do it all! From cutting poultry to removing gristle from the bottom of a tri-tip roast, and any number of other kitchen items. I'm left-handed, and the grip is comfortable. They're very easy to clean, and the plastic sheath that comes with them is a plus, preventing me from gouging myself when looking for other items in the 'sharp object' drawer. I'm thinking about getting a second pair. I highly recommend these kitchen shears!" — Suzy-Q666
"Finally! Excellent quality kitchen shears that cut easily through chicken, salmon steaks and meat. Easy clean on the top shelf of the dishwasher. I use these every day! No rust, no dulling of scissors edge." — Tiffany A. Ballinger
Get it from Amazon for $9.89+ (available in six colors).
26. Plus, some herb scissors so you can chop basil, chives, and parsley as fast as if you were gunning for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records as "World's Fastest Herb Cutter."
Promising review: "These are sharp and work well. I like how it cuts three pieces at a time so you can cut your herbs faster. I actually got them because we use a lot of green onion and these work well to cut that. They are easy to clean, too. They are lightweight and sturdy." — Nederland*brasil
Get it from Amazon for $7.03.
27. And! A set of salad scissors that'll help you whip up a fancy salad in no time at all and without the hefty price tag that, sadly, comes with ordering a lovely chopped salad.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the salad scissors in action.
Promising review: "Love these! I hate big leafy salads so I bought these and they're perfect for chopping greens into bites. I also use them to quickly chop cherry tomatoes, onions, and other veggies. VERY nice quality." — asoon
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
28. A meat shredder with suction cups to ensure it stays put on your counter while you twist away and prep the most delicious homemade pulled pork sammies on this side of the Mississippi 😉.
www.amazon.com
RedRoko is a small business.
Promising review: "After watching a video on this it seemed I had to buy one and try it. This makes life so much easier. No cutting board, no knife. Can make chicken salad professional style in shreds now. It does an excellent job staying suctioned to the countertop while you swirl the top to get perfect even shreds from your chicken." — Katie
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
29. A colander spoon to let you scoop food straight out of the pot and onto your plate — may you NEVER break another ravioli in a colander again!
www.amazon.com
It's made from toughened nylon and is suitable for use on non-stick cookware. It's resistant to temps of up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's dishwasher-safe!
Promising review:"I've owned this for just over a month, and I don't know how I lived without it! From spooning potatoes into boiling water without a mess to draining a full can of beans and far, far beyond, this scoop is a must-have in the kitchen. I find myself reaching for it every day. It has easily replaced the other spoons/scoops that I would usually use. You cannot go wrong with this purchase!" — Jill Clement
Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in three colors).
30. A rotating whisk blender you'll praise your new I-cook-all-the-time self for buying — it can blend, froth, whisk, beat, and stir, all without taking up much storage space in your kitchen. Are you someone who casually whips up a salad dressing all on your own? You just might be now, thanks to this tool.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Check out a TikTok of the whisk in action.
Promising review:"This is one of the coolest gizmos I've purchased! And it works like a charm, especially for scrambled eggs. I've always struggled with getting the egg white and yolk blended well together. This tool does the trick. I found it most effective with liquids. Any kind of sauce or salad dressing can be well blended with this tool too." — Austin
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
31. A meat tenderizer that'll transform your cheap cut of steak from drab to fab — it'll take you no time at all to use this tool and make your meat that much more delectable.
Jaccard is a small business!
Promising review:"This thing really works great. Takes only seconds to tenderize any kind of meat. I've used on pork, beef, and chicken and the results are these meats cook and taste so much better after being tenderized with this. Many people ask about dishwasher-safe. I have used it for a while and always put it in the dishwasher and it's fine. It's plastic and stainless-steel so I don't think the dishwasher can hurt it." — 5280
Get it from Amazon for $29.97+ (available in two styles and four colors).
32. A Gozney pizza oven the entire family can enjoy — from rolling out the dough and adding toppings to watching it cook over the flame, this is one activity you'll actually have a good time doing together (probably a better idea than game night for your very competitive fam).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"Once you get used to how it cooks, you can have a pizza party whenever you want! My first three pizzas were a little well done, but once I got used to the way the oven cooks, I make perfect pizzas, Strombolis, and calzones. I use the gas option for fuel and with a regular 4-gallon propane tank I have cooked 20 pizzas. My oven takes about 20–25 minutes to get to full temp. (about 800–900 degrees) Although Gozney does not require any cleaning, I take a small vacuum and just vacuum it out after it cool down. if any pizza gets on the stone a light wire brushing and your all set. I love this appliance. No more store-bought pizza for me ever again. Gozney makes a great product!" — Retep
Get it from Amazon for $499.99 (available in three colors).
33. And a stainless-steel pizza cutter rocker you can use to channel your inner-Carmy (from The Bear) while you effortlessly slice up the pie you just made for your squad.
Amazon
Promising review:"I really like this pizza cutter. I used to have a stainless steel wheel blade that had a plastic holder/handle, this is 100% better. Washes easily and I don't foresee having to replace it for many many years. Plus it cuts pizza far better than a wheel." — Lorrie M.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Buzz Feed
7 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Teachers, Tell Us How Parents Should Get Involved
As a former high school English teacher, I can list all the ways I thought I'd see parents get involved in their child's education — and all the ways it rarely happened. It's unfortunately not an uncommon experience for educators. So I'm asking teachers (past and present) in our BuzzFeed Community to share ways they wish parents took on a more active role in their child's education. Maybe you, like me, used to teach English literature, and found yourself sending progress reports home regularly for students falling behind. However, no one seemed to respond until report cards hit their mailbox. Then, several parents wanted to know what extra credit opportunities could be made available for their kid who was missing dozens of assignments. Maybe you're an elementary school teacher, and one of your students keeps getting physical with others. Not only is it flat-out mean, but it's also a distraction in the classroom. You've tried to host guided conversations with the parents about techniques that could curb the behavior at home, but the parents refuse to believe it's happening at all. Or, maybe there's a student in your class who is never IN class. Their parent pulls them out of school for vacations monthly. And while you love that the kid is getting to live their best life, it's very hard to keep them on track, and you wish their parents could at least keep them up to date on their studies while abroad. Whatever the case may be, we want to hear about it. Teachers, tell us how you wish parents got more involved in their child's education in the comments. Or, if you'd like to remain anonymous, use the Google form below. Your response could be featured in an upcoming post.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
This 'Magic' Gesture Shows This Teacher's Students That Their Birthdays Are a 'Big Deal'
While some kids look forward to their birthdays all year, anticipating gifts and treats galore, Dawn Ticarich knows that's not always a reality for every child. Growing up, an approaching birthday would fill the now-fourth grade teacher with 'dread' because she knew it meant that in order for her day to be special, her family would have to make sacrifices. 'I could hear conversations about our water being shut off and our electric being shut off,' she tells PEOPLE. 'And my birthday is at the very, very beginning of February, which is always the aftermath of Christmastime so, I knew that it was such a burden for my family for me to have a birthday party.' When Ticarich grew up to become an elementary school teacher, she knew one of her top priorities would be for her students to know that 'birthdays are a big deal.' And Ticarich, whose students know her as Miss T., quickly learned just how important that gesture might be. She recalls that on the first class birthday she celebrated at her "very low income school" in West Virginia, "my heart was shattered ... because I gave the little boy a present and he took it and stomped on it because he thought it was from his mother. He had no idea that a teacher would give him a birthday present like that.' She realized that those same feelings she had to navigate as a child, her students were experiencing as well. That led Ticarich to start creating birthday baskets filled with thoughtful and intentional gifts for each student in her classroom, a tradition she started last school year when she moved to Utah. Ticarich, who now teaches fourth grade, says that while her population of students might have changed, their need for a special day has not. Even for kids without financial difficulties, she says, "what parents can't replicate is the feeling of the social connection, of being so loved and made to feel so special by a class of 22 kids of your same age,' she says. 'That can't be replicated even in the richest home.' Ticarich started documenting her process of gathering gifts on TikTok, explaining the meaning behind the ones she chooses. At first, she paid for them out of her own pocket, but she now has an Amazon wish list for those who wish to contribute. Her method includes sending out a parent survey, taking suggestions from the recipient's classmates, and she says, "just kind of observing what would make them feel special…I feel like you're only a kid once and kids deserve that magic. It's such a big deal to me." She hopes that, beyond the fun of opening a thoughtful gift, the students also get a meaningful message. Gift giving is "the one love language that I am able to do,' she says, so she's showing love by "just modeling that, making people feel like they're a big deal and helping when we can.' During Teacher Appreciation Week, she saw just how well that message had sunken in, when her students cleaned and organized the closet in their classroom as a surprise. 'That's them showing, 'I want to do something for you and it's important to me,' " she said, sharing how rewarding it has been "watching them blossom into these people with big hearts, because I've tried to instill in them ... you're going to cross paths with people who need extra support, and it's really important that you know how to do that.' These acts of kindness have expanded outside of her classroom and into the halls of the school with the establishment of the 'blessing closet' that evolved from including a few necessities like chapstick and hand warmers to multiple closets filled with clothes, shoes and hygiene products, and, eventually, food. To avoid any awkwardness or embarrassment that a student might feel in taking any of the items home for themselves or their family, Ticarich said they established a "no questions asked" policy for anyone shopping in the closet. "Even if your mom needs chapstick, you can take the chapstick, or if the cashier at the grocery store needs hand warmers, you take them, a no questions asked thing,' she says. 'You don't ask why somebody's taking a comb because you don't know if it's for their neighbor.' The 'blessing closet' has since started including bags of food for families at the school who need it. 'We just didn't tell anyone no,' she says of the growing list of recipients. While all of these initiatives first came out of pocket, she has now received so many donations that they've been able to replicate the "blessings closet" at a local Title I school. Despite all the positivity that surrounds her initiatives, Ticharich says that she does occasionally deal with negative comments online from people who don't understand why she goes to so much trouble for her students. At first, she deactivated her TikTok in response, but "pep talks" from people in her community encouraged her to keep sharing the joy online. " 'If you are helping one kid, why do you care?' " she recalls the PTA president telling her, adding that she began to think about the larger impact of letting others get her down. "It was a lot of people saying, 'Well, what if there was an adult in your life who did this? And then they stopped and you went without?' " By continuing to follow her heart, she's opened people's eyes and minds along thew ay. 'I realized that there are — especially when it comes to trauma and rebuilding and restorative practices — people won't understand if they've never lived that. So I was like, I'm going to start these baskets by sharing why I do it," she says. "There have been so many people that, in the comments have said, 'Well, you checked me because I used to think this is so stupid and over the top.' I wouldn't say changed their minds, but I have made them see a different perspective.' Read the original article on People


CNN
a day ago
- CNN
I tested Yonanas' frozen dessert maker after seeing so many glowing reviews. Here's what I thought
Like the Ninja Creami, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is another kitchen appliance you may have seen online. Praised by reviewers for its ability to turn frozen fruit into delicious soft-serve-like treats, this lightweight gadget also comes with a very budget-friendly price tag, and because I'm always up for testing new products, I knew I had to see for myself how the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker managed to rack up more than 3,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker This frozen dessert maker is the perfect way to make good use of your ripe bananas and frozen fruit. Easy to assemble and even easier to use, it's also one of the lightest appliances I own, making it easy to pick up, move around and tuck away on a shelf. It's easy to assemble and disassemble The appliance comprises two main parts: a surprisingly lightweight motor base and a chute that houses the blade cone. Before using it for the first time, you'll want to disassemble the chute so you can wash the individual parts (they're dishwasher-safe), according to the instruction manual that comes with the Yonanas. I chose to handwash the parts and it took me just a few minutes to do this, reassemble the chute, then attach it to the base (it clicks into place). Disassembling the appliance can get a little messy (more on that later), but it's just as simple as assembling it. It's straightforward to use What I appreciate most about the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is how foolproof and simple it is. There's no control panel to worry about or complicated steps to follow to create a satisfying frozen treat every single time. Since it shaves slightly thawed frozen fruit into soft-serve-like desserts, you'll need to have frozen fruit on hand. You can choose to slice and freeze fruits you have lying around, or you can purchase bags of frozen fruit from the store; I decided to go both routes. The instructions recommend freezing your fruits for 24 hours, but from personal experience you may be able to get away with freezing them overnight, depending on how cold your freezer gets. Before you can start feeding your fruits through the chute, Yonanas recommends letting them defrost for seven to 10 minutes to ensure you get that ideal soft-serve consistency. The first time around, I let my fruits defrost for too long, so my dessert had a consistency similar to traditional soft-serve that's already begun to melt. For that reason, I recommend keeping a close eye on the time so it doesn't turn out too soft. If your recipe calls for bananas, the brand recommends alternating between frozen banana halves and any other fruits you're using. The appliance comes with a pusher that allows you to feed the fruits through the chute, so there's little risk of cutting your hands on the blades. I noticed it takes a minute for it to start dispensing, but as you continue to add fruits, it forces what's already gone through to come out. There are lots of recipes to try The frozen dessert maker comes with a recipe book that includes plenty of fruit sorbet recipes in addition to recipes for other desserts, such as cookies and cream, which you can make by alternating frozen bananas and chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos. The first sorbet I made was a banana and berry cherry one I created using banana halves I'd frozen, plus a bag of frozen berries and cherries from my local grocery store. I used two bananas and 3/4 cup of the berries- and- cherries mix, and I found that this made more than enough sorbet for one person. The result? A refreshing frozen mixture you could easily eat in the morning for breakfast, as a midday snack or as a post-workout treat. Though many recipes include bananas, there are also banana-free recipes you can follow. I'm not a huge fan of bananas myself, so unsurprisingly, my favorite recipe was one I made with strawberries and mangoes. It's worth keeping in mind you'll need to de-pit fruits with pits before using them with the Yonanas. Though I only used fruit in my recipes, as mentioned above, you're also able to use cookies, muffins and ingredients like chocolate bars, peanut butter and avocado slices. It's messy Handling defrosting fruit can get messy, and unfortunately, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker doesn't come with tongs, so you'll have to use your hands or utilize one of your own kitchen utensils. It also doesn't come with a drip tray. Because fruit bits get left behind in the chute, you'll definitely want to have your sink stopper in place to prevent food waste from going down the drain if your sink doesn't have a garbage disposal. I also couldn't help but notice large pieces of cherry skin throughout my otherwise delicious banana and berry cherry frozen mixture that the blades had missed. Though I expected to come across some fruit skin, I expected those pieces to be smaller and better incorporated into the rest of the mixture than they actually were. I also noticed a decent amount of mixture that needed to be cleaned out of the chute itself, which contributed to the overall messy cleanup process. After each use, I made sure to thoroughly wash the chute, the blade cone and the gasket. If you're going to make two different sorbets consecutively, I suggest quickly disassembling the chute and giving it a quick rinse to avoid any flavor transfer. I'll be the first to admit how disappointing it is when a dessert doesn't come out as expected, which is why I love how easy the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker makes creating frozen treats. Turning fruits into frozen desserts is a creative way to use them before they go bad, not to mention the Yonanas is lightweight and easy to use, providing countless flavor combinations to experiment with. If you're looking for a quick way to make a healthier-for-you treat that also tastes delicious, the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker is definitely worth considering. Can you use frozen fruit in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker? Can you use frozen fruit in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker? Yes, frozen fruit needs to be used in the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker. Can the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker make ice cream? Can the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker make ice cream? While the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker can't be used to make traditional ice cream, it can make delicious vegan-friendly desserts using frozen fruit. What's the difference between the Yonanas Soft-Serve Maker and Ninja Creami? What's the difference between the Yonanas Soft-Serve Maker and Ninja Creami? The Ninja Creami can also make fruit sorbets, but you need to add a liquid, like fruit juice, to the container before freezing, while the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker requires freezing individual pieces of fruit. Even though both appliances use a blade to create frozen treats, I felt the Ninja Creami produced sorbets that had a smoother consistency than the ones made with the Yonanas, though the desserts are equally as tasty. CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this story, associate editor Rachel Dennis made several frozen desserts with bananas, strawberries, mangoes and more using the Yonanas Classic Frozen Fruit Soft-Serve Maker.