Kitchen Prep Tools Delivered: Our Favorite Gadgets for Faster Meal Kit Cooking
We love meal kits like HelloFresh. They make weeknight dinners easier, introduce us to new recipes, and eliminate the dreaded “what’s for dinner?” question.
But if we’re being honest… the “time to cook” estimate is sometimes optimistic for those of us who are not professional chefs.
Between zesting lemons, chopping herbs, separating ingredients, and browning meat just right, the prep work can slow things down fast.
Over time we’ve found a few simple kitchen tools that make meal kit prep dramatically easier and faster. None of them are fancy chef gadgets — just practical tools that help us move through recipes without frustration.
Best of all, every one of these items was delivered straight to our door and has become part of our regular kitchen routine.
Here are our favorites.
Our Favorite Meal Kit Prep Tools
Microplane Zester
If you cook meal kits regularly, you know how often recipes call for citrus zest or finely grated garlic.
A microplane makes this incredibly easy. The blades are sharp enough to glide across lemons, limes, garlic, ginger, or parmesan without effort.
Instead of fighting with a bulky grater, you get perfect fine zest in seconds, which is exactly what recipes are calling for.
This tool alone probably saves us several minutes every time a recipe calls for zest.
👉 Shop the Microplane Zester
Mini Prep Bowls
Meal kits always include lots of small ingredients that need to stay separate until the right moment.
Think:
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chopped herbs
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sour cream
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sliced scallions
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lime wedges
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sauces
Mini prep bowls make it easy to separate everything before you start cooking, which keeps the recipe moving quickly once the pan is hot.
They also make your kitchen feel slightly more like a cooking show… which we’ll take.
👉 Shop Mini Prep Bowls
Meat Chopper (The Browning Tool)
If you’ve ever tried to break up ground meat with a spoon or spatula, you know it never quite works.
This little meat chopper tool breaks ground beef, turkey, or sausage into perfect evenly sized pieces while it cooks.
That means:
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faster browning
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better texture
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less time standing at the stove smashing meat
It’s one of those gadgets that seems unnecessary until you try it once.
👉 Shop the Meat Chopper Tool
Taco Holders
Meal kits LOVE taco night.
But trying to assemble tacos while they keep falling over is not exactly efficient.
Taco holders keep shells upright so you can easily add fillings, sauces, and toppings without everything collapsing.
We also use them for:
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lettuce wraps
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fish tacos
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breakfast tacos
Once you use these, you won’t want to go back.
👉 Shop Taco Holders
Herb Mill
Many meal kits include fresh herbs, but chopping herbs finely can be tricky for non-chefs.
An herb mill makes this incredibly simple.
Just add herbs like parsley, cilantro, or basil, twist the handle, and perfectly chopped herbs come out the bottom.
No knife skills required.
It’s one of our favorite tools when a recipe calls for “finely chopped herbs.”
👉 Shop the Herb Mill
Why These Tools Make Meal Kits Easier
Meal kits are designed to simplify dinner, but the prep work can slow things down.
These tools help by:
✔ speeding up ingredient prep
✔ keeping ingredients organized
✔ making cooking steps easier
✔ helping meals turn out more consistent
They’re also inexpensive tools that get used over and over again.
Shop Our Meal Kit Prep Favorites
If you cook meal kits often, these are the tools that make prep faster and easier.
Microplane Zester
Mini Prep Bowls
Meat Chopper Tool
Taco Holders
Herb Mill
Delivered Straight to Your Door
One of the best parts of finding kitchen tools like these is that they’re easy to order and show up right at your doorstep.
For busy families juggling work, school, and activities, anything that helps dinner come together a little faster is a win.
And if a few small gadgets can make meal kit cooking feel easier and more fun — we’re all for it.
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