Prepworks from Progressive International PCC-606 Flexible Colour-Coded Chopping Mats
When I’m in full out food prep mode there’s nothing I hate more than having to stop what I’m doing and wash the chopping block before using it for something else. I switched to chopping mats years ago and usually have two on the go at any time. What Progressive International did was create a set of six chopping mats in different colours which makes nothing but perfect sense to me. I use the colour-coded mats this way: red is for meat, yellow for poultry, green for vegetables and blue for fish. This eliminates any possibility of cross contamination when I’m using various kitchen utensils on the cupboard or at my sink.
The coloured mats measure 11-inches by 15-inches and two bonus clear mats are 7.5-inches by 11-inches which is plenty of surface area for any of the chopping or cutting I do in my kitchen. These mats are made from polypropylene and are thick enough to protect countertops and thin enough to roll up for storage. They’re also safe to wash in the dishwasher. I highly recommend you add these chopping mats to your collection of fruit and vegetable tools.
Progressive International 4-Piece Set Food Safety Paring Knives
When it comes to practical kitchen accessories, I can’t function without a drawer full of sharp objects. Knives are one of my tools of choice when it comes to any kind of food preparation and Progressive International created one of the handiest sets of fruit and vegetable tools I’ve ever seen with these. Continuing with the colour-coded theme of their chopping mats, these kitchen utensils are a perfect match. This set of four food safety paring knives are in the same colours as the chopping mats I use them for with red (meat), yellow (poultry), green (vegetables) and blue (fish). The whole purpose of the different colours is to prevent cross contamination and it keeps my kitchen safe. Each of these paring knives comes with a protective cover for storage. These knives are sharp and have strong handles and are my pick for use with my colour-coded chopping mats.
Kuhn Rikon 2784 3-Set Original Swiss Peeler, Red/Green/Yellow
As I’ve already stated, my kitchen is pretty dull without a bunch of sharp things stashed in drawers and cupboards. Kuhn comes to the rescue with the fruit and vegetable tool every kitchen should have – peelers. These are my favourite simply because they have super sharp carbon steel blades that I think cut better and stay sharp longer. The ergonomic design of the entire kitchen utensil makes it easy to use in either hand, although I am a ‘righty’ I will occasional switch when peeling potatoes. Speaking of design (and potatoes), the carbon steel horizontal Y-blade also includes a strong potato eye remover. The added bonus is that these handheld peeling wonders come in a set of three colour-coded just like the paring knives and chopping mats to prevent cross contamination. Another group of kitchen accessories I strongly suggest you add to your collection of food preparation tools.
While I am not a professional cook, I do know my way around a kitchen and when I’m up to my elbows in making something for dinner I want to reduce my stress level as much as I can by using efficient and reliable fruit and vegetable tools. The three I’ve featured here not only get the job done, they do it well. These are what I would consider the best kitchen accessories available.