This Is the Surprising Tool a Cookbook Author Can’t Live Without, and It’s Only $10

If there is one thing I have learned as a working mom, it’s the most valuable asset to have up my sleeve is a long list of satisfying weeknight dinners I can throw together even when I’m exhausted. You don’t have to be a parent to understand the importance of this type of recipe. Anyone with a packed schedule can appreciate a filling meal that actually tastes good and doesn’t take forever to make. That’s why I cannot wait to get my hands on Carissa Stanton’s new cookbook Seriously, So Good: Simple Recipes for a Balanced Life, and why I just had to ask her to reveal the tool she always reaches for in her own kitchen. 

But her pick might surprise you. If you’re eager to end your day with effortlessly flavorful dishes, the one tool you need according to Stanton is this $10 Farberware meat masher.

Farberware Nylon Meat and Potato Masher

The philosophy behind Stanton’s popular recipe blog and Instagram account @broccyourbody, is that weeknight meals should, above all, be approachable and delicious. However, Stanton’s focus on simplicity doesn’t mean that a little light prep work won’t be involved. That’s why it's not a blender or nonstick pan that is one of her most essential kitchen tools but the Farberware meat masher. 

“I use this meat masher multiple times a week when I'm breaking up ground meat in a pan,” Stanton says.” I tend to cook with ground turkey, chicken and beef very frequently because it's so easy to prepare and cooks really quickly,” Stanton tells me. She added that it’s also her go-to tool for mashing up the ingredients for guacamole and banana bread.

Stanton has tried out a few different brands, but the one that has lasted her the longest is the Farberware model. It has a few options that make it the most practical meat masher out there: First of all, it has a no-slip grip, so that your hand doesn’t slide off the handle as you’re smashing your ingredients. 

It’s also heat resistant so that it can be used to break up meat cooking in a hot pan, and thanks to the nylon material it won’t scratch your nonstick cookware. Even better, when you’re done using it, just pop it in the dishwasher for even faster clean-up.

“I also like that this one has 5 blades. Some have only 4 or even 3, which is just going to require more manual labor than this one,” Stanton says. 

So take it from an expert. All you need is this $10 Farberware meat masher to make weeknight dinners easier than ever.

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At the time of publishing the price was $10.