Outside the gym, bodybuilders spend the majority of their day in the kitchen either prepping or eating their countless meals. As their nutritional plan is the most influential component to their progress, it’s no wonder their kitchen becomes their primary residence. While bodybuilders value the process and the effort which goes into prepping their food, finding the best tools to make their time in the kitchen as efficient and effective as possible is a must.

You don’t need to be a Michelin-star chef to sculpt your body, but a few key kitchen tools sure will help.

Shopping in any home-wares store exemplifies the vast array of kitchen tools and gadgets on the market. From hot dog toasters to the Veggetti Pro, your kitchen counters can quickly be overrun with options. When nutrition is one of your main focuses, what tools are actually going to make your life easier? These four kitchen tools have been given five stars for bodybuilders – complete with links for easy online shopping!

• Food Scale. This kitchen tool is a no-brainer for anyone working towards improving their physique, from a competitive bodybuilder to someone looking to shed some body fat. Controlling portions is pivotal for progress, and a food scale is a reliable way to hit your measurements. These tools can range in function and cost – some will even calculate the macronutrient breakdown of the food you put on it! You can find great options which allow you to toggle through a variety of measurements, from ounces and grams to liquid millilitres. As an added bonus, there are many options available which are compact and easy to travel with – a reality for all bodybuilders.

Hands down, a food scale is the number one kitchen tool for anyone looking to improve their physique.

• Measuring Cups and Spoons. A food scale is great to measure a lot of your nutrients, but there are some items which are more easily measured with these tools, especially liquids. Bodybuilders need to be exact with their macro intakes, but they also value efficiency, especially when prepping food in bulk. Cover all your bases in the kitchen by having numerous measurement tools, and you’ll be one step closer to being stage ready.

Easily scoop food in perfect portions for your meals to nail your macros!

• Meat Scissors. That’s right – scissors made specifically for cutting meat. Sure, a good set of knives will accomplish this same task, but then you also need to wash a cutting board. Cutting meat with a pair of scissors will save time in your food prep process, leaving you more time to eat, train, do cardio, and rest. Trust us on this one.

Scissors for meat? You’ll thank me later.

• High-Quality Frying Pan. The key component of this seemingly basic kitchen tool is the quality. Over time, generic non-stick frying pans lose their effectiveness and food starts to stick. Plus, the non-stick coating wears off, leaving questionable residue on your food, which you then ingest. Due to the high volume of food that bodybuilders cook throughout the course of a year, depreciation of these pans occurs much faster than it does among the average person. This usage leads to needing to purchase countless cheap frying pans. Save yourself the hassle of continuously shopping for a new pan, and the ill health effects of the non-stick coating, by investing in a high-quality frying pan. Opting for a pan that’s coated with stone, marble, ceramic, or titanium will prove to pay off in the long run as it will withstand your cooking demands and keep you healthy.

Save yourself money in the long run. Buy an expensive, high-quality (and healthy) frying pan. The upfront investment will be worth it!

Iron Chef Status

Cooking may not be your forte, but is an integral component of your life as a bodybuilder. Stocking your kitchen with helpful tools will make meal prep easier. Now that you can stock your kitchen with these must-have tools, you’ll be ready to put your customized meal plan into effect. Due to the fact that you’ll be cooking such a large quantity of food, you’re best to opt for higher quality items which are more durable. Don’t let a higher price tag scare you off; when you consider the amount of use you’ll get out of these items, the price per use will be minimal. Next on the list… maybe a cook book?

Happy cooking!