54 Cyber Monday Kitchen Deals 2022

54 Cyber Monday Kitchen Deals 2022

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer

As the Strategist’s kitchen and dining writer, I live and breathe the equipment, tools, tableware, and ingredients you need to make your cooking (and serving) as efficient, effortless, and fun as it can be. Cyber Monday, of course, is the perfect opportunity to buy anything you might be missing, whether that’s an upgrade to the coffee maker you’ve been using since college, a chili crisp you never knew you needed (you do), a holiday gift for the chef in your life, or a fancy new appliance that’s usually out of your price range. But it’s also true that the sheer number of discounted items out there can be more overwhelming than exciting — and we all know that decision fatigue can lead to a regretful purchase, or even no purchase at all.

To help you navigate all that’s available, I did the work for you and rounded up some of the very best kitchen products on sale right now. There are options from some of our favorite smaller companies, like Material Kitchen’s gorgeous new table linens and a collection of Fly by Jing’s essential condiments, as well as choice picks from larger retailers like Amazon and Target that are some of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen. And to make it easier to sort through, this list has been organized alphabetically by merchant.

While I’m done updating this post, there’s still time to shop, so take a look at all of the Strategist’s Cyber Monday guides here, and sign up for our email newsletter to stay on top of the very best deals as they come up.

It’s no secret that Amazon loves a good sale. While the site is at the top of our list for good Cyber Monday deals, the volume of discounted products it offers can be a lot to take in — which is why we picked out a handful of kitchen products here that we’ve written about (and strongly endorsed) in the past. But for even more Amazon promotions, check out our dedicated (and highly curated) post.

Breville Convection and Air Fry Smart Oven Air

An air fryer is basically a small convection oven that heats up in no time and results in the most evenly cooked, crispy food you can imagine. This one from Breville is an expert-recommended model that doubles as a toaster oven. Food writer and editor Alyse Whitney says it’s so efficient that she uses it as her regular oven most days of the week (and as an extra oven when she’s hosting).

OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker

If your coffee maker needs an upgrade, consider this one from tried-and-true brand Oxo. “The real selling point for me is that it has a valve hole in the lid for the coffee to brew directly into the carafe,” says Noah McKeown, a general manager at Go Get Em Tiger in Los Angeles. “It traps heat and aromatics better, and it’s safer because the liquid doesn’t splash out.”

Keurig K-Express Coffee Maker

Or if you prefer a single-serve model, consider this compact machine from Keurig. You can brew an eight-, ten-, or 12-ounce cup, and the water reservoir holds up to 42 ounces so you don’t have to refill every time. The drip tray at the bottom is removable, too, which means you can fit your taller travel mugs directly underneath the dispenser.

J.A. Henckels Solution Knife Block Set

Buying a full knife set can be tricky, given that they often come with more blades than you need or without the particular pieces you might want to use. That said, this one on the larger end will have you fully covered if you’re starting from scratch. It includes all the basics, plus kitchen scissors and a collection of steak knives.

Joyce Chen Kitchen Scissors

For kitchen scissors that don’t come apart, this small but mighty pair will do you well. They’re a chef favorite because the shorter blades mean you have greater control over delicate tasks like snipping herbs — but they’re so sharp they can cut through tough foods, too.

Staub Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Staub is one of a few companies that reigns supreme when it comes to quality Dutch ovens. This five-quart one in a sleek matte black will look handsome set out on both the stove and table, and fits enough food to comfortably feed at least four people.

Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Bag

We’ve written about how great Stasher’s reusable bags are many times over the years. They come in so many different shapes and sizes to hold anything you would otherwise store in a disposable plastic bag. “They can go in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher; absolutely never stain or leak; and even though I’ve washed mine in the dishwasher hundreds of times, they haven’t fallen apart or degraded in any way,” Strategist contributor Alison Freer says.

Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Bottle with Flex Cap

We’ve declared that Hydro Flask makes the very best water bottle because of how many people endorse it — including many members of the Strategist’s own team. It’s incredibly well-insulated, keeping hot and cold drinks at their respective temperatures for hours (even in intense situations, like ice water inside a car on a sunny day). They’re also durable and long-lasting, and come in many shapes, sizes, and colors with lid variations (straw, twist cap, handled, etc.) depending on what fits your lifestyle.

Rabbit Wine Bottle Stoppers

If you tend to put the cork back into an unfinished wine bottle to save it for later, upgrade your system with a set of these basic but well-made stoppers for 30 percent off. They come in dark and muted tones, are easy to rinse off after each use, and seal perfectly well.

Ultrean Air Fryer

This air fryer is one of the simpler models on the market but works especially well for baking, says Gracie Bensimon of Gracie Baked. She leaves it on her counter set to around 370 degrees, and whenever the need for a cookie strikes, she simply turns it on and plops a ball of dough (which she always has on hand) onto a piece of parchment paper inside. Eight minutes later, it’s done.

Ninja AF101 Air Fryer

For an air fryer with even more functionality, try this Ninja. It has options to air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate — the last of which is only otherwise found on the much more expensive Breville above.

Vitamix 5200 Blender
Best Seller

The First Mess’s Laura Wright says that Vitamix’s 5200 model makes the best smoothies, which she blends and drinks every single day. She’s tried a good handful of other machines before, too (Vitamixes and non-Vitamixes alike) for that job specifically — and none besides this one create the optimal thick-and-creamy texture she is after.

Magic Bullet Blender

The problem with most blenders is that they’re big. If you don’t have room for the Vitamix above but still want a regular smoothie fix, the Magic Bullet is a much smaller (and less expensive) appliance. Bonus: It comes with multiple sizes of blending cups, all of which you can detach with your drink inside and take on the go.

We always anticipate Brightland drops, so you can imagine our excitement to learn that the California-based olive oil company is holding its own Cyber Monday sale. If you spend $100, you get 15 percent off; if you spend $200, you get 20 percent off; and if you spend $300, you get 30 percent off — plus free shipping on all tiers. The discounts last through November 28 (at 12 a.m. PT).

Brightland The Pair

Though Brightland is known for its olive oil, it also sells honeys and vinegars. This two-pack includes the balsamic and Champagne varieties. “We tried dozens and dozens of types of vinegars and producers and purveyors of all sizes and ultimately, we went with a husband-and-wife team,” founder Aishwarya Iyer told former Strategist writer Nikita Richardson. “They have blackberries on their farm, which they use to double-ferment their balsamic, and they get citrus from a nearby farm for the Champagne vinegar.”

Through the end of today, coffee company Cometeer is offering $60 off your first four boxes of its flash-frozen capsules and $25 off if you buy one box.

Cometeer

Though Cometeer’s product looks a lot like your standard coffee pod, they’re anything but. The capsules are filled with extracted coffee made from beans sourced from some of the best roasters in the country, which the company then brews at ten times the strength of a normal cup and flash-freezes to lock in flavor and freshness. You simply defrost one at a time and add hot or cold water for a cup as good as any you’d find at your local coffee shop.

Pretty much every time Fly by Jing discounts its products, we let you know — and this Cyber Monday is no different. The food and condiments company, which makes its products in the Sichuan province of China, is offering up to 20 percent off its dumplings, up to 30 percent off its sauces, and up to 50 percent off of its sets through November 28, a favorite of which you can find below.

Fly by Jing Four Core

This collection of Fly by Jing’s essential sauces includes its Sichuan Chili Crisp, the tingly, crispy condiment multiple famous folks have told us they can’t live without. But that’s not all: You’ll also get the extra-spicy version (not for the faint of heart); the sweet, tangy, umami-rich dumpling sauce; and the signature potent spice mix, the backbone of many Sichuan dishes.

Food52’s shop is a go-to for some of the most beautiful and useful kitchen tools around. From now until November 28, it’s marked down everything on the site by 20 percent if you use code CHEERS20, a rare offering (usually only select items are on sale at a time). It’s worth perusing everything, but here, we’ve pulled a few products we’ve written about before.

Five Two Adjustable Rolling Pin

Another beloved product by the site’s own brand is this adjustable rolling pin — perfect for all your pie- and cookie-baking needs for the rest of the season (and beyond). The spacers allow you to roll out dough evenly, which ensures a better final product in both taste and look.

Mepra Italian Flatware

In our exhaustive guide to the best flatware, this set was recommended by Liza Curtiss, principal at Le Whit design studio. She calls it “playful yet refined,” and with 18 different color options (including mixed sets), you’re sure to find one that fits your style.

Mosser Colored Glass Cake Stand

A cake stand makes any dessert look grand (even a pile of cookies), but it can also function as a fruit plate or a platter for pretty much anything else if you like the idea of varied height on your table. These Mosser ones are classic, come in a range of sizes and beautiful colors, and offer the option of adding a glass dome.

Great Jones is having its biggest sale ever, with up to 50 percent off most of their beloved cookware until November 28. Plus, if you spend over $200, you’ll get a free Holy Sheet, its nonstick sheet pan, with code HOLYSHEET. And on November 28, its special electric-kettle collab with cult-favorite coffee brand Fellow will be $25 off.

Great Jones Holy Sheet Pan
Best Seller

Speaking of that sheet pan, multiple professional cooks and recipe developers have told us how much they love it — and not just because it looks more fun than your standard metal ones. Recipe developer and cookbook author Erin Jeanne McDowell says “its beautiful appearance hasn’t caused its capabilities to suffer in any way. It hasn’t warped, scratched, or chipped.”

Great Jones King Sear

There’s no dispute that Lodge’s classic cast-iron skillet is great, but if you want something that stands out, the King Sear will give you all of the function with a bit more style. It comes in three of Great Jones’s signature colors: bright blue, forest green, and mustard yellow.

Wellness and superfood brand Golde is marking down everything on its site by 25 percent until November 28. Below, a few products we’ve written about before that we particularly love.

Golde Original Turmeric Latte Blend

Strategist contributor Aisha Rickford first tried Golde’s latte blend to help with digestive issues. But what she didn’t expect was for it to “become my go-to for calming my stomach, clearing my skin, boosting my energy, and even serving as the secret ingredient in lots of my homemade baking recipes,” she says.

Golde Superwhisk

Along with latte powders, face masks, and supplements, Golde makes a rechargeable milk frother; you simply plug it into a USB. There’s one simple button that goes from fast to superfast and then off, and the whisk head can be detached for easy cleaning.

For Cyber Monday, kitchenware brand Goldilocks is offering an exclusive to Strategist readers: You can get 20 percent off sitewide using the code STRAT20 from now until November 29.

Goldilocks Utensil Set

When Strategist editor Maxine Builder tested a bunch of products from direct-to-consumer kitchenware companies years ago, she found that Goldilocks made the best professional-grade gear overall. In particular, she was fond of its 12-piece utensil set, which she still uses to this day. It includes basics like tongs, two types of spatulas, a wooden spoon, ladle, and microplane-style grater — but also bonus pieces you wouldn’t necessarily think qualify as utensils, like mixing bowls, measuring cups, and a colander.

Macy’s Cyber Monday sale is one for the books, with steep discounts on items across all departments. But here a few kitchen items that caught our eye.

Crux Touch Screen Electric Air Fryer

We named the Crux the best air fryer for its price — which is now a whopping 70 percent off. Ben Mims, a Los Angeles Times cooking columnist and the author of a cookbook devoted to the appliance, has been using his regularly for years and it has held up great. If you’re interested, act quickly, as this deal only lasts until tomorrow.

Bodum Classic Chambord Copper 8 Cup French Press Coffee Maker

Bodum makes one of the best-known French presses around, and we particularly love this one in rose gold, a striking replacement for its classic silver press. If you didn’t know, you can also use a French press as a milk frother, which several experts say works just as well (or even better) than electric versions.

Joyce Chen Professional Series Carbon Steel Wok

We named Joyce Chen’s 14-inch flat-bottomed wok our favorite in a story dedicated to this particular type of pan. The carbon-steel material means it heats up and cools down with precision, and the high sides allow you to toss ingredients with gusto; both features will have you making the best stir-fries of your life.

Made In is offering great discounts on much of its cookware and tableware from now until December 4. You’ll find 30 percent off glassware sets, its bakeware set, and its carbon-steel grill set; 25 percent off some of its stainless-steel sets and nonstick frying-pan set; 20 percent off of its Dutch oven, knife set, wok, baking dishes, and more; and 15 percent off its nonstick pans and plates, bowls, mugs, and platters. A couple of standouts are below.

Made In The Sous Chef

We named this comprehensive cookware set the very best you can buy. If you’re stocking your kitchen from scratch or giving it a complete rehaul, you’ll get every piece you could possibly need: two sizes of saucepans, a large stockpot, a sauté pan, a stainless-steel frying pan, a carbon-steel frying pan, and a nonstick pan — the last of which White Bark Workwear founder Charlie Pennes told us has held up for three years with no scratches.

Made In The Knife Set

Made In has you covered when it comes to knives, too. This four-piece set has the essentials — a small paring knife, a chef’s knife, and a serrated knife — plus the addition of a straight-edged Nakiri knife. While the Nakiri is not strictly necessary like the others, it’s particularly great at slicing through vegetables with ease.

Material’s holiday sale has been going on for a bit and will run until November 30. You’ll find 20 percent off its products sitewide, including its just-launched glassware and linens. Not only that, but for every purchase you make, you have the opportunity to direct a portion of your savings to the Lower Eastside Girls Club, an easy way to give back.

Material Kitchen The Linen Napkin Set

Cloth napkins are a simple way to upgrade your table setting, and these linen ones that come in six beautiful, muted colors are sure to fit in with any dinnerware you set out. Material also has tablecloths and place mats made from the same fabric, if you’re in the market for other kitchen textiles.

Material Kitchen The Coated Pan

If your nonstick skillet needs an upgrade (and let’s face it: It often does), consider investing in this super-high-quality one. The standout feature is the core, which is made from copper, a material that conducts heat, retains heat, and cools down in an incredibly exacting way. Plus, it’s one of the most attractive options on the market.

Material Kitchen The reBoard

Plastic cutting boards get a bad rep — and with good reason. Many are poorly made so that they stain and warp with time and need to be replaced pretty frequently. Not so with the reBoard, which so many professional cooks own and love that we named it the very best one you can buy. The surface is slightly textured to prevent it from slipping; the build is super-sturdy but still lightweight; and it’s easy to clean, holding up for years with no wear. Additional plusses are that it’s made from recycled materials and comes in a range of “deep and saturated” colors, says food stylist Judy Kim.

Nordstrom’s sales are notoriously good, and this Cyber Monday, they’re keeping up their reputation with discounts on many actually nice (and giftable) items. For a full list of all the best products, you can head here — but we’ve also rounded up our favorite kitchen items below.

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Pour Over Kettle

The Stagg EKG is one of those products that has been recommended so many times, it’s almost Strategist royalty. Just about the sleekest-looking electric kettle on the market, it’s built with exacting temperature control and a gooseneck spout for ultra-precise pouring. “The design is amazing,” says Kyle Ramage, co-owner of Black & White Coffee Roasters in Raleigh, North Carolina. “It’s sturdy and eloquent.”

All-Clad Four-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker

Speaking of the holiday season, if you’re hosting out-of-towners, what better way to feed a crowd than with waffles? This All-Clad model is a favorite of Diaspora Co. founder Sana Javeri Kadri, who says that in a “sea of cute-but-useless” versions, she’s found it to be “super-sturdy — like industrial grade.”

Sophie Lou Jacobson Bilboquet Wine Glasses

These Sophie Lou Jacobson wineglasses are a bit different than your standard set — but undeniably gorgeous. With details in colored glass, they’ll stand out on your bar cart and make you feel stylish every time you sip from them.

Omsom, a Southeast Asian and East Asian spice-mix company, is offering 20 percent off sitewide with the discount applied as soon as you add any item to your cart. Plus, you’ll get free shipping if you spend $35 or more.

Omsom The Best Seller Set

In collaboration with some of the most accomplished chefs in New York City, sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham launched a line of spice mixes that pack all the flavor into dishes like larb, lemongrass barbecue, bulgogi, and more. A set of their best sellers would make an excellent gift for the food-loving person in your life who doesn’t always have the most time to spend in the kitchen.

Until November 28, you’ll find up to 30 percent off of Our Place’s cookware, 25 percent off its tableware, up to $125 off its best sellers, and up to $150 off its bundles.

Our Place Always Pan

You’ve probably seen this pan around Instagram — and we think it lives up to the hype. While Our Place says it’s meant to replace eight different pieces of cookware with all its different functionalities, the most impressive feature is the high sides, which give it a level of versatility that most nonstick skillets don’t have. You can braise, steam, sauté, and make sauces in it, all while capturing splatter that would otherwise end up on your stovetop.

Our Place Host With the Most

This tabletop set is owned and loved by multiple Strategist staffers. Junior writer Brenley Goertzen says she loves “the just-thin-enough plates and speckled detailing.” Especially impressive, though, are the stackable glasses, which “feel wonderfully hefty in your hand, look more expensive than they are, and are great for drinking everything from water to old-fashioneds to wine,” writer Dominique Pariso says.

Our Place Container Collection

If your pantry or fridge needs an organization overhaul, Our Place’s pretty storage containers that come in amber, teal, and clear will surely inspire you. Strategist senior editor Chelsea Peng says “it’s actually kind of happy-making to see them in the fridge,” where the tinted glass helps make leftovers seem more appealing (and more likely to be used).

Like Amazon, Target has so much to offer that it can leave you feeling overwhelmed. So we sifted through and pulled the best deals, all of which you can find here, with even more kitchen-specific picks below.

KitchenAid Variable Speed Cordless Hand Mixer

Most immersion blenders come with a cord attached — and while many of those function well, the benefits of a cordless model are obvious: It gives you greater flexibility when blending over the stove or counter. Whitney told us that the charge on this one “lasts for a really long time” or 25 uses.

FoodSaver VS3120 Vacuum Sealer

Maybe 2023 is the year you get into vacuum sealing. It’s a great way to sous-vide, but also to preserve everything from meat in the freezer to dry goods in your pantry. Multiple experts recommended FoodSaver to us, the most popular brand on the market for home use because of its straightforward functionality.

Dash Tasti-Crisp Electric Air Fryer

For the air-fryer curious, the Dash is a great place to start. The price is always on the lower end, but especially so today, when you can snag it for just $40. Recommended by recipe developer and blogger Madeline Park, it’s small and simple to use, with just two dials for temperature and time. “I live alone and only cook one portion at a time,” she says. “I can cook a dish in 20 minutes, and it’s really intuitive to use.”

Sur La Table is a one-stop shop for some of the nicest kitchenware around, and its Cyber Monday deals are nothing to sleep on, with up to 60 percent off on tried-and-true brands like Vitamix, Breville, Staub, All-Clad, Cuisinart, Zwilling, and more. Plus, it’s offering free shipping if you spend over $75.

Global Chef’s Knife

If you’re not in the market for an entire knife set like the one above, Global’s chef’s knife is the cream of the crop — so much so that we named it the best overall in our deep dive into the subject, with many experts citing it as their favorite. It has a comfortable grip, balanced weight, and super-sharp edge.

Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven

For a go-big purchase, consider an Ooni pizza oven, which is “brilliant at achieving very high temperatures near 900 degrees,” cookbook author Nik Sharma says. “And not only is this oven wonderful at cooking pizza, I’ve also found it to be an amazing tool to replicate the conditions inside a tandoor oven. Naan, tandoori chicken, and all sorts of kebabs turn out wonderfully.”

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender

Or you could invest in one of the best blenders on the market. Vitamix is by far the most-mentioned brand whenever we talk to chefs and recipe developers about the appliance. This one is on the slightly smaller side compared to other Vitamixes (good for storage) and has manual controls instead of predetermined settings.

Click and Grow Smart Garden 3

The Click and Grow allows you to grow herbs inside, no matter how much natural light you have in your house. It’s small — about the size of a loaf of bread, Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo says — but with enough space and power to support three plants at a time. It’s also very easy to maintain, she notes. We think this would make a sweet holiday gift for anyone who is mourning their summer garden.

Walmart is another retailer that goes big on Cyber Monday, offering a wide range of discounts on all sorts of products. Below, one we think is particularly great.

Instant Pot Duo 11-in-1 Crisp and Air Fryer

This Instant Pot includes its classic function: pressure-cooking. But it has the addition of an air fryer if you want a workhorse that can turn out pretty much any dish. “It preheats in minutes and I’d argue outperforms the oven for various tasks,” says Courtney Kassel, co-founder and co-writer of the newsletter Sifted. Because it does so much in one, “I can further justify the space it eats up in our limited kitchen storage,” she goes on, “and it’s a lifesaver on nights when the ‘What’s for dinner?’ conversation doesn’t even kick off until 7 p.m.”

Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

A cast-iron skillet is an absolute necessity in the kitchen because it can pretty much do it all: get really hot and retain that heat, go from the stove to oven, and hold a fairly nonstick surface if seasoned properly. (Lodge cookware comes pre-seasoned, which is really helpful, though it might require some upkeep.) You can sear, sauté, braise, fry, and bake with it — and it will last you a lifetime and then some.

Williams Sonoma has tons of deals through November 28, including on some higher-end products. See below for some favorites.

Balmuda The Toaster

This “really is the Ferrari of steam ovens,” says Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla, who tested it out for a story on the best toasters. You pour a teaspoon of water into a top opening to create steam, which allows your bread to get crisp and golden brown on the outside but stay super-soft and fluffy on the inside. “The effect really re-creates the taste of just-baked bread, as promised,” says food writer and editor Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner.

Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

Ember Mug 2

If you don’t own a microwave, it’s pretty much impossible to reheat a cup of coffee. Enter the Ember mug, which former Strategist senior writer Karen Iorio Adelson says is the best of its kind on the market. She calls it “sleek and streamlined” and appreciates that the settings hook up to an app on your phone, which gives you exact degrees to choose from.

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor

Cuisinart reigns supreme when it comes to food processors, and at 20 percent off, now is a great time to buy one. This sleek-looking model has simple controls and an extra-large feed tube to make adding ingredients without taking the lid off easy.

Taiwanese general store Yun Hai is offering 15 percent off sitewide through November 28. Just apply the code XIEXIE15 at checkout.

Tatung Rice Cooker

Food writer Cathy Erway told us that her rice cooker, ubiquitous in Taiwan, works like an electric steamer: Instead of mixing rice and water directly together, the Tatung heats water in a larger compartment around the bowl that holds the rice. This generates steam and helps the individual grains cook super evenly. But it also means that “you can steam other foods, like eggs or broccoli, without boiling them,” she says. Yun Hai is currently the sole distributor of Tatung in the U.S. and worked with it to make the machine in these striking colors it had never produced before.

Taiwanese

For less than a tenner, throw in this underground “It” bag that’ll provide a fun contrast to your winter fits. It’s “sheer, small, colorful, and light, but the woven nylon can hold the weight of a MacBook comfortably,” Peng says.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Rather Be Cooking: Get cooking advice and recipes from Shaq

Rather Be Cooking: Get cooking advice and recipes from Shaq
Check out “Shaq’s Family Style” for recipes and stories. Contributed photo
Lisa Boykin Batts

I couldn’t wait to show my coworkers the new cookbook that arrived in the mail several weeks ago.

“Look what I got!” I said while waving my copy of  “Shaq’s Family Style” in the air.

They all had the same, kind of pleasantly shocked response to basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal’s new cookbook.

“He cooks?” 

“Let me see it.”

We flipped through the pages together and admired the pretty food images and recipes from best buttermilk fried chicken thighs to Oreo cookie brownie sundae.

Yes, the cookbook is filled with recipes I’d like to try, but there’s much more to the book.

Shaq tells stories about his history with food throughout the 232-page book. Much of it is a tribute to his mama, who kept Shaq and his family fed. 

“Even though we didn’t have much, we always had good meals,” he writes in the introduction. He calls his mama a “stretcher” because she knew how to “make a lot from a little.”

A few years ago, Shaq decided to learn how to cook. He said he learned from some all-stars, including his mama, Lucille O’Neal; his personal chef, Alex Conart; and his executive chef partners, Matt Silverman and Matt Piekarski. The “Matts” comment on most recipes with tips or ideas.

Shaq said he learned to cook by trying simple recipes from his childhood and following directions. 

It’s many of those straightforward, no-fuss recipes that you’ll find in this cookbook. Recipes that his mama made, including meatloaf and banana pudding, are sprinkled throughout the book.

The recipes are accompanied by a little commentary from Shaq, along with some humor. In this case, the humor is at the expense of another basketball icon. He says smack ramen chicken Alfredo is so easy, “even Charles Barkley could do it.”

It’s fun to read Shaq’s many references to his favorite foods, including boneless chicken thighs, pancakes and Frosted Flakes. His favorite cereal appears in a few of the recipes. Shaq also references his line of kitchen appliances and his chicken restaurant.

I really enjoyed reading this cookbook. I’ve marked several recipes to try and have made the slow-cooker Southern mac ’n’ cheese. Shaq says in the cookbook that it’s his mom’s recipe and one of his favorite things to eat.

“She called it ‘Li’l Shaq’s Easy Mac,’ and when I was a kid, she made it for me after every game,” he wrote.

We enjoyed it. I do like my baked recipe better, but it’s a good quick and easy option.

I think this book would make a great gift for a basketball fan or anyone who’d like straightforward and tasty recipes such as Southern-style turkey chili with cheddar cornbread waffles, traditional beef stew with sour cream dumplings or Frosted Flake Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Lisa Boykin Batts has been writing a weekly food column since 2001. Her column includes recipes she and her family enjoy.

Slow-Cooker Southern Mac ’n’ Cheese

1 pound elbow pasta

1 pound Velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Lightly coat the insert of a 6-quart cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared insert, combine the pasta, Velveeta, whole milk, evaporated milk, butter, salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate. Cover the slow cooker and turn the heat to high. Cook, covered, for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Top the pasta with the cheddar. Replace the cover and cook for 20 minutes. 

Serve the mac immediately.

— “Shaq’s Family Style”

Obesity may be associated with ‘poor brain health’ in children

Obesity may be associated with ‘poor brain health’ in children

A child with a rucksack on wheel walking towards other kids in front of a school as seen through a circular cutoutShare on Pinterest
The prevelance of obesity among children and adolescents has been growing in recent years. Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
  • Childhood obesity is a growing healthcare challenge, and according to the CDC, one in five American children is obese.
  • Previously, research in obese adults has shown a link with poor brain health, but large studies in children were lacking.
  • Now, researchers have conducted the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States, where they found that higher weight and body mass index (BMI) are associated with negative brain changes.

Obesity is a condition that occurs when a person has excess weight or body fat, affecting their overall health. A doctor or healthcare professional will suggest a person is obese if their BMI is very high.

As part of this research, the study team evaluated data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which includes 11,878 children ages 9-10 years from 21 centers across the U.S.

This dataset closely approximates the U.S. population and is therefore representative with regard to sociodemographics.

After excluding children with disordered eating, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases, or traumatic brain injury, the researchers were left with a study group of 5,169 children (51.9{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} female).

They reviewed the children’s BMI z-scores. These are measures of the child’s relative weight adjusted for their age, sex, and height, to ensure a standardized approach.

They also used magnetic resonance images (MRI) to identify microstructural or morphological changes in the brains of the children.

Their analysis examined the relationship between the child’s weight, BMI, and changes in the brain.

The researchers concluded that higher weight in childhood is associated with poor brain health, namely changes in white matter, reduced cortical grey matter thickness, and decreased functional connectivity.

The study will be presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

To assess the overall brain health within the study group, the researchers reviewed structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). This allowed the researchers to measure changes in blood flow and, ultimately, brain activity.

They assessed the connectivity between different parts of the brain via the analysis of the resting state fMRI.

The researchers also analyzed data from diffusion tensor imaging, a technique that allowed them to assess the brain’s white matter. They also used restriction spectrum imaging, another advanced MRI technique.

They observed structural brain changes in children with higher weight and BMI z-scores, including significant impairment to the integrity of their brain’s white matter.

Dr. Thomas Booth, consultant diagnostic and interventional neuroradiologist from King’s College London, who was not involved in this research, told Medical News Today that “these are fascinating results in a large cohort highlighting the use of neuroimaging as a basic science.”

Brain health is assessed via a number of factors, such as overall cardiovascular health, the amount of sleep a person gets, the foods they eat, and how much exercise they do.

In this study, the resting-state fMRI images showed that increased weight and BMI z-scores were associated with decreased connectivity in the brain.

The researchers noted that these changes were located in parts of the brain that involve cognitive control, motivation, and reward-based decision-making.

Previously considered a disease of overeating and control, recent research shows that there are multiple factors at play, including genetic susceptibility and brain changes caused by lifestyle or environmental factors.

Haley Bishoff, a registered dietician and owner of Rūtsu Nutrition, who was also not involved in this research, told MNT that “this research helps shed light on why preventing childhood obesity is so important.”

“Brain health and development is crucial during the early stages of life. If there are known risks between childhood obesity and poor cognitive function, it’s important to take preventative action,” Bishoff said.

Bishoff noted the implications of this research for patients and their families:

“This research can help educate families and patients that fall in a high risk category for developing childhood obesity. This comes down to educating children [on] how to live a healthy lifestyle, starting at a young age. A healthy lifestyle includes eating nutritious foods and being physically active on a regular basis.”
— Haley Bishoff

“Children that suffer from obesity tend to eat more processed foods, high fat foods, and added sugars. These foods also lack many nutrients that are essential for brain development, such as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins. Children who eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats have lower obesity rates. These foods contribute to healthy brain development,” she detailed.

Bishoff also noted that “regular physical activity is also very important when it comes to weight management and overall brain health.”

On review of the abstract of this research, Dr. Booth highlighted a key question, still to be answered:

“Does the neuronal phenotype in the cohort studied lead to a change in cognition, behavior, or other manifestations?”

“As with much basic science, further work is now needed to understand the clinical importance of such findings,” he concluded.

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2022 | Arts & Culture

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2022 | Arts & Culture
Food-BookList-v1.jpg

This year’s titles include Watermelon and Red Birds, To Boldly Grow, Budmo! and Diasporican.
Illustration by Emily Lankiewicz

Food continues to be a source of comfort, creativity, nostalgia and education, and 2022 brought about some stellar writing on the topic. This year’s crop of best food books runs the gamut of African American, Ukrainian, Chinese and Puerto Rican cookbooks, uniting across cultures, and includes a memoir that exposes the underbelly of the French restaurant kitchen, history books on fermentation and pies, and a searing account of the loss of our food diversity and how we can save it. All told, these ten favorites will inspire and ignite, while teaching us about the importance of diversity and respect.

Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty

What do Jewish and African diaspora food have in common, and how do they combine to create a unique cuisine? Culinary and cultural historian Michael W. Twitty’s follow-up to his James Beard Award-winning The Cooking Gene examines the intersection of these two dynamic identities and presents an analysis of dual diasporas, a cultural history, and an upsetting examination of bigotry. The personal narratives of Twitty and other Black Jews offer a rich background for 50 innovative recipes, such as Caribbean compote, kosher-Cajun rice dressing and Louisiana-style latkes, although to categorize this as a cookbook would be to deny its cultural and historical significance—and Twitty’s evocative and poetic writing style.

Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A. Taylor

Now that the holiday of Juneteenth, celebrating the emancipation of Black slaves, has cemented its place in the national conversation—and become a federal holiday as of last year—this cookbook by James Beard Award-nominated food writer and home cook Nicole Taylor couldn’t be more timely. As she writes, “I’m a Southern woman, born into a working-class family when crisp white churchgoing gloves and Sunday beer bootleggers (my hometown didn’t have alcohol sales until 2012) were in serious fashion and full deep freezers were a status symbol.” Taylor has always celebrated the holiday with her family, and she artfully details the storied cookouts with overflowing spreads and plenty of “red drink,” sharing 75 recipes that marry traditional African American recipes with modern variations like the Afro egg cream, beef ribs with fermented harissa, and radish and ginger pound cake. There’s also a guide that shares where to find sundries like hot sauces, jams and spices produced by companies with owners from Black, Indigenous or other marginalized communities.

A Waiter in Paris: Adventures in the Dark Heart of the City by Edward Chisholm

“It’s the boundary between two worlds: the Paris you see and the Paris you don’t,” writes Edward Chisholm, an Englishman who moved to Paris in 2012 and spent several years as a waiter while trying to build up his writing career. Now, his debut book, a no-holds-barred memoir detailing his time waiting tables in one of the world’s hottest restaurant cities, reveals what really goes on behind the scenes of fine dining establishments. This book is the next generation of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential and Stephanie Danler’s Sweetbitter, with Chisholm exposing the often-shocking mayhem of the restaurant kitchen in visceral detail. He deftly uses the Parisian restaurant as a microcosm for France as a whole, with immigrants, people of color and blue-collar workers at the bottom of the food chain.

Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies by Rossi Anastopoulo

Ever wonder how apple pie became a symbol of America? Food writer and editor Rossi Anastopoulo slices into the history of pie in the good ol’ US of A, from pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving to apple pie on Independence Day, using the iconic American dessert to tell the story of a country. Still, it’s not all sweet, as she details how molasses pie traces its origin to slavery and Jell-O pie reveals the history of gender disparity in our country. All in all, Anastopoulo shares interesting facts behind 11 all-American pies, like how the first recipe for American apple pie appeared in a 1796 cookbook called American Cookery, which is believed to be the first cookbook ever published in the newly minted United States. The book includes a recipe for each pie, too.

Budmo!: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen by Anna Voloshyna

In this colorful cookbook you’ll find recipes for dishes like cold borscht, dark cherry varenyky and sweet pumpkin rice kasha from Ukrainian native Anna Voloshyna, who moved to California in 2011. Known for hosting pop-up dinners and cooking classes, Voloshyna is also a food stylist, photographer and blogger. In her debut cookbook, she offers modern and American spins on the typical dishes she grew up with, and she also includes details like food origins, customs and traditions in each recipe’s headnote. Budmo, which is how Ukrainians say “cheers,” shares the country’s complicated history that has led up to the current war, while simultaneously celebrating its varied and vibrant cuisine.


BUDMO!: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen

Celebrate the rich culture of Ukrainian cuisine with these traditional Eastern European recipes infused with a fresh, contemporary approach for today’s home kitchen, from one of today’s most exciting young chefs of Ukrainian cuisine.

Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet

Part memoir and part cookbook, this debut from our country’s first Puerto Rican food columnist Illyanna Maisonet dives into the author’s personal family recipes, which she painstakingly documented from her extended relatives through the years, and also includes her interpretation of dishes by Puerto Rican friends, chefs and roadside food vendors. There are 90 recipes including traditional Puerto Rican dishes like tostones, pernil and mofongo. Other highlights include sloppy joes and sancocho. But more than just the recipes, Maisonet shares how migration and colonization have influenced and progressed Puerto Rican food, ingredients and techniques. In explaining why her family wraps their pasteles in foil, Maisonet writes in her intimate, conversational style, “When you think of my grandma coming to Sacramento as a 17-year-old mother of two in 1956, you have to wonder where the hell would she have found banana leaves in Northern California?” She posits that this progression is no less authentic than the original method, and that the resourcefulness of Puerto Ricans has evolved their cuisine into what it is today: dynamic and delicious.


Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook

Over 90 delicious, deeply personal recipes that tell the story of Puerto Rico’s Stateside diaspora from the United States’ first Puerto Rican food columnist, award-winning writer Illyanna Maisonet.

Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures and Communities by Julia Skinner

Food historian and fermenting expert Julia Skinner details the history of fermentation of foods across cultures, from kimchi to tepache and everything in between, in her latest volume. She details how fermented foods have continually come up across human history, examining the ever-evolving microbiome and food preservation techniques across cultures, while also explaining different fermentation types and their processes. Alongside are 42 historic recipes for fermented foods, including various vinegars, lacto-fermented fruits and vegetables, soy sauce and ketchup.

Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them by Dan Saladino

Food journalist Dan Saladino, who worked for 25 years at the BBC, presents the surprising facts of where our food comes from in his debut book. Did you know that half of our calories come from rice, wheat and corn? Or that 95 percent of the milk we drink in the U.S. comes from just one breed of cow? Astoundingly, only four corporations hold sway over the bulk of the global seed market. When laid bare, these facts reveal a serious problem with our global food chain, starting with the risk of losing our traditional foodways and by no means ending with the danger of vulnerability in the face of climate change. Saladino crisscrossed the globe when writing this book to experience and record our most at-risk foods, from the root vegetable murnong, once a primary food of Aboriginal Australians, to Geechee red peas in Sea Island, Georgia. He weaves the stories of the people who continue to cultivate and consume these near-forgotten foods while simultaneously providing a guide for how to rescue our food system before it’s too late.

The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love From a Chinese American Family by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung and Sarah Leung

The Leungs, who run the “Woks of Life” blog, welcome you into their home, sharing recipes and family memories with humor and aplomb. Each of the four family members brings something to the table: Mom Judy takes care of traditional Chinese dishes, and dad Bill teaches readers how to complete restaurant-style dishes like Cantonese roast duck and beef with broccoli, which he gamely notes, “I cranked out many orders in my day, so I’ve had plenty of practice,” thanks to his time spent working in his parents’ Chinese restaurant. Meanwhile, daughters Sarah and Kaitlin focus on weeknight-friendly meals where vegetables are the star ingredients. The cookbook also includes an intricate guide to Chinese staples and handy tools to stock your kitchen with, plus how-tos on Chinese cooking techniques like velveting.

To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure and Dinner in Your Own Backyard by Tamar Haspel

While many Americans started “victory gardens” during the pandemic, plenty have fallen by the wayside. Washington Post food columnist Tamar Haspel hopes to change that. When she and her husband left Manhattan for two acres of land in Cape Cod in 2008, they decided to embark on a journey to produce as much of their own food as possible, without assistance. This translates into things like refining their own sea salt, foraging for edible plants and hunting for meat. Haspel aims to show that any of us can feed ourselves from our own backyards, as long as we have ingenuity and the will to try. In the end, the book serves as a guide as much as a memoir, with failures as well as successes documented.

Doctors normally prescribe medicine and now some are prescribing meals : NPR

Doctors normally prescribe medicine and now some are prescribing meals : NPR

A study finds medically tailored healthy meal delivery reduces the risk of patients ending up back in the hospital. These meal programs are benefiting people with diet-related conditions.



RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Doctors prescribe medicine. That’s a basic part of their job. But some doctors are now also prescribing meals, what they call medically tailored meals that are aimed at treating or managing chronic medical conditions. And as NPR’s Allison Aubrey reports, there is new evidence to show how beneficial the meals can be for people with a diet-related illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease, which affects millions of Americans.

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: About two years ago, Michelle Pagoni (ph), who’s now 58, was hospitalized after she took a bad fall in her home in Castro Valley, Calif.

MICHELLE PAGONI: I fell out of my bed, and I broke my pelvis. And I ended up in the hospital, you know, in rehab.

AUBREY: During her stay, her health care providers realized that her blood sugar was elevated. Already diagnosed with diabetes, the condition was not well controlled. And she told a nurse how she was feeling.

PAGONI: Sluggish – you know, just get tired and not want to do anything.

AUBREY: That’s when a nurse at Kaiser Permanente told her that for her condition, food could be a medicine. Eating the right kinds of meals, she was told, could help manage her blood sugar. And the nurse helped sign her up to receive free meals paid for by her health plan. The meals are prepared and delivered by an organization called Project Open Hand in Oakland.

ANA AYALA: I’ve heated up one of our medically tailored meals.

AUBREY: Ana Ayala is vice president of programs at Project Open Hand, which was founded in the early days of the AIDS epidemic to nourish AIDS patients. Now needs have shifted as diet-related diseases have become so common. The group partnered with the state of California several years back to launch the first statewide medically tailored meal program in the U.S.

AYALA: This is one of our most popular recipes. It is our wellness meal. And it is a beef stroganoff atop a whole wheat rotini.

AUBREY: The group’s chef has worked with nutrition professionals to develop meals that are low in refined carbohydrates, high in protein, with plenty of vegetables.

AYALA: Wonderfully vibrant, colorful medley of green beans and broccoli and cauliflower.

AUBREY: This smells wonderful.

AYALA: It does smell wonderful. I agree.

AUBREY: Every week, Project Open Hand packs up thousands of these meals and delivers them to patients around the region, including to the home of Michelle Pagoni. The meals are portioned precisely for weight management.

PAGONI: I do think these meals are helping me lose weight. They’re helping my leg chiggers.

AUBREY: Pam Schwartz is executive director of community health at Kaiser Permanente, which recently committed $50 million to bolster its Food Is Medicine initiatives.

PAM SCHWARTZ: Health care across the nation is moving in this direction. There’s quite a buzz about Food Is Medicine and also the role of health care and being part of the solution.

AUBREY: Pilot studies show that providing healthy meals to help nourish people with Type 2 diabetes can help reduce medical costs and improve patients’ A1C, a measure of blood sugar. And Schwartz says Kaiser Permanente’s latest research adds more evidence.

SCHWARTZ: In the spring of 2020, we launched three medically tailored meal studies for patients who were recently discharged from our hospitals.

AUBREY: Patients received 10 weeks of medically tailored meals. A control group received usual care, with no meals. They were followed for several months after discharge. Turns out, receiving the meals was associated with lower mortality and fewer hospitalizations for heart failure.

SCHWARTZ: I wasn’t surprised, but I do know that health care needs more studies for us to be able to understand how to scale.

AUBREY: Michelle Pagoni says having healthy meals delivered has helped her change her diet, away from cookies and chips.

PAGONI: It’s amazing that I’m eating vegetables over my junk food. Cooked carrots – and another one I’m actually eating is Brussels sprouts, and I’m starting to enjoy.

AUBREY: She’s learned a new way to eat, and it’s changed her outlook.

PAGONI: The way I’m feeling now is I have more energy, and the food is just helping me all around.

AUBREY: And her health care providers say if she can build on this momentum, this is the promise of food as medicine.

Allison Aubrey, NPR News.

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9 Most Popular Desserts From Around The World

9 Most Popular Desserts From Around The World

We can all agree that dessert is the highlight of any meal. Whether it’s at home or at a restaurant, we all look forward to ending our meal with a delectable dessert. And if you’re someone who has a sweet tooth, the urge to satisfy those sweet cravings is real. While we all have certain dessert preferences to curb these cravings, there’s no harm in trying out some more sweet treats. The world is full of delicious desserts and there’s so much to explore out there.  So, if you’re someone who is eager to experiment and try out exotic desserts, here we bring you a list of 9 lip-smacking desserts from around the world. So, without further ado, let’s get started with the list.

Also read: 15 Best Easy Dessert Recipes | Popular Dessert Recipes

Here’re 9 Best Desserts Of The World:

1.Tiramisu – Italy

Mention Italy, and the first thing that usually comes to mind is pizza and pasta. There is no secret that these Italian delicacies are famous worldwide, and for all the right reasons! But it would be unfair if we did not mention everyone’s favourite part of the meal – dessert. Tiramisu is one such Italian dessert that is extremely popular. This multi-layered dessert is made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of mascarpone cheese, and is flavoured with cocoa. A visit to Italy would be incomplete without indulging in this sweet treat.

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2.Creme Brulee – France

France is home to some of the most decadent and delightful pastry concoctions in the world. French desserts are usually made from a combination of cream, custard and fruit. And it seems like the French have perfected this art in no time. Creme Brulee may sound like a fancy dessert but it’s actually quite simple to make. It has a creamy and rich custard base that is topped with a crispy caramelised layer.

brulee

3.Waffles – Belgium

Warm and crispy waffles topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce – this heavenly combination would leave anyone drooling! And the Belgians know exactly how to perfect this art. Belgian waffles are denser and have deeper pockets as compared to their American counterparts. They can also be topped with several fillings such as butter, maple syrup, fruits or jam.

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4.Baklava – Turkey

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert and several countries have their own unique version of it. But the ones in Turkey are the most popular for producing this delicacy. This bite-sized dessert is made of filo pastry sheets that are filled with chopped nuts such as pistachios or walnuts and is sweetened with honey or syrup. It is either served as is or with a dollop of kaymak (clotted cream) or vanilla ice cream.

5.Cheesecake – U.S.A

American cheesecakes are one of the most popular desserts in the world. What sets them apart from any other type of cheesecake in the world is that they are extremely rich and dense. Americans like everything larger than life and cheesecakes are no exception. Be it cream, eggs, cheese or even butter – they do not miss out an opportunity to double these ingredients. And this is what truly makes an American cheesecake rich and luscious.

vl9ubu2gAlso read: 5 Decadent Cheesecake Recipes To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Cravings

6.Churros – Spain

Churros are deep-fried dough sticks that are piped through a star-shaped nozzle, deep-fried in oil until golden brown and topped with icing sugar and cinnamon. While it has its origins in Spain, they are also extremely popular in Latin America. This sweet delight is traditionally eaten for breakfast but is also widely enjoyed as a dessert. It is usually drizzled or dipped in chocolate or dulche de leche.

churros625

7.Mochi – Japan

Mochi are soft round buns that are made of rice. This traditional Japanese dessert has been enjoyed by locals in Japan since centuries. It is a Japanese rice cake made from mochigome, a short-grain glutinous rice. The rice is first steamed and then pounded and mashed. Japanese eat this dessert in various forms and it is an indispensable food item during the New Year celebrations.

8.Trifle – United Kingdom

An English trifle is a quintessential dessert that has graced British households since centuries. This decadent-looking layered dessert is made of thin layers of sponge fingers or pound cake soaked in brandy or sherry, custard and whipped cream and is layered in a glass dish. Trifles not only provide a treat to the eyes but taste extremely divine.

fruit trifle

9.Mango Sticky Rice – Thailand

Mango sticky rice is Thailand’s most popular dessert. It is served at various Thai restaurants around the world. This traditional dessert is made with fresh mango, coconut milk and sweet rice. Locals eat this dessert to keep themselves cool during the humid season. You just cannot miss trying out this tropical rice pudding when in Thailand.

Try out these delicious desserts and let us know which one was your favourite in the comments section below.
 

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