As you might imagine, the Whole30 team doesn’t like the idea of using food—especially carb-dense, nutrient-poor food with no brakes—as a reward. The food-as-reward cycle is one of the most destructive eating behaviors Whole30 participants struggle to change during their program, and often resurfaces aggressively on Day 31. The rationale usually sounds something like this: 
Now, we’re not talking about the normal reintroduction that follows a Whole30. What we’re talking about is specifically rewarding oneself for “good” food behavior with foods that probably make us less healthy. This practice defies logic (how is making yourself less healthy a reward?!), undermines the healthy habits you’ve been building for the last 30 days, and puts you right back into the vicious cycle of overconsumption -> guilt -> shame. Please don’t misunderstand: The effort you’ve put in over the last month does deserve recognition! We think you should shout from the rooftops (or at least from your Instagram feed) what you’ve accomplished, and tell the world what you’ve discovered about yourself and your relationship with food. But instead of “treating” yourself with something that will do you more harm than good, why not give yourself a gift you’ll enjoy now and in a few weeks? Something that will help you continue your new, healthy habits… something that will encourage your new behaviors, and make you feel good about your hard work and achievements every time you use it? Something that will provide you with tasty eats more rewarding than your Starbucks barista could ever serve up. We present to you the idea that kitchen gadgets are the new skinny vanilla-caramel-mocha-latte-cino. Reward yourself and your new healthy habits with fun, innovative, useful tools to help you continue to prepare, cook, and eat Good Food. We’ve outlined our favorites across a broad range of categories, prices, and functions—some designed purely to bring you joy. Check out our favorite picks below.
Steal These Kitchen Goodies
Coming in at less than $10, these items are perfect for celebrating spontaneous victories, or gifting a friend. (At this price, you don’t even have to wait until your Whole30 is over!) Amco Rub Away Bar, $8 Garlic and onions are flavorful and fragrant, lending their delicious aroma to many classic Whole30 recipes. Unfortunately, they also lend that aroma to our hands as we prep and chop them. Use this stainless steel bar to remove all manner of kitchen odors. Counter Art Flexible Cutting Mats, 4 mats for $7 This set of four flexible and festive cutting mats will add another dimension of fun (and hopefully convenience) to your weekly cook-up. They’re even made with Micro Ban to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Evriholder Avo Saver Avocado Holder, $5 Avocados are like green gold during a Whole30! Try this specially designed holder to keep your avocados from oxidizing (assuming you don’t eat the whole thing at one sitting). Amco Avocado Slicer and Pitter, $14 Speaking of avocados… check out this gadget designed to help you pit and slice your avocados with less mess (and risk of severed fingers…you know what we’re talking about). Allware Stainless Steel Pineapple Easy Slicer and De-Corer, $6 This cool contraption cores an entire pineapple and slices into rings in short order. It’s not a multi-tasker, by any means, but if you’ve ever prepped a pineapple from scratch, you’ll know it’s worth the $6. Norpro Stainless Steel Meat Baller, $7 Meatballs are practically a Whole30 staple – they’re versatile, flavorful and freezable. They’re also a pain to prep. If meatballs are a favorite in your house, this tool could quickly become indispensable. Precision Kitchenware Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler, $10 The best of both worlds: a standard veggie peeler and a julienne peeler in one gadget. Because who doesn’t love zoodles?
Splurge on these Kitchen Gadgets
These items will set you back between $35 and $100. They may not be “impulse buys,” but they would be the perfect treat for marking the end of your Whole30, or showing a family member how proud you are. Lodge 4-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $62 This gorgeous dutch oven is perfect for those roasts, stews, and one-pot meals! Cuisinart Pro Classic 7-cup Food Processor, $120 Food prep made easy! Shred, chop, slice, blend and even puree with this 7-quart food processor. Word on the street is that you can process whole fruits and veggies through the extra-large feed tube. CHARD Electric Meat Slicer, $62 It’s hard to find deli meats that are free of junk ingredients, but with your very own meat slicer cold cuts may be back on the table! Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender, $30 Soups, purees, and one minute mayo are all within your reach when you employ a handy-dandy stick blender like this one! Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry, $50 This official Crock-Pot of the Urban house can hold a 6-pound roast, 6 quarts of bone broth, or enough carnitas for seven people! With a sealable lid, you can even take your meal to the party with you. Paderno Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer, $30 Zoodle, Squoodles, Spoodles – you’ll be spiralizing all of the vegetables with this handy contraption.
Save Up for these Kitchen Tools
These are big ticket items most folks will have to save for. Use these to mark the achievement of a long term goal, a family accomplishment, or when you’re really feeling the need to treat yo’ self. J.A. Henckels International Premio 18-piece knife block set, $210 A good knife set is the cornerstone of a Good Food kitchen. This knife set includes all the basics for slicing, carving and dicing your way into a Whole9 life. Plus, these come with the full recommendation of the Strathdee house. Excalibur 3900 9-Tray Deluxe Dehydrator, $200 Use this monster dehydrator to make your own jerky, dry the abundance of your garden, or make your own dried fruit medleys for trail mix. Instant-Pot 6 Quart Programmable Pressure Cooker, $140 Aside from washing itself, this Instant Pot does everything! It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, warmer, and more.
What’s Your Healthy Reward?
Do you plan to reward yourself with something more healthy than less healthy food when your Whole30 is over? Share your ideas in comments!
