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Half Baked Harvest’s Tieghan Gerard on Her Surprising $60 Kitchen Must: ‘Something Your Mom Probably Has, Too’

Shop the author’s “old-school” essentials for one-pot meals and quick prep

JenniferLawrence

Feb 7, 2025 - 10:43

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Half Baked Harvest’s Tieghan Gerard on Her Surprising $60 Kitchen Must: ‘Something Your Mom Probably Has, Too’

Shop the author’s “old-school” essentials for one-pot meals and quick prep

Jamie McCarthy/Variety via Getty Images; Amazon

Tieghan Gerard has revolutionized what it means to be an at-home chef.

As the mastermind and best-selling author behind Half Baked Harvest, Gerard has found a way to market rustic home-cooked meals as mouthwatering delicacies. Her latest cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy: A Cookbook, is full of one-pot wonders and stick-to-your-ribs recipes that’ll wow any guest, including her pick for a Super Bowl party showstopper. She tells PEOPLE, “The Jalapeño Buffalo Chicken Pizza is perfect.”

We also got the scoop on the kitchen essentials that Gerard swears by in her workshop — and they’re all available at Amazon. From cast iron cookware to meal prep tools, Gerard’s picks are functional, durable, and super sleek.

Tieghan Gerard’s Amazon Kitchen Essentials

Cast Iron Cookware: Staub 11-Inch Traditional Cast Iron Skillet, $250
Staub 7-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $280
Handy Tools: KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, $60
Crock-Pot 7-Quart Slow Cooker, $30 (orig. $50)
Henckels 15-Piece Knife Set with Block, $150 (orig. $350)
KitchenAid 4-Sided Cheese Grater, $14 (orig. $25)
Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor, $200 (orig. $250)
KitchenAid Variable-Speed Immersion Blender, $60
Organization and Cleaning: Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers, $30 (orig. $40)
Branch Basics Cleaning Essentials Kit, $67

Staub 11-Inch Traditional Cast Iron Skillet

$250

Gerard’s favorite “everyday pan” is the Staub 11-Inch Cast Iron Skillet. “It cooks and sears beautifully and evenly,” she tells PEOPLE. “I also love that it can go from the stovetop to the oven.” It’s also outfitted with a raised edge and handy spouts to help you pour out excess liquid and fat. For a more affordable alternative, the PEOPLE Shopping team recommends this $20 Lodge cast iron skillet.

Overall, Gerard prefers cast iron cookware to nonstick because it offers more versatility and longevity in the kitchen. For care, she simply rinses her cookware with water as opposed to scrubbing with soap, which can damage the material. She also shares that she has “no issues with sticking” thanks to the cooking oils that fortify the pans over time.

KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer

$60

When it comes to must-have tools, Gerard highlighted sharp knives, a quality cheese grater, and a Cuinisart food processor. She also raved about the importance of a hand mixer, but it doesn't have to be high-end; she prefers an “old-school one, something your mom probably has, too.” To Gerard, hand mixers offer a “closer contact” to ingredients, so it’s easier to cream butter or mix batter to your desired consistency, as opposed to relying on a stand mixer.

You can see Gerard and her trusty KitchenAid hand mixer in action as she whips up her Cinnamon Crunch Yogurt Coffee Cake in this Instagram Reel.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers

~~$40~~

$30

Quality cookware and appliances play a huge role in the kitchen, but Gerard also values organization. “One of the keys to quick cooking is having some things prepped in the fridge already,” she tells PEOPLE. “Prep containers are really nice.” These popular Rubbermaid containers can be used for prepared ingredients and leftovers. They have airtight lids, a stackable design, and they’re dishwasher-safe for easy care.

Gerard detailed even more of her kitchen essentials that you can get at Amazon, including her go-to cleaning supplies and a Crock-Pot slow cooker that you can set and forget. Read on to shop the rest of her staples, along with her latest cookbook.