The $7 Unitasker Gadget That Makes Me a More Efficient Mom
My husband has a problem with unnecessary kitchen gadgets. It’s as though he sees “AS SEEN ON TV” as a seal of approval, more than a designation. He owns at least 15 bottle openers. We have more glassware than we know what to do with. Deeming his hands inefficient meat-shaping vehicles, he bought a burger patty shaper. Once, he even came home with a gadget to measure the amount of spaghetti that should be cooked for a proper portion. You could hear my eye roll all the way into the next county.
It probably goes without saying that when it comes to corner-cutting handheld gizmos, it takes more than an infomercial to turn me around. But when I became a mom, “shortcut” became my middle name. Now that I’m responsible for feeding another human — one who starts to melt down if his food isn’t ready when he wants it — I need every second I can get.
Enter: the strawberry huller.
I, like many, laugh at the reviews associated with unnecessary kitchen items. The banana slicer alone has provided hours of entertainment. So I wasn’t quite ready to get on board with an item that does what is easily accomplished with a knife. But if you’ve ever cut up a strawberry while your child runs out of Cheerios, you know that just a few minutes can turn snack time into “do you think the hospital would take him back?” time.
After a fellow mom posted her newfound huller appreciation to her Instagram stories, I figured what the heck. I ordered the Chef’n StemGem (based on the nearly 3,000 positive reviews, not to mention the name), and I never looked back.
Not only does it help save me time with a hangry toddler around, but it also makes me feel like I’m not wasting the entirety of a strawberry by trying to excavate the bitter part. It’s also broadened my world by introducing me to a whole arsenal of fruit-removal products. Slicing cherries? That’s a thing of the past. With the cherry pitter, you can have choke-free fruit with the help of what looks like a mild torture device. That’s a win-win in my book.
Yes, I’m a little disappointed that my life has come to a place where something like a strawberry huller brings me enough joy to warrant a devotional. But if you think about saving five minutes every day, that’s almost half an hour a week. I’ll take it.
Do you have any other unitaskers that you swear by — especially since becoming a parent?