Being a parent can be challenging when managing childcare and household responsibilities. As found in a survey on household cooking, six in ten parents admit they’re not very good cooks. The survey also revealed that in most households, only one parent (particularly mothers) is responsible for all the cooking in their home— from breakfast to dinner— which wears them out for other chores and spreads their time thin. Preparing a nutritious meal for the family is another challenge, with 63% of parents having difficulty finding “easy” meals that are also balanced and appealing to their children.

To make time for other chores and meet the needs of evolving palates, it’s essential that mothers speed up food preparation. As a home cook, you may not be as quick as professional cooks, but plenty of kitchen tools can help you save time. Listed below are five time-saving kitchen tools you should have:

Sharp knife

Many people underestimate the importance of a sharp knife for faster cooking. With a sharp blade, you can quickly chop, dice, and mince through almost anything, including breaking down a roast chicken or cutting tough squash. For busy moms, getting a stainless steel chef’s knife is the best option, as these are all-purpose tools that are relatively low maintenance. You should also factor in whether you chop or slice more, as a narrow blade is best suited for slicing, whereas a broader blade can be suitable for heavier cutting.

Multi-functional rice cooker

Some high-end devices may have a high learning curve, but multi-functional rice cookers keep the cooking process accessible through simple presets and timer options. A multi-cooker frees busy moms from the mental load of preparing meals. These come with automatic features that keep your rice from being overcooked while staying warm and fluffy. The Tiger JAX-S10U-WY model, for instance, doubles as a slow cooker for plain, fluffy, sweet, mixed, white, multigrain, brown, or steamed rice, plus porridge. Furthermore, these are small and compact, so they don’t take up too much space on your kitchen counter. Even with little supervision, safety isn’t an issue with these set-and-forget devices.

Vegetable chopper

One of the most laborious parts of cooking is chopping, so having a food chopper can save time on manual labor and chop foods as coarsely or as finely as you need. As we suggested in our previous post on meal prepping, you can spend one chunk of your time preparing your food by pre-cutting them. A food chopper is an excellent option for speeding up the preparation of veggies, allowing you to focus on other food that is best sliced with a knife, such as fruit and meat.

Kitchen scale

For mothers who love to bake, a weighing scale is non-negotiable. Rather than manually measuring using cups or spoons, digital scales allow home cooks to get consistent and accurate results. The Escali Primo model is an accurate scale that reads in increments of 1 gram or 0.05 ounces and can hold up to 5 kilograms or 11 pounds. The scale has a simple interface with three buttons, enabling you to measure weight with a single push. Frequent bakers may even memorize the exact weight of ingredients per recipe to help cut time.

Instant-read digital thermometer

When it comes to meats like chicken and beef, it’s crucial to cook to the appropriate temperature to avoid any food poisoning. However, you also run the risk of overcooking and ruining the flavor of your meals. With an instant-read digital thermometer, you don’t have to second-guess yourself and cut into food to see if it’s done. Furthermore, digital thermometers work much faster and are more accurate than manual ones, allowing you to serve a meal once it meets its safe temperature.

Parents don't have to do everything by themselves from scratch anymore. Learning how to use these tools and accepting conveniences doesn't mean you're compromising your cooking, after all. Instead, you're maximizing your resources efficiently so that you can enjoy more quality time with your kids.