*Note: Price checks in this post were from Saturday, December 19th. Availability and sales change with time. Also, I’m not sponsored by any brands. I just deeply love kitchen goodies and gadgets.

The magic of Christmas has really been lifting my spirits this year – more so than usual. I’ve watched a Hallmark Christmas movie just about every day since Thanksgiving, which seems alarming to me now that I am writing that out in words.

I know this time of year can be stressful for many, though, especially in the midst of a pandemic. Between missing family, holiday shopping, thinking about travel, and planning how to avoid the inevitable political argument with a relative at the Christmas Eve dinner table, it’s inevitable that one might feel overwhelmed.

Typically, I am one of those people who saves holiday shopping for the last minute. I am often left scrambling for one or two final gifts. Anyone with me? (The people who finish their shopping in November are laughing at us right now).

Do you have a home chef in your life that you need to shop for? Maybe a loved one who just wants to start cooking more? Perhaps you just want to treat yourself with something that will make your life in the kitchen a little more jovial? If that’s the case, I am sharing a list of great kitchen stocking stuffers that won’t break the bank – and a plan for grabbing them before Christmas. I use all of these weekly and don’t know what I would do without them.

Citrus Squeezer

This was one of those items I didn’t know I needed until I had one. Now, I could never live my life without a citrus squeezer (thank you, Susan)! In my opinion, using fresh lemon or lime juice makes all the difference in a recipe. Sure, the bottled stuff gets the job done, but you’ll take flavors to the next level if you slice up and squeeze a lemon or lime.

Can’t you just squeeze it by hand? Of course you can. But what a pain when all the seeds from your lemon drop into your food and you have to pick them out with your fingers. You also yield way more juice using a squeezer than using your fingers.

I received the Chef’N Freshforce Lemon Citrus Juicer from Sur La Table as a gift and I swear it squeezes every last drop out of my lemons and limes. At Sur La Table and a few other stores, it regularly sells for $24.95. If you cook often, I think this is worth every penny, but it turns out Amazon offers it at cheapest price at the moment. I’m sure most home stores offer this model. The list below offers a few different shopping options:

• Amazon: $12.88 (arrives before Christmas for Prime members)
• Sur La Table: $18.75 if you use code WRAP25 to get 25% off one product (choose 2-day shipping by 12/22 for delivery by Christmas)
• This product is also available at Bed Bath & Beyond, the Chef’N Website, Crate & Barrel, and Williams Sonoma for $24.95, but the Christmas shipping cutoff has passed. You could consider curbside pickup, however!

Most of these places also sell the lime squeezer, as well, which is the same thing but in a slightly smaller size. I’ve squeezed plenty of limes in my lemon squeezer and don’t think you need two separate squeezers. The largest orange squeezer could be useful if you cook with a lot of bigger citrus fruits, though.

Dash Mini Griddle & Other Precious Gadgets

My Dash mini griddle is so dang small and cute that it can, in fact, fit in a stocking! Priced at only $9.99 and available in different colors, how can you resist this adorable little treasure? Dash has tons of other cute little gadgets if a griddle isn’t on your wish list (waffle iron, popcorn maker, mini donut maker, etc). Plus, they have tons of fun new prints this season (paw prints, gingerbread folk, galaxy, etc)! Check out their ideas for gifts under $25.00. Ordering directly from their website may not get you your gifts in time for Christmas at this point. Luckily, many other retailers carry their products.

The griddle is not the most efficient way to cook big batches of things like pancakes or fritters, but DANG, do those things turn out perfectly when you do. I cook a single pancake for 1-2 minutes per side and each turn out golden and delicious. Since I’m not usually cooking pancakes for a crowd, I like using the griddle because clean up is minimal.

I purchased this mini griddle for two main reasons, and neither were to make pancakes: 1) it’s pink, 2) to make easy breakfast sandwiches. I love sunny side up eggs alone or on a sandwich, and this makes the perfect sunny side up egg every time. The griddle take 1-2 minutes to get hot. I crack my egg right on it, and in the time it takes for me to toast an English muffin with some cheese on top, a perfect sunny side up egg is cooked and ready. Hello, stunning breakfast sandwich. I simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth or paper towel when it’s cooled and put it away.

Where can you snatch one of these up before Christmas?

• Bed Bath & Beyond: $9.99 in aqua, $10.99 in black, $15.99 in silver (order today and get it with free Same Day Delivery on orders over $39 or get 20% off your store pickup order)
• Target: 9.99 in aqua or pink (order by 12/20 by 12 pm for delivery by or on Christmas Eve)
• Amazon: $8.49 in pink, $24.00 in aqua (other colors available but not until after Christmas)

As I was searching the web for the best prices on the Dash Mini Griddle, I came across this Dash Deluxe Sous Vide Style Egg Bite Maker with Silicone Molds. OH MY GOD. Hello, adorable Starbucks-style egg bites. How pretty is that pale yellow color? Aqua is always an excellent choice, too. I am totally dropping hints for my husband right now in hopes that he reads this. Shopping suggestions below:

• Target: On sale for 17.99 in aqua (order by 12/20 by 12 pm for delivery by or on Christmas Eve)
• Bed Bath & Beyond: $19.99 ($15.99 if you are a Beyond+ Member), in aqua, black, and red (order today and get it with free Same Day Delivery on orders over $39 or get 20% off your store pickup order)
• Amazon: $22.99 and up in aqua, black, and red (arrives by Christmas Eve for Prime members)

Worried about having enough cabinet space for yet ANOTHER kitchen appliance? I can’t speak for other Dash products because I only own one, but this Mini Griddle is so small it fits in a cereal bowl. Space savers, rejoice!

Meat Baller

There is a overwhelmingly high number of meat ballers out there. The one I have and love is the Architec The Baller, 2″. It is made of BPA-free plastic and is dishwasher safe. You can get it at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for $9.99 (order today and get it with free Same Day Delivery on orders over $39 or get 20% off your store pickup order). It is currently double the price on Amazon and a few other places.

I recommend a meat baller to anyone, but especially to people with long nails. I absolutely despise rolling meatballs and getting ingredients stuck under my nails. Gross.

Look how perfect meatballs come out using this! These are actually eggplant “meatballs” (recipe from the incredible Gina Homolka of Skinnytaste) made with no meat at all. So, this meat baller can be used by meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

Taco Holders

Need I say more here? Nothing ticks me off more than when I make the perfect taco, only to find that it tipped over and all of the goodies fell out. UGH. I’m getting upset just imagining it in my mind.

Why not stuff your tacos without a care in the world? This is possible with taco holders. The style and size possibilities here are endless. The ones I have are nice looking, but they only hold two tacos. Next time I buy taco holders, I am going to buy some that can hold at least three, possibly four. I would also like to support small business by ordering on Etsy – look at all the cute options! If you need taco holders before Christmas, check out some of these options that will ship quickly:

• Budget friendly taco stands from Bed, Bath, & Beyond (order today and get it with free Same Day Delivery on orders over $39 or get 20% off your store pickup order) – $4.99 for a set of 4, each stand holds 1
• Taco plate (if you have sides!) from Bed, Bath, & Beyond (order today and get it with free Same Day Delivery on orders over $39 or get 20% off your store pickup order) – $3.49 for 1 plate, each plate holds 3 tacos and 2 small sides
• Colorful taco stands for the whole family (set of 6) from Amazon – $14.99 (Arrives before Christmas for Prime members)
• Stainless steel taco stands for the whole family (set of 6) from Amazon – $19.97 (Arrives before Christmas for Prime members)
• Decorative taco stands from Amazon – $7.99 for 1, each stand holds 2 tacos (Arrives before Christmas for Prime members)
• Wooden taco stand from Amazon – $22.80 for 1, each stand holds 6 tacos (Arrives before Christmas for Prime members)

You can even get your taco holders in the shape of a triceratops, brontosaurus, unicorn, fire truck, taco truck, and…HOLD THE PHONE! THERE IS A TACO CAT TACO HOLDER! I think that means it’s time to wrap up this post and go explore this new option for myself…

Have a relaxing holiday, everyone!