Monday Q&A | Kids and Shopping Requests, Knife Recommendations, and Cereal Bag Reuse
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
I wanted to ask you about your approach to the strategic placement of things in grocery stores or department stores that are meant to appeal to young kids. My daughter is eleven months old, but already I am anticipating the time when she will see the candy/gadgets/toys in the stores that are unnecessary, unhealthy, cheap junk, etc. How do you deal with this? Do you simply try not to take your kids shopping with you if you can avoid it? How have you taught them that these things are just extraneous junk, and how do you deal with the inevitable occasional "Mommy, can I have that?"
Thanks!
Sarah
When my kids were young, it was never very practical for me to avoid taking my kids shopping with me, and besides, I'd have hated to feel constrained like that. Children can indeed be taught that they can't have everything they want in stores.
It's great that you're thinking about this now, because you can make this a whole lot easier on yourself by never getting your daughter into the habit of expecting extra things at the store. When I go shopping, my kids know that we'll be buying what we set out to buy and that "extras" are generally not going to be purchased, and because of this, they tend not to ask.
(We do occasionally buy something fun or extra when we're out, but because it's not expected and isn't a regular occurrence, it's more delightful for everyone when it does happen.)
As with so many parenting situations, consistency is key here. Your daughter needs to know that if you say no to a request, you mean no. If she has any inkling that you'll give in and say yes if she keeps asking, she will almost surely keep trying.
Our kids also know that if they want something, they can feel free to spend their own money on it. When they're spending their own money instead of mine, it makes them think about the purchase a whole lot harder.
I do try to help them make wise purchasing decisions with their money, but I also think that it's important for them to find out what it feels like to buy something that's a piece of junk. So sometimes, if they insist that they really, really want to buy something that's sort of a dumb purchase, I say yes. For instance, one of my girls wanted to spend her money on one of those vending machine sticky hand toys, and she got a rude awakening when she realized how tiny and junky the sticky hand was.
So, to sum up, don't start a precedent, be consistent about saying no, and when she gets older, let her make some dumb purchases with her own money to help her learn some money lessons.
What kind of knives would you recommend? I know you can easily buy cheap sets of knives at Walmart, but those wear out so quickly, and easily also spend upwards of $2000-4000 on a high end set of knives. We had a Cutco demonstration in our home recently and really liked their product, which seems quality and reasonable when compared to other high-end knife sets.
As we want to make a good investment in the future, and you are excellent at choosing lasting products of good quality materially and financially, I though I'd ask your opinion!
Liesl
I think it's awesome that you're looking to buy well-made knives instead of a cheap set. Yay!
Cook's Illustrated, my favorite source for kitchen recommendations, suggests putting together an a la carte knife set rather than buying a packaged set. That way you can buy only the knives you actually will use.
They've put together two a la carte knife sets, one that's more pricey, and one that's more budget-minded.
Because these recommendations are available to subscribers, I don't feel quite right sharing all of knife set lists here, but I can tell you that the budget minded set is made up almost entirely of Victorinox knives
. The more expensive set is a combo of Victorinox and Wusthof knives, so based on that, I'd recommend looking for those two brands.
The Victorinox Swiss Army 8-Inch Fibrox Straight Edge Chef's Knife
, which I own, is the recommended chef's knife for both the expensive and budget-minded sets. I also own a bread knife that's very similar to this one, by Victorinox.
(Here are some photos of my bread knife.)
I'm not really very happy with any of my paring knives, so now I'm eyeing the Wusthof paring knife
. Could it really be worth $39.95? Should I spend my birthday money to find out?
Decisions, decisions.
I am getting paid exactly $0 to say this, but if you need help finding kitchen items that will last, I strongly recommend subscribing to Cook's Illustrated's website. With your membership, you get access not only to all of their magazine recipes but also to every single equipment review they've ever done, and I cannot recommend this highly enough. Cook's is always my first stop when I'm looking to replace some type of kitchen equipment. It costs $35 a year, which is totally worth it if they save you from even a few unwise kitchen purchases.
Kristen,
Just the other day, as I was throwing out the 1 millionth wax cereal bag, I wondered how it compares to "real" waxed paper? Can it go in the microwave? Be used to line baking pans? Is it even really "waxed"?
Robin
Generally speaking, cereal bags these days are made of plastic, not waxed paper (though waxed paper cereal bags are a definitely childhood memory for me!) So, I wouldn't recommend microwaving or baking with the bags.
There are several ways you can reuse them, though.
With the addition of a rubber band, I use them in place of plastic wrap
I also use them to freeze food on a short-term basis. I just fold the open end over several times and use clothespins or chip clips to keep them shut. You wouldn't want to store food like this for months, since the seal isn't as airtight as what you'd get with a zippered plastic bag, but it works for a couple of weeks.
When I need to make graham cracker crumbs and don't feel like hauling out the food processor, I put the graham crackers in a cereal bag and crush them with a rolling pin. The cereal bags actually handle this type of pressure a lot better than regular plastic bags do.
______________________
Readers, it's your turn! Feel free to share your thoughts on any of today's questions.
I did purchase the cutco knives many years ago and I am not sorry I did. I also purchased stainless steel pans called Saladmaster pans which was bought at a party also. Very expensive but well worth it. Just found a saladmaster pan at goodwill Saturday. What a find for $3.99.....I am a senior(That's what they call us at 56 yrs old.... LOL) and have had many years with these knives and pans. You get what you pay for! Word of mouth from those that have purchased items is your best source. Have a great day and happy shopping.
My mother bought that Wusthof paring knife for me as a Christmas gift. It is absolutely worth the money! Excellent knife: sharp, balanced, easy to hold.
Good to know!
Seconded. $40 (which is the usual price, btw, ignore the $60 list) for a lifetime of good cutting. You'll have to get it sharpened, or you're wasting your money.
I got Wusthof paring knives and also a chef's knife at a fraction of the regular cost, from eBay. They were in great shape, but even if they weren't I knew they could be sharpened and the construction is excellent. We've been using them for many years and they are as good as new.
I was lucky enough to receive a wusthof paring knife as a gift a few years ago, and even luckier to get the 8 piece knife set as a wedding present recently. That said, even on my grad student budget, I would absolutely save to get wusthof knives. They are a dream! It makes slicing and dicing so much easier (and more consistent) to use a good knife. They have just the right heft and can be sharpened over and over again. Starting with just the 4" paring knife is fine...just add others as you can. Treat them gently (hand wash and dry) and sharpen them every month or two and you'll be fine.
One of the most important things to look for in a knife is whether or not they have a full tang, meaning that the metal that the blade is made out of goes through the entire handle. That makes for a stronger knife, which will last longer.
Yes-that's how my bread knife is. The blade goes all the way through to the bottom of the handle.
And yes to hand washing as well-that's what I do with all of my good knives.
If you dishwasher your knives they may become discolored, and there's a real risk of cutting yourself badly. But it won't ruin the knives. My parents had their wedding Henkels for several decades before passing them to me. They machine washed them every time and the knives were fine.
To elaborate on the using cereal bags to crush things theme, I use mine for breading fish and chicken. JustThat way I don't get a plate dirty and I can toss the bag when I'm done.
Sorry my 10 month old is "helping" me type and I can't figure out how to edit. Just shake the meat in the bag is what it should say.
I would have to say that Cutco knives are more than worth the purchase price. I have three of them and use them almost exclusively. I am not as fond of the paring knife, but the serrated edged ones are beyond amazing. Plus, a lifetime guarantee that can be passed down to your children is pretty amazing. I don't sell them, just a satisfied customer.
We use our cereal bags to wrap sandwiches in that are going in a cooler. It's somewhat water resistant (the sandwich then goes into a ziplock bag so....).
Agreed on buying Little Ones stuff when you are out and about. We started out by saying that we either what ever my Little Guy wanted wasn't on our list, or I would ask him if he had brought his money. Both of those worked when he was first starting to ask, and now it has just become habit ... he doesn't tend to ask. But we do also just surprise him with something every now and then, which is always a big treat. Sometimes it will be planned on our part, and sometimes it will just be something small and spontaneous. My fave places to 'spontaneously' buy a little treat? The Dollar Spot section at Target or the dollar store ... a little treat goes a long way!!
If you don't want to use plastic for food purposes, those plastic food bags are also great for cleaning up after pets. You can use them when taking a dog out for a walk and you need to clean up after them, or for litter box scooping out.
For a waxed paper substitute, when baking, I have used the waxed paper that butter comes in to line baking pans. I just lay them overlapping in the bottom of the pan and have no problem getting a cake out.
We have a nice set of knives now. We acquired them over time, just one knife at a time. When someone asked us what we wanted for Christmas or a birthday, and we knew the budget was large enough, we told them one of the knives we were interested in. For most home cooks, a good chef knife, paring knife, boning knife and bread knife could make for a well-rounded small set, to do most things in the kitchen. If you add a cleaver then you can hack apart pieces of meat with bones still in.
Many culinary classes will ask you to bring 3 knives to class, a chef's knife, a paring knife and a boning knife, if that's any help where to start.
Thanks for the knife recommendations. I don't actually own any knives, which is surprising given the amount of cooking I do! I've always used knives belonging to housemates, and then when I moved out by myself I thought I would finally have to buy some, but my new place came with a chef's knife, which has been good so far.
It's good to know some good brands so I can start requesting them for Christmas/birthday presents 🙂
I would highly recommend Scanpan to you. I bought a knife by them when I lived in New Zealand and it is my favorite knife ever, it is way better than the Wusthof ones that I own.
I spent a large sum on a set of Henckels Pro S knives (http://zwillingonline.com/cutlery-zwilling-twin-pro--s-.html). The best money I ever spent! I believe the set was $400 (yikes!) but in 8 years, I've only needed to sharpen them once. I did have a Wusthof Mezzaluna (for chopping herbs) and it was also a great set. Since I rarely used it, I sold it to a friend who loves it. I would only ever buy Henckels Pro S or Wusthof knives again.
I'm blessed with a husband who believes in good knives. We've gone the a la carte route as well, and have also experimented with different brands. I have a couple of Wusthoffs, but my absolute favorite brand is Global! The knives have been gifts, so I can't tell you prices, but I reach for the Globals before the Wusthoffs. They are even sharper, and I like how they fit in my hand (I have small hands).
A tip for keeping knives sharp--dry them as soon as you handwash them (never dishwasher!) so the water doesn't eat away at the edge.
I have a fairly complete set of Wusthof Classic knives that I have accumulated over the years as birthday, Christmas, and anniversary gifts. I love them and would recommend them to anyone! A couple of things worth mentioning though - I do agree with Michelle who points out that to a certain extent, knives can be a very personal thing. Global knives are fantastic knives, but I don't care for the way they fit in my hand. So that is a consideration. Also, many brands now make several "lines"... the Classic is a great line of Wusthof. You can find the Grand Prix or Gourmet lines much less expensively, but they won't be nearly as good. Henkels also has several lines of knives.
I've had my fair share of paring knives and by far my most favorite one (which has since disappeared!) was my grandmother's old one. Never needed sharpening, but could cut like a dream. I have no idea the name brand on it. It was just a knife with a wooden handle. The second best one I'd found is just a silver knife that I found at an Amish store nearby. It has a thin blade, and it makes veggie cutting a breeze. I think it only cost me $5.
My daughter was always told that if I felt like buying her a treat at the store I would do so, but, if she asked she would get nothing. She very rarely asked and NEVER whined. She used to get so hopping mad at the little neighbour boy when we went to the corner market after school because he always asked, despite being told ahead of time. Lol.
I use the cereal bags to pound chicken or pork very thin. These bags are tougher than any thing else that I have tried.
I did this tonight and it worked great. I've been using them to make crumbs but somehow never thought about pounding chicken in them. Thank you for the tip!
I have a set of Wusthof Knives (wedding set) and my husband and I LOVE them. We take them with us when we visit family if there is a remote chance that we may be cutting something with a knife. My parents bought Cutco and I haven't been happy with them, but I am also not used to them and I do not know how my parents care for their knives.
If I had to do it all over again, I would buy Wusthof.
With stuff at the store, if it is food stuff (ie granola bars, yogurt, etc.) I will let me son pick out one thing. If he finds something else later, he must then choose, what his one thing is. This cuts down on buying things not on the list. As far as the junky stuff, if he has a quarter (which is rare) he can spend it. I try not to say too much about what he chooses because I think it is important for him to understand how and why we spend our money the way we do. So far, it is working out pretty well.
On knives.... I adore Wusthof knives. I love the quality and I feel like I will have them forever. I have several different "levels" of quality from their company and all of them have lasted. While I agree that you could easily pick and choose to make up your own set, if there was a sale on Wusthof, (Crate&Barrel used to have one every year in october) I would snatch up a basic set. My basic set included 5 knives a sharpener and a block and I love it.
There are a ton of great knives out there, but from my education from working in a housewares store, the key points are to make sure the knives are able to be sharpened and are assembled in a quality manner. Know how to store and care for them to make them last the longest - don't just throw them in a drawer! 🙂
(I promise I don't work for them - I just went to ALOT of training sessions on knives while working in retail...)
Good knives are a really wonderful thing! In my experience, 20% off coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond almost always beat Amazon.
I love to cook but have never justified the truly pricey knives. I do use routinely Rada knives and honestly I love them and they are fine for my needs. Just a thought for readers in the low-budget-but-gets-the-job-done market.
I got myself and my mother in law one of the Rada Cuterly starter sets after I identified a knife she had as being from them. They're very nice knives, at least to me. They cut soooo much better than our other knives and feel good to use, aren't too heavy or anything like that. I plan to eventually replace all our knives with Rada Cuterly and get the nice little sharpener to keep them good.
We keep the new ones in the case they came in, but I doubt it would matter, the one she had (a paring knife) was just tossed in the drawer with everything else, didn't even realize there was anything special about it other than the fact it was an amazing paring knife.
YES! love RADA knives! best knives ever, and frugal girl, these are the paring knives for you! well made, a bargain, easy to find (online and/or amish stores for some reason), rarely need sharpening and are easy to sharpen. so great! i am not a paid spokesperson or any such, just a big fan of these knives.
Love my Cutco knives. I have 5, two of which I purchased used, so they were a bit cheaper. The fact that you can get them sharpened and/or replaced indefinitely makes them worth the price.
Sarah--
Good for you for thinking ahead on how to handle the shopping experience with your daughter! You will be SO thankful as she gets older that you have taught her not to whine and beg for items--it is so much easier to address it right at the beginning rather than to try to change bad habits. In addition to Kristen's thoughts and the other comments here, I found it was helpful to have a couple of phrases that I had prepared in advance to say:
"That's very interesting! It's fun to look at, but that's not what we are here to buy today." Or, if we were shopping in a toy area (which can be hard to avoid say, at Easter when stuffed bunnies are right next to the groceries) I would tell my kids we could say "hi" to the toy, and press the button to make it talk; then I would tell them, "It's time to say bye-bye to Mr. Bunny now."
Our local grocery store has a mechanical horse which the child can ride for a penny and it also offers a free cookie at the bakery for kids 12 and under, and I have used both of these as incentives for appropriate store behavior.
I agree that it is useful to respect your child's interest in the item. I found that sometimes I was saying, "No we aren't buying that!" when all my daughter really wanted was for me to acknowledge how awesome or cute the item was.
Even now I say things like, "That is cool! Want to put that on your birthday/Christmas list or do you want to buy it with your allowance?" and she's 13.
"all my daughter really wanted was for me to acknowledge how awesome or cute the item was"
Excellent insight. Also, good derailment strategy if the kid actually is asking for it.
My 4-year-old frequently will say "let me show you what I want to put on my birthday list". I did wonder initially if it was just a ploy to go to the toy section, and then I clicked that he did indeed just want to go take a look. If you are interested in something naturally you'd enjoy browsing...
I've had my Wusthoff knives for about 15 years now and have been very happy with a simple set. I also have the 10" Shun santoku that is, by far, my favorite knife. I'm completely happy with the santoku, chef's knife, paring knife, and a bread knife. I have a couple others, but they are very rarely used and won't be replaced if they get damaged.
On the shopping with kids thing: Yes, the packages appeal A LOT - my dd used to reach for candy bars in the checkout aisle for YEARS before ever trying one! They were just pretty : )
But, what has worked for with grocery shopping us is putting Daddy in charge of sweets. He is at work when we grocery shop - nearly always. He's much better at judging moderation than I am. SOOO, we buy things Daddy requests, and he dispenses them at home. If anything is requested that is not on Daddy's list, she's simply told to "Ask Daddy" (she remembers to do that once in a blue moon). I would never want to have to do all my shopping alone - we never use childcare - and it just isn't practical. Putting Daddy in charge works for us
One thing that my son (who is almost 4) and I do when we go to Target to buy toiletries or some other necessity is to browse the toy section. At first I just didn't go over there at all, even if he asked, but it became this weird power struggle that I felt was more detrimental in the end. Now, every other time we go, he knows he gets to look at the toys for as long as he wants and he also knows that we won't be buying any of them. It was an experiment, but it's working well for us because 1)Going to the store is not contentious 2)He is learning how to enjoy something and then walk away from it without buying it 3)He is learning how to decide what he truly wants for gift-giving occasions like his birthday and Christmas--after repeated exposure to the toys without the commitment of owning them, he has a better handle on what he truly wants to play with (It's definitely a toss-up between a bike and a Star Wars Lego set 🙂 ).
Thank you for the knife recommendations. I'm afraid that my knives are not the best quality, so I'll be looking to make replacements over time. In terms of Cook's Illustrated, do you have a printed and an online membership, or do you just have the online membership?
For knives, I'm surprised so many people like Cutco. My MIL has a set and she loves them but I find them to be anything but high quality. Perhaps I am going in with different expectations.
I have a mixture of knives and I will second the recommendation to go Al la carte. I will also tell you NOT to buy a whole set as many knives are worthless and will stay in the block.
Here are my favorites:
* Victorinox 8" Fibrox - Favorite of Cooks and just about everyone.
* Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife with Fibrox Handle (NOT the 10 inch. The 10 inch one is worthless. The 12 inch one is a fantastic multitasker which I use to slice everything from sandwich bread to cake to pork roast.
* Messermeister Take-Apart Kitchen Scissors (the set I have are green but there's a red set on Amazon for less than $14) They aren't as nice as the Shun ones I wanted but they are also not $50. 😉
My bread knife is a $3 Restaurant Supply special. I'm not a fan of it but it does what it's supposed to ... sorta.
I don't have a good paring knife rec. I have a Victorinox and it's okay but not great. I'd recommend going to your local cookware store and testing them out. The better stores will let you do that.
On a side note, Cooks Illustrated is great but they give us Yankees (as in New Englanders) a bad name by nickel and diming you to death on subscriptions, onine, e-editions etc. They also repeat a lot of their information.
I have a Wusthoff set that is a good set. I would really recommend a Kyocera Ceramic knife for slicing veggies and meat that is off the bone. I have a ceramic chef's knife and a santoku/paring knife set from Kyocera. I got both from Amazon. I never knew sharp until I used a ceramic knife. You can't use it if you are cutting anything frozen, cheese or on meat that has a bone (unless you debone with a stainless knife first). They can be brittle so you have to be careful not to twist the knife as you cut. Despite these things, I LOVE my ceramic knives! Don't get an off brand. I have a cheapy ceramic paring knife I grabbed out of the clearance bin at the grocery store. It's not anywhere close to being as sharp as my Kyoceras. Also, Kyocera will sharpen as many of their ceramic knives as you send them for $10 total to cover return shipping. I've had my knives for almost 2 years and they are still as sharp as the first day I used them.
I have a Wusthoff chef's knife, a couple of smaller Wusthoff stainless knives, a stainless deboning knife I picked up at World Market on clearance and a bread knife that came with an old knife set we got as a wedding gift. I also have a pair of poultry shears that I love dearly. They make quick work of cutting up a whole chicken and portioning chicken wings and leg quarters.
I've got to say it again: ceramic knifes are wonderful. I would recommend one or a small set. Good luck!
Christy
Full disclosure: I've never tried a Cotco or a Wusthof knife. I have a set of Calphalon knives that I acquired over time and at substantial discount. I have them professionally sharpened when needed and I absolutely love them! Sure the othere may be other, slightly better knives available, but I suspect the degrees of variance are very slim. I can accept pretty darn good, without feeling the need to chase "perfect".
I loed my Wusthoff paring knife and used it for nearly every kitchen chore. One day it mysteriously disappeared and years later I still look for my favourite. I highly recommend them however they are even more expensive in Australia. Now I own a set of Global knives. They suit me but not as well as my one old favourite. I am thankful for what I have. Last time I took my chef son shopping I was told that the time to by Global is now as they are transferring from Japan to Korea. I would recommend a paring knife, a cooks knife that you feel comfortable with as these vary so much in length and weight. At this stage of my life I use four or five knives a lot and have given up on food processors etc. I must admit I am a home cook who cooks a lot from scratch. Right now a stew is on the stove and two ingredients were not scratch. One a bottle of light beer and two a decent stock substitute as making beef stock is more expensive. I love to cook this way.
From the very youngest age, I always told my kids what the expectations were BEFORE we ever set foot in the store. "We're going to this store to buy what's on our shopping list" or "to buy a birthday present for your friend and that's all we're getting today". If something else was asked for, the answer was always, "it's not on the list, but we'll think about it for next time." OR "I know that would be a really fun toy to have. We'll add it to your birthday list." (by the time birthdays rolled around, most items were forgotten, and if not, I knew it was something the child really wanted). I try to stay pretty positive but I'm also firm about things. My kids knew that whining and wheedling wasn't going to work, so they didn't bother to try. That doesn't mean I didn't by them the occasional unplanned item, but because it was useful or as an unexpected reward for really good behavior, not because of unacceptable behavior.
I made sure we NEVER, EVER got candy from the checkout lane. I think this is one of those things that if you do it once, then forever more the child will want candy when they see it (we rarely, if ever, bought any candy, but made a particular point of never getting any of the impulse items at the check stand).
My children always behaved beautifully in stores and were actually a pleasure to shop with, because I was clear about the expectations beforehand and they knew how to act. People were always complimenting them. Personally, I loved when they were little enough to use the seats in shopping carts--having them close and almost at eye level gave us a great chance to talk about our purchases (lots of sensory stimulation in a grocery store!) and even sneak in a snuggle. My biggest problem shopping with kids was to keep them close without being run over by the cart once they got too big to sit in it anymore.
I have a couple different knives but my favorites are the Mullers. They are more expensive but have held up very well for our family.
I have to say I'd buy the Cutco Knives. I have a set that my grandma got when I was maybe 10 - I'm 49 now and I use those same knives everyday. I have purchased other Cutco Knives ala carte from them as well. They are guarented for life and they will sharpen them for life free of charge as well. I have had mine sharpened a few times and when I did they have replaced knives that apparently were bad - even though I didn't notice anything wrong with them. And for me it is a "local" purchase as the Cutco factory is only about 30 miles away - next to the nearest mall, Walmart, Kmart, Aldi, etc. to me!!!!! I have never been disappointed with my knives and neither was my Grandma when she had them. They are not cheap - but well worth the money - even purchasing ala carte.
I got a set of used Cutco knives from an elderly family in our church that was moving into assisted living, still am happy with them 10 years later and they were used when I got them. I have the Pampered Chef serrated bread knife and love it, it is cheap, but works fine. I use an electric knife for really hot bread. I also have the super cheap paring knives from Walmart, 4 in a pack for like $1.50 but they work great for little things. I am not a knife connoisseur by any means and our knife drawer is kind of a wreck, but I think it is one of those things where you don't realized how inferior what you had been using is until you get something better or nicer. Like going from a cheap hand mixer to a Kitchen Aid, you live with it for years and then your life it totally improved with one purchase! 😉
Spending their own money is most certainly the best we have found to address wanting things when out and about.
There's no argument then, they have a certain amount to spend, and it's their choice. When it's spent it's spent.
It's also a great life-skill to teach children. Works for us!
my brother recently got us a knife set from williams-sonoma. it has a "w" on the handles and i'm pretty sure it's that wusthof. we LOVE them! hubby is a knife kinda man - worked in a butcher shop in high school and college, and with his work now has to cut lots of gross stuff (you don't want to know) - and he's so in love with these knives. i have no idea how much my brother paid for them, and we are extremely...frugal (some say "cheap"), so we never would have bought an expensive set ourselves. but if you can at all afford it, i definitely suggest adding some of these to your collection!
Sarah - you start out by saying "no" and keep saying it till the child learns and (usually) stops asking. It may be ugly at first but the work will pay off. If you don't feel this will work for you, then I recommend saying yes every time. The worst, loudest, most tantrumy outcome will be if you sometimes say yes and sometimes say no because the child, knowing the answer could be yes, will keep asking and fussing till you give in. So either way, be consistent.
Liesl - good knives are definitely worth the investment with one caveat. Good knives get sharper than bad knives, but they need maintenance to stay that way. The maintenance is using a sharpening steel[1] frequently, and sharpened occasionally.[2] If you're not going to do this, then don't get good knives.
You can get by with two good knives: a chef's knife and a paring knife. At a fancy-dancy store they might cost you up to $200 together and will last you literally a lifetime. You can get a better price if you wait for a sale, look for them online, and so on. Chef's knives are usually 6", 8" or 10". Paring knives 3.5" or 4".
The classic good knives are Wustoff Trident and Henkel's Four Star. Wustoff and Henkel's make other types of knives, btw. I have both and find the biggest difference is the handle. I just bought a Global chef's knife. I cuts fantstically but I can't opine on handle comfort, durability, or ability to hold an edge.
If you get good knives and use them, you should consider investing in an electric knife sharpener. Chef's Choice makes the best. Cook's Illustrated recommends the Chef's Choice 130, which retails for $160; followed by the Chef's Choice 120, which retails for $120. Sharpening a knife costs $5-10 per knife, you should do it at least twice a year per knife, and you have to go to the store for drop off and pick up. So the CC 120 will pay for itself in 6 years or less, not including time and gas.
Both Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma will let you try knives in their stores.
[1] The name is a misnomer, btw, it doesn't actually sharpen. It's quick and easy to do - best way to learn is a youtube video. Doing this means less actual sharpening needed.
[2] How often depends on how much you use your knife. A professional chef will sharpen his knives at least once a week, a sushi chef might do it once a day.
[3] I have no commerical affiliation with Sur La Table. I just happened to see this sale online, while I was checking some details about good knives.
Great sale alert!
I see that Sur La Table has great set at a fantastic price. If you want good knives, take advantage of my experience and buy this set.[3] It's Henkel's Four Star: 8" chef's knife, a 4" paring knife, and a 5" utility knife (a short serrated knife).
http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1074533/Zwilling-J-A-Henckels-Four-Star-3-Piece-Knife-Set
Free shipping, too.
And... my final comment.
It's generally not worth buying an expensive serrated knife. Each serration needs to be sharpened separately, which makes maintenance insanely expensive. I buy $10 bread knives and replace them every few years.
Another opinion, William B. (And frankly, I'm shocked! I always love reading your comments and virtually always agree with you.) My professional knife shapener only charges $2-$3 extra for my serrated knife. Since most of what it's used to cut are softer items such as bread and tomatoes, it holds a sharp edge for at least twice as long as my other knives. I absolutely love my high-quality serrated knife! This sounds nuts, but I give it a mental smile every time I reach for it.
That's wonderful ... and I find myself to be a bit jealous.
Yeah, that's how I am too. I use my serrated knife almost exclusively for bread, and so although I've had it for years, it's still super sharp. And I think it will be another good bunch of years before I need to think about getting it sharpened.
We have my husband's grandparents Cutco knifes that they used on the farm. We love them and have been very pleased with them. They even replaced one, when we sent it to them to be sharpened, because it didn't live up to their current standards.
Yes, Kristen, buy the Wusthof. It's worth every single dime. Maybe more.
Ooh! I crush eggshells to put in my worm composting box, and I bet the cereal bags would work great for that, too. Those little shell shards can really rip up a gallon freezer bag.