Kitchen

2017

• Re-usable baggies - made from fabric (possibly with a zippered top or just a fold over top that can be secured with like a button/snap/Velcro).  I think L.L.Bean use to sell some version of this a couple years ago.  It would be nice to have various sizes: snack, quart, gallon, etc. 
• Update: Something neat I found was a wrap (like Saran Wrap) that's re-usable made out of beeswax: Beeswrap
• Stasher bags are nice, and they have a great recycling program when they reach their end of life. The draw back is that they don't open wide enough at the top so you have to smush your sandwich to fit through the opening 
• Re-Zip reusable baggies have been nice for small snack portions, and they have a wider base
  
• Food/Drink
• For those who are unable to have alcohol, it would be nice if we could expand the non-alcoholic drinks.  There seems to be a fairly good selection for beer, but not so much for the liquors
• Whiskey, Scotch, Brandy, Vodka, Rum, Amaretto, Tequila, Wine, Etc
• I found an alcohol-free beverages company ArKay
• More alcohol removed wines are staring to come on the market (in 2020), so hopefully more options will be available soon 😀 
• I know it might be challenging, or I'm not sure if it even really possibly.  But it would be nice for people who are unable to drink for mixers or to cook/bake.  Or if it could be a flavoring that could potentially pick up the flavoring
• Beer flavored Ice Cream
•  Update: I heard Haagen Daz ice cream might be coming out with some Alcohol ice cream that should be available in Canada.(i.e.,Vodka - Key Lime)
• Bucket for holding ice & pitchers: as of late I've been seeing a lot of restaurants, hotels and even at parties where there's a bucket/tray that has ice and a whole bunch of juice pitchers sitting in there. I find it frustrating that when you pull one of the pitchers out, the ice settles and it's a pain trying to get it back in to sit flat (not on a ice cube) and not dump the whole rest of the pitchers in the ice water.  So one thought I had was to have it in layers where the ice would be on the bottom and you could set another layer that would be preset holes that could fit the pitchers (one potential issue is not all pitchers are the same size).  It remind me of the frozen mugs from the 90's where the outside had a liquid trapped between layers and it would help keep the liquid cool in the middle.  Another thought I had was to have like a metal (or plastic) grid that would have holes big enough to fit the pitcher (or better yet, make them adjustable!) just so it could stabilize easier, even if it was balancing on an ice cube it could be held upright by the grid.  Or I like the new pitchers that have a tube of ice that goes in the middle of the pitcher, so then you don't get the dripping water from sitting in an ice bath. 
• Update - I have been able to find a relatively cheap blow up tray that fills with ice, but runs the risk of puncturing and doesn't lay 100% flat when ice is added
  

• Salt & Pepper Shaker: I always make a mess when I have to refill salt and/or pepper shakers that have holes at the top and the refill cap at the bottom, so you have to tip it upside down to refill.  Not all shakers are universal (novelty and various brands), so it would be great if there was a silicone (or some other flexible material) where it can fit (tight) over the top so when you tip it over to refill you don't loose everything you just poured inside.  It would also be good if there was a self adhering or a way to tighten it so then you don't have to worry about holding the piece in place with one hand while trying to refill.
• Knife Holder: I usually take a sharp knife to work everyday in a lunch box.  As of right now, I'm using part of a traveling toothbrush holder for transport.  It's nice if you don't have a chance to clean it and if sometime might be stuck on it.  The draw back is that it fits loosely and there's holes in the bottom (perfect for the toothbrush to dry out or let excess water out), but not so helpful when the tip of the knife gets caught.  To help with the looseness I usually wrap the holder and knife with a napkin. I know there are some cases out there, but they fit right over the blade which would make it difficult to clean.
• Slow Cooker Liner Upgrade: I have found that the plastic disposable liners work great for certain dishes, but not others.  For example, dishes that need to be stirred often, come loose and make a mess.  What's nice about the enamel crock pot is that it durable and can withstand the heat, but it's heavy and sometimes challenging to clean.  Thus, why there are liners....except they don't always work out the way they were supposed to and one would end up having to clean out the whole crock pot anyways.  What would be nice is if there were a silicone type liner, or some version thereof, (one that could withstand the heat over a long period of time without putting chemicals into the food and/or lose its shape) that could be used in the crock pot, in place of the disposable liners.  One that can be clean easily (possibly dishwasher safe), not heavy, and would stay in place when placed in the crock pot.  Another thought would be if you could take the liner from the heating unit, put it in a holder/pad to keep the heat so then you could have one line on the table serving food and you can put a new liner in the heating unit to start a new dish.  That way, if you only have one pot you can make more than one dish.  Another nice feature, if it would be possible, is if the liner could go into the oven (another way to stay warm while making another dish).  There's such a variety of crock pots sizes & shapes.