Don’t Know Which Pan To Grab When It’s Time To Cook? A Dietitian Explains

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="534" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dont-know-which-pan-to-grab-when-its-time-to-cook-1024x684.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Don't Know Which Pan to Grab When it's Time to Cook? | MyFitnessPal" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dont-know-which-pan-to-grab-when-its-time-to-cook-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dont-know-which-pan-to-grab-when-its-time-to-cook-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dont-know-which-pan-to-grab-when-its-time-to-cook-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dont-know-which-pan-to-grab-when-its-time-to-cook.jpg 1348w" /> Why the Proper Pan Issues

In case your hen sticks to the pan, your veggies steam as a substitute of crisp, or your eggs come out a multitude, the issue may not be your cooking abilities—it could be your pan.

In the event you’re utilizing MyFitnessPal’s meal planner to make life simpler, otherwise you’re simply getting your toes moist with MyFitnessPal’s recipes, it might be time to get conversant in find out how to use completely different pans. Utilizing the fitting cookware is without doubt one of the easiest methods to enhance your outcomes and really feel extra assured within the kitchen.

I’m a registered dietitian who cooks most nights of the week, however I didn’t develop up cooking for myself. It has taken me numerous meals (and a few epic failures) to understand the fitting pan issues.

You don’t want an enormous assortment of pans, but it surely’s useful to have some well-chosen items that go well with the best way you cook dinner. This fashion, meals end up the best way you plan, which is a confidence booster.

In the event you’ve ever questioned why you may by no means get your hen to seem like it does in pictures, hold studying. I’ll stroll you thru some well-liked forms of pans and when to make use of them, so you may end up constantly scrumptious meals.

No Pans? Begin With One

I attain for a similar pan on repeat. You actually don’t want a dozen pans to make nice meals at house. In reality, in case you’re simply getting began, a single, versatile pan is commonly all you want (1).

If I had to decide on one, I’d go along with a forged iron skillet. It holds warmth superbly, works on the stovetop and within the oven, and may deal with a wide range of dishes (2). I exploit mine for a spread of meals, together with salmon dishes (it offers an ideal sear), flatbreads, and fried eggs.

I additionally love that seasoned forged iron is nonstick and straightforward to wash. It’s the sort of pan that will get higher with age and may final a lifetime.

That stated, the perfect starter pan actually depends upon what you wish to cook dinner. So, begin with the pan that matches your cooking fashion and broaden from there.

Nonstick pans are one other good choice in your first buy. They work properly for brand new cooks and those that gravitate towards easy recipes.

<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/guide-to-meal-prepping-1024x683.jpg" alt="A person wearing an apron stirs a bowl of spiral pasta with a wooden spoon in a kitchen. With meal planning in mind, various utensils and ingredients, like baby corn and a glass bottle of oil, are arranged on the counter nearby. MyFitnessPal Blog" class="wp-image-57316 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/guide-to-meal-prepping-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/guide-to-meal-prepping-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/guide-to-meal-prepping-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/guide-to-meal-prepping.jpg 1504w" /> You may also like

Important Information to Meal Planning

Nonstick Pans: Greatest for Light, Low-Warmth Cooking

Once I’m making scrambled eggs or flipping protein pancakes on a weekend morning, I attain for a nonstick pan. Nonstick pans are perfect for delicate meals which can be susceptible to sticking. They’re additionally a stable selection for cooking tofu or flaky fish with out making a multitude.

Professionals:

Meals stays intact and releases simply

Requires much less oil or butter, which can assist decrease energy

Makes cleanup quick and straightforward

Nice for newbie cooks

Cons:

Not appropriate for prime warmth—this may injury the nonstick coating

Scratches simply if used with steel utensils

Coating wears out over time and ultimately wants changing

Care Ideas:

Hand wash solely—even when it’s labeled dishwasher protected

Use silicone, picket, or plastic utensils to guard the coating

Keep away from stacking with different pans until you place a protecting layer between them

Change your pan if the floor is scratched or meals begins to stay extra typically

Stainless Metal Pans: Nice for Browning, Searing, and Sauces

In the event you’re searching for a pan that may deal with excessive warmth and offer you that golden-brown crust on hen or steak, chrome steel is the best way to go (2).

Professionals:

Nice for searing, sautéing, and stir-frying (2)

Superb for constructing pan sauces (2)

Sturdy and infrequently dishwasher protected (2)

Can deal with excessive warmth with out injury (2)

Cons:

Meals sticks if not preheated correctly

Requires extra approach than nonstick choices

Might result in further cleanup if used incorrectly

Care suggestions:

Preheat the pan earlier than including oil and meals to forestall sticking and enhance browning

Take into account handwashing to increase pan life–verify producer’s steerage (2)

Concerning the Specialists

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nationally acknowledged meals and vitamin professional, media character, vitamin advisor, and writer. Cassetty is a former vitamin director for Good Housekeeping and the co-author of the guide Sugar Shock.

Emily Sullivan, RD, is a meals knowledge curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelor’s diploma and accomplished her dietetic internship at The Ohio State College, and obtained her culinary arts diploma from Johnson and Wales College.

Solid Iron: The Crispy, Taste-Constructing Workhorse

“I exploit my forged iron skillet for 99% of issues that I cook dinner on a day-to-day foundation,” says MyFitnessPal registered dietitian Emily Sullivan. Right here’s what makes this a sensible choice.

Professionals:

Superior warmth retention for even, excessive warmth cooking (2)

Nice for searing, roasting, baking, and one-pan meals, like frittatas

Oven-safe and stovetop pleasant (2)

Naturally nonstick, and will get higher with age (2)

Cons:

Heavier than most pans, which might make it more durable to deal with

Requires ongoing upkeep to retain nonstick qualities (2)

Can’t go within the dishwasher and shouldn’t be soaked (2)

Care suggestions:

Wipe or rinse with sizzling water (2)

Dry completely and rub with a skinny layer of oil to keep up seasoning (2)

As Sullivan factors out, forged iron is very nice for recipes like spatchcocked hen. “A forged iron skillet is superb for this as a result of it retains and distributes warmth evenly, which helps the hen cook dinner evenly (2). Its heavy development permits for a excessive warmth preliminary sear, giving the hen pores and skin a good looking, crispy, golden-brown crust (2). Plus, you can begin by searing the hen on the range and end roasting it within the oven—all in the identical pan,” she explains (2).

Dutch Ovens: Superb for One-Pot, Gradual-Cooked Meals

Dutch ovens are superstars for cooking comforting meals. In the event you’re somebody who likes to meal prep or cook dinner as soon as and eat a number of occasions, a Dutch oven is a useful addition to your kitchen.

Professionals:

Glorious warmth retention and even cooking (2)

Superb for simmering soups, stews, and chili, slow-cooking braised meats, boiling pasta, and even baking

Can go from stovetop to oven (2)

Nice for one-pot meals and batch cooking

Cons:

Heavier and bulkier than many different pots

Conventional forged iron variations require seasoning to keep up nonstick properties

Care suggestions:

Select enameled variations for simpler upkeep since these don’t require seasoning (2)

For forged iron, dry completely and season usually with a skinny layer of oil (2)

In the event you’re massive on doing weekend meal prep, you could need to spend money on a Dutch oven. Sullivan makes use of hers to make beef stew. “The heavy lid helps entice moisture, which retains the meat and greens tender throughout lengthy cooking occasions,” she says. “Most likely a good greater bonus for one thing like a beef stew is that you would be able to begin it on the range and switch it to the oven to cook dinner for a number of hours when you do different issues.”

In the event you love the concept of flavorful, make-ahead meals that cook dinner themselves when you unwind or verify issues off your to-do checklist, a Dutch oven is the pot for you.

Often Requested Questions (FAQs)

Do I want multiple kind of pan? Not essentially. You may cook dinner loads of meals with only one or two pans—begin with what suits your cooking fashion and construct from there (1).

Can I exploit a nonstick pan for every part? Not fairly. It’s nice for delicate meals, however it could’t deal with excessive warmth, so it’s not preferrred for browning or searing (2).

What’s essentially the most versatile pan? My vote goes to a well-seasoned forged iron skillet because it goes from stovetop to oven and may deal with a variety of meals (2).

Is forged iron exhausting to keep up? It takes a bit of care, but it surely’s not exhausting. Simply clear, dry, and rub with oil after use—it really will get higher with time (2).

When ought to I substitute a pan? If the coating is scratched, meals sticks greater than it used to, or it heats inconsistently, it’s most likely time for a brand new one (2).

The Backside Line

You don’t want a totally stocked kitchen to cook dinner scrumptious, satisfying meals—just some reliable pans that match your cooking fashion. With the fitting cookware, cooking turns into a bit of extra approachable and fewer irritating, permitting you to arrange your meals with better confidence. With extra ability and confidence, you’ll be capable to prep a broader vary of meals and dishes, and the range could make it simpler to maintain wholesome consuming habits and attain your targets (3).