Your cupboards may be stocked with gadgets and gizmos that may have proved useless, but others may be worth dusting off. Plug these kitchen aids into your meal preparation for added health and convenience:

• Vegetable slicer/chopper: Chances are you sometimes shy away from veggies simply because slicing and dicing take time. Throw out the excuse by purchasing a veggie chopper that cuts up crops quick as a flash.

• Slow cooker: It not only saturates the air with mouth-watering aromas, but acts as an in-home chef that saves time. Throw in a chicken and all the fixings in the morning; by day’s end a healthy dinner awaits.

• Juicer: Try a refreshing alternative to loading your fruit and veggie requirements onto a plate by making your own. Enjoy a nutritious juice cocktail without added sugar or salt.

• Steamer: Sizzling veggies in oil adds extra calories, while boiling leaches some nutritional integrity. But you can lock in nutrients by steaming. Try using a low-fat broth or juice instead of water to enhance flavor. An added bonus: Many steamers are sold as combination rice cookers so you can use them to prepare hearty whole grains like brown or wild rice.