Spiralizers

Author: Heather Pratt

Whether you’re looking for an alternative to grain-based noodles or just want to get more fruit and veggies in your diet in a fun and creative way, a spiralizer is the way to go. Understanding what a spiralizer can do and choosing the tool that best meets your needs will ensure you will use and be happy with your purchase. Once you get started you’ll see that spiralizing your favorite fruits and veggies is easy and fun and really does create tasty and healthy “noodles” you and your family will enjoy.

Some Tips for Getting Started

Almost any fruit or vegetable that has firm, solid flesh can be spiralized. Popular choices include zucchini, carrots, beets, apples and sweet potatoes.
Some prep such as peeling, removing seeds or trimming the fruit or vegetable to fit the spiralizer may be necessary.
Once spiralized, you can eat your “noodles” raw or cook them any way you would have cooked the fruit or vegetable in any other form (i.e. steamed, sautéed, roasted, etc.).
Some spiralizers are capable of making grain-free rice-shaped bits and ribbons in addition to “noodles”.
All spiralizers leave some leftover produce that does not get turned into “noodles”. These leftover pieces need not go to waste though and can be saved and used in a variety of ways, including eaten raw with a dip, chopped and sautéed, added to soups and stews, or added to smoothies.

Choosing the Spiralizer that is Right for You

When choosing a spiralizer, you’ll not only want to consider price, but also how much space the tool will take up in your kitchen, how easy it is to use and clean the tool, and what you think you’ll be doing with it. For instance, will you be making large batches of a wide range of vegetable “noodles” or will you be using it primarily for small batches of zoodles (zucchini noodles)? The chart on the next page will help you to compare some of the most important features of the three varieties of spiralizers we carry.

For More Information and Recipes

You might also want to invest in a good spiralizer cookbook such as:

Inspiralized or Inspiralize Everything by Ali Maffucci

Or check out one of the FREE Natural Grocers classes:

It’s Zucchini Zoodle Time!

Get Spiralized & Satisfied

Feature	Why It Matters	Harold Import Company Spiral Slice	OXO Good Grips Hand Held	OXO Good Grips Spiralizer
“Noodle” Options	The size and shape of the “noodles” a machine can make	Spaghetti and Fettuccini	Spaghetti	Spaghetti, Fettuccini and Ribbons. Can also be used to make “rice”.
Dimensions	The amount of space the spiralizer will take up in your kitchen	5.25” x 2.75” x 2.75”	3.5” x 3” x 3”	9.75” x 6.25” x 8.25”
What produce is it good for?	Is the machine sturdy enough to handle hard vegetables and fruits? Can it take larger diameters, or does produce need to be prepared first?	Soft produce is easy, but firmer produce requires more work. Produce must be trimmed to fit the diameter of the tool.	Soft produce is easy, but firmer produce requires more work. Produce must be trimmed to fit the diameter of the tool.	Can handle soft and firm fruits and vegetables and can also handle produce with a larger diameter. Good for making large amounts quickly and easily.
Ease of Use	Is the product easy and intuitive to use? Does it require extra muscles or an especially steady hand to turn out quality “noodles”?	Easy to use. Requires steady, firm pressure to create uniform “noodles”.	Easy to use. Requires steady, firm pressure to create uniform “noodles”.	Requires some easy set up. Creates long uniform “noodles” with minimal effort.
Ease to Cleanup	How easy is the machine to clean?	Dishwasher safe, but may require extra work to dislodge small bits of food from the blades.	Dishwasher safe, and easy to clean.	Dishwasher safe, and easy to clean.
Stability	Does the machine move around while being used?	Handheld, process is similar to that of a large pencil sharpener	Handheld, process is similar to that of a large pencil sharpener.	Has a feature to attach it to kitchen counter although it may not adhere firmly enough to prevent slipping on all countertop surfaces.
Waste Generated	Some machines leave you with cores or ends that haven’t been turned into “noodles”. While these scraps can certainly be used for another purpose, they do translate to less spiralized food per fruit or vegetable.	Moderate. Leaves a core that extrudes with the “noodles” and leaves a cone shaped end.	Moderate. Leaves a core that extrudes with the “noodles” and can leave up to a 1” end	Minimal. Leaves a core that extrudes with the “noodles” and about ¼” end of the produce.