When buying a new stand mixer, it’s important to consider all the things it can be used for and all the things you might want to do with it. I’ve had my KitchenAid Stand Mixer since 2006 and it’s still going strong. I made a choice when I bought it based on a number of factors… obviously one was style, but others included ways in which I could use it and also its capabilities. I chose a KitchenAid because I knew about all the possible attachments- and there were fewer varieties when I bought it than there are now! The adaptability and the ways you can use it are astounding. From juicing and spiralising to meat mincing and pasta making, there really isn’t anything that it can’t do. You can even adapt it to have food processor blades! The way you do this couldn’t be simpler. By removing the front plate, you can attach any number of different attachments. We love making our own fresh pasta in the mixer. We'll use the pasta cutters to make fettuccini or the meat mincer attachment plus pasta plates to extrude pasta for macaroni, rigatoni, and more!
But one of the things we regularly use our KitchenAid for is mincing meat. You’re probably wondering why I got to the bother when I could easily purchase mince from the butcher. But the simplest reason is that I'll know what’s in it. I buy a lot of our meat in bulk, thus getting cheaper prices. This often means I end up with more of one type of meat than I actually need and that’s when I re-purpose. 
Leftover chicken thighs and chicken breast combine in the meat mincer makes for perfect minced chicken. Leftover chuck steak and topside makes great beef mince. You can store it in the fridge for quick consumption, or freeze for a longer term, just as you would with any other meat. 
The kids love getting involved as well and the whole process is actually quite quick. Simply push the meat in with a plastic pusher, so fingers are well out of the way. However, it’s still very important to supervise them whilst doing something like this in the kitchen. Our family loves to BBQ and smoke meat. Sometimes there are pieces of meat leftover during trimming that can be used to make burgers or mince for versatile bolognese sauce. Once minced, the clean-up is simple as the parts can be placed within the dishwasher. Pop the front plate on and your mixer is back to its usual self! Kitchenaid helps you to take your “homemade” to a new level as they also have a sausage stuffing attachment with which you can make your own homemade sausages from your homemade mince. It’s like a wonderful never-ending spiral of homemade! There are many recipes on the web for homemade sausages. You only need to choose a flavour profile and style that suits your family. Most butchers will be able to sell you natural sausage casings or they are also available online. This is a revelation for people with special diets as it helps to eliminate the possibility of contamination. No longer do you need to go searching for gluten or dairy-free sausages if you make your own. With so many options for using your KitchenAid stand mixer to cut down kitchen prep time, you’ll be spoilt for choice! I’ve constantly got a wish list of attachments, with the spiraliser being next on my list. Make sure you check out the options for taking homemade to a whole new level here. To view the KitchenAid mincer to make delicious fresh mince at home click here About the author: Kylie blogs about kids and family foods at Kidgredients, she loves cooking family friendly meals that everyone will enjoy and has a passion for making family favourites that are healthy, fun and delicious. About the author: Kylie blogs about kids and family foods at Kidgredients, she loves cooking family friendly meals that everyone will enjoy and has a passion for making family favourites that are healthy, fun and delicious.
