This year keeps marching on! Somehow we’ve made it to November (not sure how that happened). It still feels like March, but it also feels like this year has lasted a decade. Yet, we find ourselves in November. Here in the US, November typically means the beginning of the holiday season, and our biggest food focused holiday is fast approaching. It's gonna look different this year, for sure, but I am still making a full meal. It’ll be just the folks in my household.
I didn’t start out as the home cook type. I tend to like to rebel against gender roles. But I love to entertain, and to me, that is feeding my guests well. Over the years it has slowly led to me having a lot of kitchen gadgets and plenty of recipes! But the tomboy in me has stayed strong. I always loved getting messy. Any attempt to keep me clean and presentable is fought against, and to this day, I love a good project that leaves its mark on my clothes and skin.
The problem was that I would be a mess from cooking, and suddenly have 20 people in my house. I found that no one wants to hug a cook with sauce all over their shirt! Eventually, I realized that a long time ago some very smart person came up with an item to solve this problem - the apron!
I’m not gonna lie, sometimes I still won't wear an apron, that extra layer just makes me sweat more. But if I have folks coming over, or don’t want to have to change once I‘m done cooking, I’ll wear an apron.
Alas, not all aprons are created equal and many do not take into account that some fat people like to cook. I’ve searched around to find some of the best options to cover our ample bellies!
I was really lucky, in that the first time I decided I needed to break down and get an apron, I happened to be going to Ikea. Their aprons are great. It is one VERY LONG tie that is both the neck loop and belt. So it is infinitely adjustable. You can raise and lower the apron on your chest, and still have lots of length to tie it around you. It has two large pockets, though I tend to forget to use them. They no longer sell the one I have, but this one has the same tie feature, and has an added loop to hang your kitchen towel on. And since it's Ikea, it is cheap!
I covet this apron from food blog Food52. It gets a lot of great marks and is so very practical. LOTS of pockets, adjustable neck loop, very long ties, built in pot holders, and my very favorite thing, a conversion chart sewn into one of the pockets. They specifically made it longer and wider, per their audience's request, and the tie is alo extra long (50” each side). Of course, all these awesome features come at a price.
For those who like a more feminine look, Boojiboo aprons on Etsy may be more your speed. They have adorable prints, with sweetheart necklines, pockets, and Plus Size options that fit up to a size 4x. Lots of great reviews on Etsy. Prices a midway between Ikea and Food52.
For the serious hard core cook, Hedley & Bennett has “The Big Apron”. Hedley & Bennet is an LA company that has come to nearly dominate the apron market in professional kitchens out here. They are well loved and have earned a great reputation for quality products. Since they market to professional chefs, their aprons are made to take a lot of abuse, and are very functional. They also come with a significantly higher price point, because you are paying for the professional durability, features, and look. But they are well loved for a reason and they have a generous return policy. They also started making masks back in March.
Another more feminne option for a lower price than Boojiboo, this is a fun, 100% cotton apron. Two pockets, and extra wide coverage, this apron has great reviews. It seems a little thin, so it might not be the most durable option if you plan to use it a lot.
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