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'The internet's favorite grandma' shares her 8 kitchen must-haves
Social media star and author Barbara 'Babs' Costello tells us which stand mixer is the best — plus the $8 tool she uses every day.
Barbara Costello (aka Babs) is not your average social media star. For one thing, she's 75. For another, she found fame by accident. It all started during the pandemic lockdowns, when she posted a recipe video under the handle @brunchwithbabs. Adoring comments came in fast and furious, and since then, the retired preschool founder has amassed more than 7 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. It's all earned her the enviable title of "the internet's favorite grandma" — fitting, considering that she has four kids and nine grandkids!
In need of some quick sheet-pan dinner ideas? Not sure how to get the stink out of your washing machine? Babs has solutions for nearly any cooking- or cleaning-related quandary, and her hacks have become the stuff of legend (just look up her video on the do's and don'ts of loading the dishwasher, and you'll see what I mean).
When her first cookbook, the holiday-themed Celebrate With Babs, came out in 2022, it quickly became a bestseller. Now, she's back with Every Day with Babs, a collection of 101 dinner recipes focused on easy crowd-pleasers like one-pot bacon pasta and batch-cooked chicken cutlets. (The book hits shelves in early 2025, but you can pre-order it.)
So how does the cookbook author outfit her own kitchen? Read on for Babs' most-prized finds — and discover what she's shopping for now.
"A stand mixer is an appliance that's too heavy to put away, but luckily it looks great on your counter," says Babs. She loves this one for its many attachments. "It's useful for so much more than just dessert. Shredding chicken, kneading dough, you name it! It's a workhorse and I don't know what I would do without it."
When she doesn't want to use a stand mixer, Babs reaches for a handheld whisk (she didn't pick a specific brand, but I've owned this one for years, and it's excellent). "Whisking eggs, sifting flour, whipping cream — whether I'm baking a cake or just cooking breakfast, it's a great tool to have on hand," she says.
"I measure everything! Eyeballing is great for cooking, but when it comes to baking, that is strictly a science," Babs says. "All of my dry ingredients get weighed, and it makes a huge difference in the quality of the dish." (Again, she didn't pick a specific brand, but this Greater Goods scale gets an impressive 3,500 five-star reviews.)
"Dressings, pesto, pie crust, the possibilities are endless!" says Babs. She loves how this model comes with attachments for shredding and slicing, "which makes everything quicker. It might just be on par with a stand mixer in terms of versatility!"
Babs actually has two pantry loves: oil and vinegar. "For my oil, I swear by Kefi Life Extra Virgin Olive Oil. My friend owns the company so I may be a bit biased, but she goes all the way to Greece to source the olives, and it truly makes all the difference!" Babs says. When it comes to vinegar, she's partial to white balsamic. "I love using both of these when making salad dressings, or for dipping with bread, pairing with burrata or roasting vegetables."
OK, cookbooks aren't strictly decor, but Babs says she loves displaying her favorites on stands in various spots in her kitchen. "I have to give a shameless plug for my cookbook, Celebrate with Babs! These treasured pieces are not meant to be hidden behind a cabinet door."
"There's a cookie jar from my grandchildren with their handprints on it that reads, 'We Love Grammie and Grandpa,'" Babs says. "I've had it for over 15 years!"
Etsy is a treasure trove of customizable cookie jars and other ceramics: This one, from DanielCanyonArt, can be decorated with a hand-written note, recipe or any other image you choose.
"Believe it or not, I don't have a juicer!" Babs admits. "My kids have been telling me the benefits of juicing for years, so it's definitely something I'd like to try. It's a big commitment between cleaning and ingredients, though, so I'm on the hunt for one with limited parts that's easy to clean! I've got my eye on this one from Anybear."
