How I Restored An "Our Generation Gourmet Kitchen Set"

The before and after photos of my "Our Generation Gourmet Kitchen." I papered the back
 splash, painted the burners, painted the lighter pink trim and shelving white, replaced the clock,
 covered the old hinges, added a view behind the window panes (free alternative here) and then
 papered hot pink shelves.

 

Restoring The Food and Accessories That Once Came With The Kitchen

Above are the vintage doll foods from Japan that I purchase from a local
estate sale. I paid fifty cents for two small, unopened bags. Each piece
measures approximately 3/4" across. Top Left fruit are: watermelon, pear,
pineapple, lemon, bananas, grapes, two apples, pomegranate and orange.
Top, Right breads are: two toasted cheese, three plain glazed donuts and
and one larger bagel. Bottom Left meats are: two hamburgers, hot dog,
two pork chops, Cornish hen, lobster and two fried eggs that are sunny-
side-up. Bottom Right vegetables are: two small iceberg lettuce heads,
two carrots, one tomato, one yellow onion, head of cauliflower, celery
stalks, one red beet, a cucumber, one green pepper and one lonely potato.
All of the play foods are made of paper mache and hand-painted. I don't
know a date but the packaging looked very old. One of the hamburgers
is marked Japan.  This tiny collection adequately replaces similar food 
 items that once came with the collection belonging to the Our Genera-
tion Gourmet Kitchen. In fact, I'd say it greatly improves it altogether.

       This doll kitchen set came with a large collection of food items. However, I was only able to purchase the single, larger unit from resale for $4.99.  So over a period of several weeks, I managed to collect & craft most of the following items to replace what once accompanied it. Below I've listed the original contents of the sets normally sold at Target, and now also at Amazon, so that visitors may also be encouraged to undertake a similar challenge.

       The bad news is, as you may also have noted, I did not obtain the original refrigerator with the used kitchen! The good news is that I will be making a DIY for a doll refrigerator in the near future and link it up to this post when it has been completed.

       I've included lists of those items accompanying three popular doll kitchen sets so that you can decide which of the three you might prefer to purchase in the future or, you could go the least expensive route like myself, and hunt one of these down at resale or on ebay. Printing the lists out and working off of these makes crafting or purchasing similar items easier. 

• To see a review of the original Our Generation Kitchen set by IconaDollies. My set is the version with a hot pink kitchen counter. This review is of a red kitchen set with the same design features.

Above are custom grocery items made from my vintage label printables.
Shown here are: a sack of flour, country ham, Five Roses Cake Flour,
two bags of dried peas and two frozen packages of Ozark Strawberries.

The Original Food Items: Note - I have seen alternative, updated food sets for My Generation Kitchen set that come with egg trays + removable brown eggs, plastic milk cartons, butter with a transparent container and removable lid, a raspberry fruit basket, an additional skillet with a clear plastic lid, realistic salt and pepper shakers, a clear plastic cookie jar with a removable lid, a clear bottle of olive oil with a silver spout, peanut butter jar and Nutella jar etc... So depending upon when and where you purchased this set will determine what is included in your version of this play kitchen.

1. colorful marshmallow flavored cereal box (empty)
2. fruity crunch flavored cereal box (empty)
3. a paper container for pretend orange juice (empty)
4. hot chocolate mix, including 2 sachets inside
5. a paper container for pretend milk (empty of course)
6. 100 percent hamburger patties, freezer box (empty)
7. rainbow pops made with 100 percent fruit juice (empty)
8. a Sunday ice cream kit (empty)
9. an egg container for 12 extra large eggs (empty) - farm fresh eggs here!
10. a small empty bag for All Purpose Flour
11. two 3 dimensional chocolate chip muffins
12. two 3 dimensional cup cakes (red and blue icing) - see how we mad blue and red cupcakes with rosettes
    
13. three chocolate chip cookies
14. one small plastic can of tuna fish
15. one small plastic can of peaches - fresh peaches here, not canned
16. two small plastic sandwiches sliced in cross length shapes
17. three plastic eggs stuck together
18. a soft red plastic tomato
19. a soft orange plastic orange
20. a soft, red plastic pepper - peppers and tomatoes sculpted using oven-bake clay
21. a wedge of Swiss cheese 
22. a cardboard box of butter - handmade dairy items for play

The vintage labels for doll canned foods above include: yams, asparagus, pineapple, pickles, spinach, tuna
baking powder, pumpkin, and pet foods for both a dog and a cat. The copyrights for my versions of these
labels are free for people to print out and craft with but not sell. Link back to the originals if you wish but
don't republish or redistribute them from alternative other websites please.

Kitchen Dishes, Tools, Accessories & Decorative Items:

1. a blue, transparent, plastic serving pitcher
2. a pink plastic drying rack + the draining tray that accompanies such kitchen equipment
3. a plastic cookie sheet
4. a plastic muffin baking tin
5. two blue plastic glasses that match the serving pitcher
6. three plastic shakers with red, white and blue caps for spices
7. a set of red plastic measuring spoons
8. a plastic spatula with a blue handle and grey tip - doll kitchen utensils crafts
9. a plastic spoon with a grey handle and blue tip
10. a remote, plastic, red phone and charging unit (phone can be removed)
11. a red, plastic hand mixer (grey beaters that are permanently attached)
12. a plastic, soft soap dispenser (red lid, white container)
13. white and red, plastic spray bottle for pretend cleaning fluid
14. a grey frying pan with a red plastic handle - how to make doll sized pots, pans and skillets here
15. two blue polka-dot plates made from plastic (polka-dots are white)
16. a plastic, blue polka-dot mixing bowl (goes with plates)
17. a white sponge for cleaning counter tops
18. a transparent measuring cup
19. two small decorative plants with attached plastic pots
20. Three plastic, white canisters for: flour, sugar, and coffee beans (Traditional canister sets usually include four pieces, the fourth being used for tea) - spool craft canister set
21. two red plastic soup bowls
22. two tall, white plastic chocolate mugs (not coffee mugs, the shapes are traditional to hot chocolate sets crafted a couple of centuries ago) - how to craft hot cocoa
23. one grey, plastic loaf pan - Our version of this craft here.
    
24. a pale pink sink strainer ( These are made to fit over the top of a sink so that veggies and fruit may be washed thoroughly; directly under the faucet.)

These tiny granola cereal boxes are made from advertising on
the side panel of an actual cereal box. They are just the right
size for a Barbie doll. See how to make the same for 18" dolls.

*Note, the colors of items may vary according to the color combinations of your kitchen set.

*Second, many of items in all sets are doubled up to increase the count of how many accessories and pieces of food come in each play kitchen set. 

* I don't mention the kitchen hardware on the lists.

Here is a listing also of all kitchen items normally included with the Journey Girl Gourmet Kitchen set originally sold by Toys-R-Us. You can view the exact toy kitchen sets here by Just Craft It.

The Original Food Items:

1. white, plastic milk carton - Doll dairy container crafts pictured here.
2. one paper juice carton
3. one box of butter (empty)
4. three, orange plastic carrots stuck together
5. three, yellow plastic bananas stuck together
6. one plastic orange
7. one red condiment bottle of ketchup
8. one yellow condiment bottle of mustard 
9. two plastic pieces of toast
10. one green plastic head of lettuce - How to make Bibb lettuce for your dolls
11. one red plastic tomato
12. one brown, plastic chocolate cake sliced into four pieces - pretty pom-pom chocolate cake craft
13. four chocolate cup cakes
14. four sugar cookies iced with pink plastic - Our sugar cookie star versions with jelly filled, heart shaped centers...
    
15. one large uncut sandwich
16. one cardboard cereal box (empty)
17. one box of processed macaroni and cheese (empty) - how to make pasta boxes for doll pantry...
18. one plastic green celery or broccoli? - doll size celery handmade
19. one box of Neapolitan ice cream for the freezer (empty)
20. two boxes of frozen veggies (empty)

Our set of very realistic looking desert erasers are now
kept in the doll's kitchen. These include: ice cream cones,
ice cream pops, ice cream sandwiches and dishes of
ice cream.

Kitchen Dishes, Tools, Accessories & Decorative Items:

1. a free standing, green colored mixer with matching beaters
2. a grey, plastic mixing bowl
3. one white plastic mixing bowl
4. a set of pale green measuring spoons
5. a green, plastic toaster - two versions of cardboard toaster crafts here
   
6. a grey, plastic drying rack
7. a grey, plastic ice cube tray (comes with 6 pieces of removable, heart shaped, plastic ice)
8. a grey, plastic pot with a detachable lid
9. two, green canisters with attached lids
10. a pale pink, plastic cake stand
11. two transparent containers with grey lids
12. a grey cookie sheet
13. two, red, heart shaped serving bowls
14. a pale pink strainer
15. two see-through plastic cups
16. one lemon scented, liquid dish soap bottle
17. a set of little salt and pepper shakers - button-top salt and pepper shakers here
    
18. one plastic spatula
19. one cookbook (doesn't have actual pages)
20. two pale pink plates
21. two pale pink coffee cups - Our paper tube coffee mug craft here.
22. two see-through glasses
23. one pink oven mitt
24. one pink hot pad - braid vintage fruity potholders for dolls
25. two sets of grey, plastic silverware including:one knife, one fork and one spoon - See how you can make silverware for dolls from cardboard here.
26. a transparent measuring cup with a spout
27. a pink hand mixer with attached grey, plastic beaters
28. a green container for mixing spoons and spatula
29. a plastic shaped bread box with a bread shaped lid
30. a grey plastic cutting board

Our dolls now have a selection of sushi erasers to eat.

Last, but certainly not least, is a listing of all the supplies sold along with a Gourmet American Girl Doll kitchen set: Review by American Girl Spirit

The Original Food Items:

1. one box of baking oats (empty)
2. one box of apple cinnamon stars cereal (empty) - How to make cereal boxes for your dolls here.
3. one box of pet food (empty) - Can labels for doll pet food here.
4. one box of brown sugar (empty)
5. one tiny box of baking soda (empty)
6. four plastic chocolate chip cookies
7. four plastic dark brown chocolate brownies - make rich chocolate brownies in a casserole here
8. half a loaf of bread
9. three slices of cut bread to insert into the toaster
10. one green basket of strawberries (removable)
11. one green basket of blue berries (removable) - Baskets of fruits with free pattern too!
12. two canisters: one for flour and the other for sugar (clear plastic, contain glitter, color labels, non-removable lids)
13. white plastic milk jug - Milk containers both glass and paper here...
14. clear plastic olive oil bottle
15. white plastic egg carton with eggs
16. plastic butter on a blue butter dish (comes with a clear plastic lid) - See our dairy for dolls to learn how to make butter sticks.
17. rolled out sugar cookie dough
18. pet food and water (removable) - Dog water and food bowl craft here.

A collection of food shaped erasers are just the right size
 for our 18inch dolls. pizza slices, burger, hot dogs,
 fries and sandwiches all look delicious!

Kitchen Dishes, Tools, Accessories & Decorative Items:

1. one grey square brownie tray - Our replacement versions here.
2. one grey bread pan
3. a green toaster that pops your doll's toast up and lowers it down with a built in spring - our craft version of toasters here
   
4. one grey plastic skillet with a pink handle
5. one grey plastic pasta pot with blue handles
6. two dark pink soup/cereal bowls
7. two white plastic plates with colorful designs
8. two metal spoons
9. two metal forks
10. a salt shaker made of clear plastic and grains of salt
11. a pepper shaker that looks like metal - button top salt and pepper shaker craft
    
12. one plastic whisk (metal looking handle, rusty orange whisk)
13. one plastic mixing spoon (rusty orange)
14. one plastic rubber spatula (pink and grey)
15. multi-colored measuring spoons
16. grey plastic measuring cups
17. one butter knife with metal looking blade and green handle
18. a blue plastic recipe box
19. a plastic pen for writing with
20. note cards made of paper for recipe box
21. eight spice jars with a sheet of sticker labels - Our replacements for doll sized spices...
22. 2 clear plastic glasses
23. one plastic rolling pin - Make your own rolling pin and sugar cookie dough here.
24. one yellow mixing bowl
25. one grey cookie sheet - My versions of a cookie sheet craft here.
26. a polka-dot pink hot pad
27. a polka-dot pink apron - Directions for sewing a simple doll apron here.
28. a peach mixer that spins two alternative attachments: a whisk and a bread dough kneader
29. a large mixing bowl with measurement markings on the side (clear plastic + handle)
30. pink square trash can

See More Toy Kitchen Reviews for 18" Dolls:

• Ari. J The official reviews "My Life As Kitchen Playset"
• American Girl Fridge Playset "Maryellen's Refrigerator & Food Set with Shopkins Surprise by CookieSwirlC
• American Girl Doll Kitchen Set - The 2020 lavender set reviewed by agoverseasfan