Hi friends! Let’s dive into a few of my favorite nontoxic kitchen essentials and swaps.
Many plastics, silicones, and metals can seep various toxins and chemicals when heated. This means that every time you heat a pan and use that “nonstick” plastic spoon to stir your food, you are seeping potential harmful chemicals into your food. Which, in turn, will enter your body upon eating that food.
Nontoxic Kitchen Essentials: Wooden and Stainless Steel Utensils
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When I began to research, I learned about the potential negative side effects that those chemicals could cause, and it didn’t sit well with me. So, I decided to make some changes. One of those changes was switching over to wood and stainless steel utensils.
Wood is neutral, meaning it will not leach anything into your food as it is used and heated. I reach for my wooden utensils over anything else (including stainless steel) when cooking! Wooden utensils are super affordable, and I picked up almost every single one of mine from thrift stores, antique shops, or estate sales. I never pay more than a dollar for each, and if you saw my recent thrift haul (here) then you saw where I was scored a whole set for $5. I also love wooden utensils because they don’t scratch my pans. Plus, they are so pretty sitting out on my counter. Functional and pretty- the way I like it!
Another option is stainless steel. My husband and I were gifted an entire stainless steel utensil set when we got married, and I love it as well. It has held up great over the last 3 1/2 years. My only gripe about it is that it can scratch the bottom of your pans if you’re not careful. But as long as you’re gentle, stainless steel is a great, affordable option!!
Nontoxic Kitchen Essentials: Cast Iron
Oh cast iron.. For so long, I found cast iron so daunting to use. I am still figuring it out, and I plan on doing a whole video on how to use and care for cast iron. But so far, I have loved it. I know there is often concern of iron overload, but a well seasoned pan should not release a sizable amount of iron. Plus, a large majority of people are iron deficient, so it could actually be a health benefit. Cast iron is nonstick when properly seasoned, and it quite easy to care for when you get the hang of it. Plus, like most of the other kitchen items I mention, you can usually find it at the thrift store..
Nontoxic Kitchen Essentials: Lead Free/Lead Safe Plates
I am a lover of all things vintage if you haven’t noticed by now. My husband and I ate off of vintage plates for years, until I stumbled across this website. Since, I have learned a lot about lead and cadmium.
Now, this is not me saying that just because you use vintage dishes you’ll get lead poisoning. I know plenty of people who have used vintage dishes for years and have never had high levels. However, the plates that we were eating off of contained many scratches, cracks, and damaged glazing. They also contained bright colors which is often an indicator of high lead content, and I had no way of knowing if they were regulated. Therefore, I made the decision to retire my vintage china dishes and only use them as decor. I do occasionally use my milk glass as serving dishes (as long as the food we are serving is not acidic and is not super hot).
Because I did not want to run the risk of my husband and I ingesting too much lead, I began my search for new dishes. I still wanted something that was classic and timeless yet lead safe and reasonably affordable, and that is when I came across the Pfaltzgraff Heritage Collection. I have picked up a few of the decorative pieces from this collection from antique and thrift stores, but I decided to purchase the whole set on their website during Black Friday. There were many mixed reviews, but I am very happy with the quality for the price. I may make a whole video on my new Pfaltzgraff compared to my old pieces. Let me know down below if you are interested!
Also, if “lead-safe” is something you are not comfortable with, there are many different lead free sets out there. Lead Safe Mama has many listed on her website.
Nontoxic Kitchen Essentials: Stoneware and Glass
All of that leads me to my next few essentials, stoneware and glass. Both are BPA free, Lead safe, and non toxic.
There are so many different pieces of glassware at the thrift stores. You can’t go wrong with any of it! I usually thrift my glassware, but recently, I picked up a pyrex mixing set off of Amazon. I love it! It is the perfect size and functions exactly how I need it too.
As for stoneware, I typically stick with Pampered Chef. I know this specific brand can be quite expensive. However, I have found mine at thrift stores or bought them second hand from friends/family off of Facebook. I have witnessed first hand that Pampered Chef can last you a lifetime.. My mom still has hers from when she and my dad got married 28 years ago!
*I will caution you to be careful with the fully glazed pieces of stoneware. The glaze can contain lead. I usually only use unglazed stoneware or partially glazed, where the bottom of the dish is generally unglazed stoneware.
Nontoxic Kitchen Essentials: The Always Pan
***The last nontoxic kitchen product I am sharing is the Always Pan. You guys, this pan is RIDICULOUSLY expensive… I know. However, I was able to buy mine second hand, so maybe you can find it gently used as well. ****
*UPDATE 2/20/23: I no longer use this pan. I now only use glass, stoneware, or cast iron when cooking!
Let me know your favorite non toxic kitchen essentials are down below!
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