I used to feel like almost anything that was sold (by major retailers and commonly used) were just safe, but as I researched credible sources, I found this is not the case. I don’t believe there’s some big conspiracy to make us unsafe. I just think there are different viewpoints on what amount of research proves unsafe.
I also personally feel that it’s not that just owning one of these products will make you drastically unsafe, but that it’s a cumulative effect. There are so many toxins we are exposed to both willingly and unwillingly, that my purpose for me and my family is eliminating all the toxins we CAN control so the cumulative effect is hopefully smaller.
When you start really looking at all the ingredients in food and EVERYTHING in your life and everywhere you can be exposed to toxins, it can be a little overwhelming. I feel this all the time! The purpose of this post is not to overwhelm, but to start a discussion about all of these toxins and to make efforts to improve where we can. I think it’s important to remember every little change you make, makes a difference so we should give ourselves credit for each each change! If we overhauled everything in our homes, it would be prohibitively expensive. What we try that’s worked well is replace things when they run out with cleaner options. Or, if there’s something (like Tupperware) that has a long life, then we just gradually replace. For example we have a weekly/monthly budget for “other”. Household needs, etc. and we try to just consistently work in cleaner options for our home into this budget and it’s been a manageable and budget-friendly way to a cleaner lifestyle and it’s not so overwhelming emotionally or financially:)
Plastic
First, let’s start with plastic. The only place we use plastic in our home is ziplocks and cutting boards. We’re buying some reusable ziplocks and safer cutting boards soon that I will review! Why don’t we use it? It’s bad for you and bad for the environment.
It’s bad for you because the chemicals used in manufacturing. Even BPA free isn’t safe. Below are some articles that explain this but in summary BPA has hormone and endocrine disrupters and its substitutes (BPS, etc) behave similarly in the body. It can reprogram your genes, is one of the causes of cancer, and causes reproductive and developmental issues. Stainless steel and glass are safer substitutes.
National Geographic: Why BPA Free May Not Mean Plastic Product is Safe
Politico: Why We Don’t Know if Plastics are Safe
NBC News: Even BPA Free Plastic is Not Always Safe
As we all know, plastic is bad for the environment for a million reasons, but especially because it ends up in oceans and landfills, kills animals, etc. Article below if you’d like to read more abt it. I think we are so blessed to live in such a beautiful place and have a duty to do our part to take care of it and protect it for future generations. Even all recycled plastic doesn’t actually get recycled and harms the environment.
National Geographic: We Made Plastic, We Depend on it, Now we’re Drowning in it.
So where have we replaced plastic in our home?
- SippyCups
- Watch out for lead (source and source)
- We use these and although I don’t love silicone, I feel it’s the best option for a toddler. They are not spill proof and just don’t let your kid chew on them because it causes holes (that was fun finding out 😉) , but they’ve worked well for us. I wouldn’t say they’re amazing (they spill), but are the safest I’ve found. I’m still looking for better options. A lot of people love these, but my toddler was confused by it and refused to drink out of it 😂
- Tupperware
- We use glass storage containers, but I don’t like that the lids are plastic. I bought bamboo lids, but wasn’t crazy about those, so for now I do plastic BPA free lids and just don’t fill it to to the top and don’t put lid on while hot.
- I also use mason jars with these leak and rust proof lids and empty Culina jars
- Ziplock bags
- I love Stasher bags, just don’t choose the extra high temp setting on your dishwasher. When you wash them. It creates a weird smell
- I prefer to put everything in mason jars or glass tupperware, but there are some things that just work best with reusable ziplocks.
- Produce bags
- I LOVE these!
- Grocery bags
- We use old beach bags and any reusable bags we get, we save and keep some in the car, some in the home, one by the stroller, so we always have them on hand! TJ’s and Amazon have affordable ones too
- Disposable and reusable Water bottles
- Avoid disposable, plastic (even BPA free), and always confirm there’s no lead. Stainless steel and glass are good options as long as the company has confirmed they 3rd party test to confirm no lead.
- I just bought this water bottle and hate it, so I’m still looking for better options! Recommendations are always welcome!
- Mixing bowls
- We don’t ever use plastic mixing bowls because of what I mentioned above
- Glass or stainless steel are good options here.
- Many glass painted mixing bowls can have lead in them, so I try to go with clear glass or confirm no lead. This has been overwhelming researching what’s safe and I haven’t even fully overhauled, but will post as I continue to. Tamara Rubin is a good resource here
- Plastic wrap
- Like I said, we just use mason jars and glass tupperware. If you absolutely need something, these seem like a good option (I haven’t tried them). I bought Trader Joe’s version of them and DO NOT recommend. They are horrible and don’t seal
- Baby Bottles
- I used BPA free plastic when my kid was a baby, but I will be using glass on the next one!
- Pacifiers
- I used bpa free plastic on my kid, but on my next will use something like this.
- Baby dishes
- We either use adult plates or put it straight on the high chair. If you want dishes, I’ve heard bamboo is great. Just make sure it’s bonded with safe materials and no paint containing lead
- We also LOVE these for on the go for snacks!
- Straws
- We love these
- I know some people like stainless steel, but I personally don’t recommend because you cant see if gunk is inside (which happens but is easy to clean with glass)
- Cooking tools (spoons, spatulas, etc.)
- Stainless steel, wooden (as long as bonded with safe materials), and silicone. I think it’s best to stick to metal and wooden, but spatulas for batter, silicone is so helpful!
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Love these but any stainless steel will do!
Where are we hoping to improve?
- Buying less food packaged in plastic
Non-stick
Next, let’s move to non-stick. We don’t use anything non-stick. The jury seems to still be out on it, but there’s enough controversy, that I just prefer to stay away. Below are some articles, but in summary, Teflon emits toxic gasses when heated.
We use stainless steel for mostly everything (pots, cookie sheets, donut pans, and muffin pans). We use cast iron for frying pan. The cleanup is weird at first but once you get used to it, you’ll love how easy cleanup is! Just don’t let it rust!
Food Matters: Is Your Cookware Safe
Wellness Mama: Ditch the Teflon (although she is not a scientific source, she cites many credible sources in this article and explains it in a great way)
We can’t always replace everything right away, so until you can, here’s a helpful article on how to limit your toxins in the meantime
Branch Basics: What to do until you can Replace your non-stick
Aluminum
We don’t use items containing aluminum because it leaches into foods when heated and aluminum has negative effects on the body including the large amounts of aluminum found in the brains of Alzheimers patients.
Wellness Mama: Aluminum Safety (awesome article citing a plethora of credible sources)
InternationalJournal of Electrochemical Science: Effect of Aluminum Leaching…
What do we use instead of non-stick and aluminum? Stainless steel, cast iron, and silicone.
A few notes about stainless steel:
- Make sure it’s 18/0. This means there is no nickel (which can be harmful to health). If it contains nickel, be sure to avoid cooking any acids in there (tomato, lemon, lime, vinegars)
- Stainless steel will scratch, but I really don’t care about that as long as it doesn’t contain materials that will leach
- I also LOVE that you can scrub, cook with metal, etc. and it won’t release harmful chemicals. After I am done cooking, I spray with Branch Basics. If anything is caked on, I spray Branch Basics Bathroom Spray (higher concentration), then sprinkle Oxygen Boost (cleaner alternative to Oxiclean), then spray more Bathroom Spray and let sit, then fill with hot water and it comes off by rinsing or gently scrubbing. Sometimes I’ll let sit overnight if needed
Below are the things we have/are replacing:
- Cast iron pan
- There’s a little learning curve with cast iron and it seems a little strange, but once you get used to it, it’s THE BEST.
- If properly seasoned and cared for, it’s the best non-stick, easy to clean, can go in the oven and stove top, and is just all around amazing- just don’t let it rust!
- We love this one
- Stainless steel pots
- Stainless steel silverware
- Stainless steel cookie sheet. We love these cookie sheets and cooling racks and this for a smaller cookie sheet.
- Stainless steel muffin tins
- Silicone or stainless steel donut pans
- Silicone muffin liners when we need liners. I research before to ensure it’s high quality and food grade with no fillers. Here are mine that I really like, but it does extend cooking time so I prefer to grease the tin and cook without
- Stainless steel cake and loaf pans.
Where are we trying to do better- we would also like to find an eco-friendly, safe alternative to parchment paper.
Ceramic
Ceramic can be a good option especially for cooking acidic foods as long as the safety is there (which I’ve had a hard time finding). we do use a crockpot, but as I was researching, I found that they contain ceramic which can also contain lead.
Here’s what you want to ask the companies when thinking about purchasing: What materials are used? Do you use ANY perfluorinated chemicals (PFOA and the like. Companies will tout they don’t use one and use a sister chemical with similar health issues)? Do you conduct 3rd party testing to confirm no lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals? Do you conduct leach tests? Do you use nanoparticles/nanotechnology? While my emails are probably annoying to companies, I find that I have to be very specific because with Caraway, I had asked so many in depth questions and asked about what materials were used and they said it’s 100% ceramic, yet after purchasing, I found out (and confirmed with them) that they use nanoparticles. Companies are not going to offer up potentially problematic materials they use, so it’s important to ask every single question you have. It’s literally their job to provide safe cookware and answer questions about it and it’s yours to do any vetting that’s needed to confirm it’s safe for your home.
Our Place Always Pan checks all the boxes and has the right answers to all the above questions! It’s the safest pan I have found and I absolutely love it!!! It performs like non stick! I wish it was oven safe and could go above medium heat, but I’d compromise minor convenience for safety any day. I just ordered my second pan because this pan is so phenomenal, low maintenance, and safe. $20 off here (not sponsored)
Here are some problematic popular brands:
- Caraway: I LOVE Caraway. They even publish their test results which is practically unheard of. I purchased them and loved cooking on them (they have a 30 day trial), but I found out they had nanoparticles. There is a lot of controversy surrounding them and their safety, but I feel since they haven’t been proven safe and there’s so much controversy, I’d rather not use them. If they ever change this down the road, I’ll be first in line!
- Xtrema: This is touted as the safest cookware and lead free, however, when I was considering buying, I found 3 problems 1) the ratings are very low on Amazon and they didn’t seem well liked. For the price and no return policy or trial (to my knowledge), that’s a pretty big gamble 2) Many reviewers said there was a raised dot in the middle which makes even cooking difficult. 3) Many reviewers complained about the weight and fragility of them and say that they break easily. I’ve read this elsewhere as well. Again, for the price, not a risk I want to take. 4) Most importantly, they say they are lead free, yet Tamara Rubin on her site where she tests products for lead with XRF testing, has found lead present in them
- Green pan: They are SO cute and affordable and seem great, but the nonstick wears off so quickly which suggests the coating is not as stable as it should be. I am also still looking into them to see if they use nanoparticles. Lastly, I don’t like to buy cookware I will have to replace soon, if at all. Bad for the environment and wallet.
In addition to this, did you know some dinnerware/earthenware can contain lead? Even nice brands like Crate and Barrel. Always confirm with the company.
NPR: Can Your Ceramic Cookware Give You Lead Poisoning?
Australian Government: Department of Environment and Energy
Chicago Tribune: Getting the Lead Out
FDA: Q&A on Lead Glazed Traditional Pottery
Washington Post: Dangerous Dinnerware
Tamara Rubin: Lead Testing Methods
Looking for a ceramic free crockpot and will post here once I find one
I have linked quite a few articles here, but what it boils down for me is I go with what has been used for ages. The bottom line is we will be researching forever, but will never know everything, so while I love to research and read scientific studies and believe in the importance of research, I will always believe we are typically safer with what has been time tested with the addition of studies proving it safe as opposed to lack of studies proving it’s dangerous, especially when it’s something we cook our food in, often daily. Lastly, every kind of cookware is going to have some problem. Nothing is 100% safe and nontoxic, but what I’ve talked about above are in my opinion and according to my research the least problematic