It’s been pushed to the background with all of the scandals flying around lately, but as far as I’m concerned, one of the most worrying revelations is the fact that so much of what we use for food preparation and storage in our kitchens has probably been slowly poisoning us.
strainers, graters, bowls, funnels – you can get all of these made from metal
It might be BPA and microplastics coming out of plastic storage containers and cutlery, or heavy metals and reactive agents that are leaching out of aluminum and coated nonstick cookware.
Whatever it is, all of this stuff is bad news and has been linked to reproductive harm, organ damage, hormone problems, and more.
Manufacturers just don’t care, and the government isn’t keen on trying to stop them. So it’s up to us to choose safe and time-tested materials that won’t hurt us or our families.
Audit your kitchen and replace any of your questionable utensils, gadgets, and cookware with the safe alternatives below.
Whatever you are frying, reach for a steel frying pan instead of one of the Teflon-coated ones that are entirely too common. Teflon has been proven to contain chemicals that break down under high heat or chip off and contaminate food.
These chemicals have been linked to all sorts of insidious health problems, and whatever the actual trade name of the coating is, you know it’s going to be just as bad for you.
A plain, honest stainless steel frying pan is way better. There’s nothing to break down, and food-grade stainless steel is non-reactive. Plus, nothing beats blazing hot steel for giving food a crispy crust – not to mention the pan is easy to clean up.
If you’re going to have only a single kitchen mainstay for cooking, make it a good cast iron skillet. That’s what your great, great, great grandma used, and if you’re very fortunate, you might today be using the same one that she did!
It’s easy to think that cast iron is treated with Teflon or some other trickery because of that glossy black coating, but it’s actually an all-natural nonstick surface caused by the carbonization of fat over time.
It’s naturally nonstick, releases healthy amounts of iron into your food, and with a bit of care and attention, your cast iron pan will become an heirloom of your family.
It turns out that one of the worst things you can do with an aluminum or nonstick-coated pan is simmer anything acidic in it…
The combination of high heat and acidity creates a chemical reaction that will leach nasty chemicals into your sauce, which will do who knows what to you.
Luckily, the solution is a simple one in the form of a ceramic-coated saucepan. Ceramic is naturally incredibly resilient and totally non-reactive once applied.
This makes it perfect for pasta sauces and sugary syrups, which are hell on those other coatings. You’ll have to be careful not to chip it with a steel utensil, but this is a minor concern.
For boiling veggies or making a big pot of soup or chili, accept nothing less than a steel stockpot.
I definitely like going with steel here because it can withstand the extreme heat load that’s sometimes needed to heat up a large quantity of food in a timely fashion, and it can do it week after week for years on end if needed.
The true Swiss Army knife of the kitchen and the campsite is the classic cast iron Dutch oven. A Dutch oven can simmer, bake, fry, and do a whole lot more. I use mine indoors most often for making bread.
They are heavy and beastly but have all the other advantages that cast iron cookware does, including a natural and safe nonstick coating, extreme durability, and versatility.
However, only the most well-seasoned cast iron Dutch ovens can stand up to intensely acidic food without losing their coating.
Don’t worry; this won’t hurt you, unlike with Teflon-coated stuff, but it does mean food will start sticking. Luckily, today there are ceramic-coated cast iron options that can give you the best of both worlds.
It turns out that one of the very, very worst offenders when it comes to toxic cookware are nonstick baking sheets.
The thin metal, constant subjection to high temperature, and subsequent scrubbing they get means they break down faster than almost anything. Aside from being dangerous, they are wasteful!
Switch to a solid steel or, my preference, cast iron baking sheet instead.
Once more, cast iron weighs a ton, but whether you are making turnovers, cookies, a pizza, or something else, you’ll flip over the perfect crust it gives your food. A crispy crust, and no toxins!
For casseroles or anything else that isn’t suited for a baking sheet, reach for a glass baking dish. Most of these are proof to well over 600°F / 315°C, durable, and easy to clean.
For making a meatloaf, baked spaghetti, or anything else that’s messy like this, this is what you need, and good glassware is totally non-reactive. It’s also been a standard for so long for a good reason!
I’m very much a minimalist when it comes to my own kitchen, but even I have to admit there are a few specialty items that I just can’t get by without. One of them is a good muffin pan.
I love blueberry muffins, but I use it more often for making jalapeno cheese cornbread muffins for dinner!
Anyway, you don’t have many choices in this regard if you don’t want to go with a nonstick and likely toxic version. Muffins are notorious for sticking, after all.
The best alternative that I found is actually cast iron. Again, quite hefty, but super durable, naturally nonstick, and more versatile than you think. It’s perfect for making garlic rolls and mini quiches, too.
Plastic cutting boards are another major offender when it comes to toxic kitchenware.
Constant washing and exposure to acidic foods, not to mention the mechanical degradation from repeated cutting strokes, means they’re always shedding microplastics into your food which wind up in your body.
Put an end to that with a bamboo version instead. Bamboo is sustainable, safe, and gentler on your knives.
However, check out any prospective manufacturer thoroughly; some are advertised as completely safe, but it’s been revealed that fly-by-night and disingenuous operations use toxic glues, binders, stains, and more.
A big plastic mixing bowl is cheap and easy to clean, but that’s all it’s going to do for you. Like the cutting board, constant exposure to acidic ingredients and mechanical abrasion means this thing sheds microplastic-like dander off a dog.
Throw that thing in the trash or relegate it to workshop use and reach for a big glass or steel equivalent. Either still might get scratched up and cobwebby over time, but they will remain safe and useful.
Since we are going on the rampage of getting rid of plastic where we can, we need to look at the little things, too…
Measuring cups are one of those things you probably use constantly, and even though they aren’t for cooking specifically, they are still a potential source of plastic and plastic byproducts contamination.
Ditch them and get a steel set.
Same thing here. Even a good set of steel measuring spoons won’t cost very much and this is an implement you probably use daily. Any reduced exposure to these hazardous chemicals is a worthwhile goal, even when working with small quantities of ingredients!
Whisking eggs, stirring sauces, whatever you use a whisk for, it’s going to be banging into your cookware quite a lot.
Especially if you’re using it on any metal surface, it will start degrading quickly, and in the case of a plastic whisk, it will be releasing those tiny particulates right into your food.
Those tiny particulates, subjected to heat, will break down very readily into their constituent chemicals. Gross!
A steel whisk won’t do that. Get a good one that has a completely sealed handle or one that can be disassembled for ease of cleaning.
Not everything we use has to be glass, iron, or steel. Another one of my most-used kitchen utensils, and I’ll reckon it’s the same in your kitchen, is a spatula. You’ve got to have one, but these things are notorious for scratching up your pans.
That’s why I use a food-grade silicone spatula for the job. I know it seems like plastic of a different kind, or maybe rubber I guess, but these things have been tested and tested and tested over and over again by multiple countries and found to be safe for temps up to 500°F.
This stuff also isn’t reactive with any substance that could conceivably be in your kitchen. Buy a good one and don’t worry about it.
When you need direct control over food, or a safe standoff for moving a blazing hot pan, you need tongs.
In the US, plastic tongs are the standard, but they melt readily when they come into contact with your cooking surface. You’ll be able to smell the plastic burning, and I know that ain’t right!
Reach for steel tongs instead, or steel tongs that have a silicone coating if you’re worried about shaky hands scratching your cast iron…
Can you even call yourself a home cook if you don’t have a wooden spoon? This is another ubiquitous mainstay in any well-equipped kitchen. Stirring sauces, making roux, taste tests, and a whole lot more.
They’re completely safe, non-reactive, and just downright charming. Plus, there is zero chance—and I mean zero—of scratching your steel or your cast iron seasoning. And when they wear out, they are cheaply replaced.
I can’t tell you the last time I saw anything but a plastic ladle in a kitchen except my own. Do they even make steel ones anymore!?
I’m being rhetorical, of course they do, but that’s not something you’ll find unless you buy a big box cook set according to what I see on store shelves.
Nonetheless, get a steel one. Order one if you have to. If you don’t make huge batches of soup, broth, sauce, and things like that, you can probably get by without one of these entirely and just use a large cooking spoon.
Another tool that’s invariably made of plastic, and one that has to go if we are going to detoxify our kitchen workflow. Steel or wood is my choice here, but a silicone one is also worthwhile as long as it isn’t made with a plastic base or attachment points.
That’s been common from what I’ve seen to make them more flexible, so check the construction before you commit.
Depending on your typical menu and favorite foods, this is a tool that you will use seldom or all the time. From buttering pastries to slathering on barbecue sauce, sometimes cooking just calls for a brush.
Regrettably, all of them—and I mean all of them—that I’ve seen in recent years are made with synthetic bristles that will scorch, curl, and melt if they are exposed to even modestly high temperatures. That is a total no-go.
I know you can get natural cloth mops, but I honestly don’t know how you’re supposed to keep something like that clean. For my money, silicone is the only way to go here, and make sure it’s got a steel handle and other hardware.
It must be a law that every house has a big red plastic colander. Why are these things everywhere?
As you might imagine, draining boiling hot pasta water or anything else through one of these is going to open up that plastic and cause it to release dangerous chemicals, as with everything else we’ve talked about so far.
Get yourself a high-quality steel version and you’ll have it for the rest of your life.
My rolling pin is a true workhorse. I use it for breaking down coarse sugar, prepping all kinds of baked goods, crushing breadcrumbs, and so much more.
Those dense plastic models that still somehow feel flimsy are increasingly what they want consumers to buy, but I’m not going down like that.
Wood is the only way to go here unless you want to spring for a fancy marble one. They require more care, but this is another kitchen implement that will turn into a cherished heirloom if you make it last.
For cocktail mixers and anyone who likes to dry and grind their own spices, a mortar and pestle come in handy.
We’ve got to go old school here, and that usually means dropping a pretty penny on a set, but stone is the only clear choice. The weight and texture also really help get that fine texture that you want when you’re really trying to break something down into a powder.
I admit, I used to have a mountainous collection of plastic food storage containers. Tupperware, Rubbermaid, and all the rest. I would even reuse those resealable cold case cold cuts containers. Plastic, plastic, plastic, everywhere!
I shudder to think how much money I wound up throwing away when I learned what I did about how bad this stuff really is and the impact it’s having on our kids. But I’m much happier with the glass, and the glass has proven much more useful and easier to clean…
Some things in the kitchen get used so much that they get a place of honor and their very own container where they are left on the counter.
Don’t be seduced by these postmodern plastic contraptions that look like a part that came off the international space station: return to tradition and get a glass, ceramic, or earthenware set of jars for your flour, sugar, salt, coffee, and whatever else you use constantly.
Formerly a mainstay that you could expect to find in every home, hand juicers have become almost a novelty. Well, excuse me if I don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars for yet another electrical gadget!
Unfortunately, you’ll usually only find plastic ones in the kitchen department of most stores. Take the time to track down or order one that has a stone or ceramic top.
Metal can be a worthwhile alternative, but constant subjection to harsh acids, usually from citrus fruits, will prove to be a severe test even for the best modern steels.
You can’t beat a good fried egg for breakfast or as a sandwich topping. I make them all the time. Sunny-side-up, over easy, any way I can get them.
I was horrified to find out that the current egg ring set I had was actually made out of aluminum! That just won’t do, despite how prevalent aluminum has become in our kitchens.
Aluminum, for a metal, is highly reactive, especially with acids, and the problem is made worse when it’s heated. Once again, silicone can ride to the nonstick rescue. These are cheap and super easy to use, so get a set.
Whatever you’re making, it’s garlic that makes it good! I trust that, as a seasoned home chef, you aren’t using the minced stuff out of the jar or garlic powder all the time. Nothing beats the fresh stuff for flavor and aroma.
That said, mincing garlic for 10 minutes isn’t my idea of a good time, so I reach for a garlic crusher, or garlic press, to make short work of it and maximize flavor. Steel is the only choice here, both for health reasons and also for ease of cleanup.
We’ve been going old school for most items on this list, but here’s another one where a 21st-century upgrade just makes sense.
If you’re still using a mercury thermometer, time to upgrade to a digital version to reduce any risks associated with that crazy element.
Again, just make sure the body of the thermometer is metal.
Plastic disposable utensils are a must-have for cookouts, tailgating, picnics, and the like, but these things are cheap, really cheap, and cannot be trusted when it comes to the integrity of their construction.
Aside from being an environmental catastrophe, there’s no telling what is coming off of them and getting into your body.
If it’s not something you’re using every day, spring for bamboo versions instead. They add a touch of class and cuteness to any gathering! As with the bamboo cutting board above, make sure you vet the manufacturer for best practices.
If you are fortunate enough to already have a set of real silver cutlery, get that stuff out. Start using it, and use it every day.
I can make a great case for it: for starters, silver is a natural antimicrobial. Second, when silver is actually used, it won’t tarnish, and that means you won’t have to go through the painstaking job of cleaning it and shining it to get it out once or twice a year.
I know that’s agony for the whole family; I’ve been there!
If kept in constant use, your silver won’t be any harder to maintain than any other cutlery, but you will have to hand wash it. Dishwashers and dish detergents are far too harsh on them.
Tim Makay
Tim is a farm boy with vast experience on homesteads, and with survival and prepping. He lives a self-reliant lifestyle along with his aging mother in a quiet and very conservative little town in Ohio. He teaches folks about security, prepping and self-sufficiency not just through his witty writing, but also in person.
Find out more about Tim and the rest of the crew here.
The post Get These 30 Non-Toxic Kitchen Items Today appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.
strainers, graters, bowls, funnels – you can get all of these made from metal
It might be BPA and microplastics coming out of plastic storage containers and cutlery, or heavy metals and reactive agents that are leaching out of aluminum and coated nonstick cookware.
Whatever it is, all of this stuff is bad news and has been linked to reproductive harm, organ damage, hormone problems, and more.
Manufacturers just don’t care, and the government isn’t keen on trying to stop them. So it’s up to us to choose safe and time-tested materials that won’t hurt us or our families.
Audit your kitchen and replace any of your questionable utensils, gadgets, and cookware with the safe alternatives below.
Steel Frying Pan
Whatever you are frying, reach for a steel frying pan instead of one of the Teflon-coated ones that are entirely too common. Teflon has been proven to contain chemicals that break down under high heat or chip off and contaminate food.
These chemicals have been linked to all sorts of insidious health problems, and whatever the actual trade name of the coating is, you know it’s going to be just as bad for you.
A plain, honest stainless steel frying pan is way better. There’s nothing to break down, and food-grade stainless steel is non-reactive. Plus, nothing beats blazing hot steel for giving food a crispy crust – not to mention the pan is easy to clean up.
Cast Iron Skillet
If you’re going to have only a single kitchen mainstay for cooking, make it a good cast iron skillet. That’s what your great, great, great grandma used, and if you’re very fortunate, you might today be using the same one that she did!
It’s easy to think that cast iron is treated with Teflon or some other trickery because of that glossy black coating, but it’s actually an all-natural nonstick surface caused by the carbonization of fat over time.
It’s naturally nonstick, releases healthy amounts of iron into your food, and with a bit of care and attention, your cast iron pan will become an heirloom of your family.
Ceramic-Coated Saucepan
It turns out that one of the worst things you can do with an aluminum or nonstick-coated pan is simmer anything acidic in it…
The combination of high heat and acidity creates a chemical reaction that will leach nasty chemicals into your sauce, which will do who knows what to you.
Luckily, the solution is a simple one in the form of a ceramic-coated saucepan. Ceramic is naturally incredibly resilient and totally non-reactive once applied.
This makes it perfect for pasta sauces and sugary syrups, which are hell on those other coatings. You’ll have to be careful not to chip it with a steel utensil, but this is a minor concern.
Steel Stockpot
For boiling veggies or making a big pot of soup or chili, accept nothing less than a steel stockpot.
I definitely like going with steel here because it can withstand the extreme heat load that’s sometimes needed to heat up a large quantity of food in a timely fashion, and it can do it week after week for years on end if needed.
Cast Iron Dutch Oven
The true Swiss Army knife of the kitchen and the campsite is the classic cast iron Dutch oven. A Dutch oven can simmer, bake, fry, and do a whole lot more. I use mine indoors most often for making bread.
They are heavy and beastly but have all the other advantages that cast iron cookware does, including a natural and safe nonstick coating, extreme durability, and versatility.
However, only the most well-seasoned cast iron Dutch ovens can stand up to intensely acidic food without losing their coating.
Don’t worry; this won’t hurt you, unlike with Teflon-coated stuff, but it does mean food will start sticking. Luckily, today there are ceramic-coated cast iron options that can give you the best of both worlds.
Steel or Iron Baking Sheet
It turns out that one of the very, very worst offenders when it comes to toxic cookware are nonstick baking sheets.
The thin metal, constant subjection to high temperature, and subsequent scrubbing they get means they break down faster than almost anything. Aside from being dangerous, they are wasteful!
Switch to a solid steel or, my preference, cast iron baking sheet instead.
Once more, cast iron weighs a ton, but whether you are making turnovers, cookies, a pizza, or something else, you’ll flip over the perfect crust it gives your food. A crispy crust, and no toxins!
Glass Baking Dish
For casseroles or anything else that isn’t suited for a baking sheet, reach for a glass baking dish. Most of these are proof to well over 600°F / 315°C, durable, and easy to clean.
For making a meatloaf, baked spaghetti, or anything else that’s messy like this, this is what you need, and good glassware is totally non-reactive. It’s also been a standard for so long for a good reason!
Cast Iron Muffin Pan
I’m very much a minimalist when it comes to my own kitchen, but even I have to admit there are a few specialty items that I just can’t get by without. One of them is a good muffin pan.
I love blueberry muffins, but I use it more often for making jalapeno cheese cornbread muffins for dinner!
Anyway, you don’t have many choices in this regard if you don’t want to go with a nonstick and likely toxic version. Muffins are notorious for sticking, after all.
The best alternative that I found is actually cast iron. Again, quite hefty, but super durable, naturally nonstick, and more versatile than you think. It’s perfect for making garlic rolls and mini quiches, too.
Bamboo Cutting Board
Plastic cutting boards are another major offender when it comes to toxic kitchenware.
Constant washing and exposure to acidic foods, not to mention the mechanical degradation from repeated cutting strokes, means they’re always shedding microplastics into your food which wind up in your body.
Put an end to that with a bamboo version instead. Bamboo is sustainable, safe, and gentler on your knives.
However, check out any prospective manufacturer thoroughly; some are advertised as completely safe, but it’s been revealed that fly-by-night and disingenuous operations use toxic glues, binders, stains, and more.
Glass or Steel Mixing Bowls
A big plastic mixing bowl is cheap and easy to clean, but that’s all it’s going to do for you. Like the cutting board, constant exposure to acidic ingredients and mechanical abrasion means this thing sheds microplastic-like dander off a dog.
Throw that thing in the trash or relegate it to workshop use and reach for a big glass or steel equivalent. Either still might get scratched up and cobwebby over time, but they will remain safe and useful.
Steel Measuring Cups
Since we are going on the rampage of getting rid of plastic where we can, we need to look at the little things, too…
Measuring cups are one of those things you probably use constantly, and even though they aren’t for cooking specifically, they are still a potential source of plastic and plastic byproducts contamination.
Ditch them and get a steel set.
Steel Measuring Spoons
Same thing here. Even a good set of steel measuring spoons won’t cost very much and this is an implement you probably use daily. Any reduced exposure to these hazardous chemicals is a worthwhile goal, even when working with small quantities of ingredients!
Steel Whisk
Whisking eggs, stirring sauces, whatever you use a whisk for, it’s going to be banging into your cookware quite a lot.
Especially if you’re using it on any metal surface, it will start degrading quickly, and in the case of a plastic whisk, it will be releasing those tiny particulates right into your food.
Those tiny particulates, subjected to heat, will break down very readily into their constituent chemicals. Gross!
A steel whisk won’t do that. Get a good one that has a completely sealed handle or one that can be disassembled for ease of cleaning.
Silicone Spatula
Not everything we use has to be glass, iron, or steel. Another one of my most-used kitchen utensils, and I’ll reckon it’s the same in your kitchen, is a spatula. You’ve got to have one, but these things are notorious for scratching up your pans.
That’s why I use a food-grade silicone spatula for the job. I know it seems like plastic of a different kind, or maybe rubber I guess, but these things have been tested and tested and tested over and over again by multiple countries and found to be safe for temps up to 500°F.
This stuff also isn’t reactive with any substance that could conceivably be in your kitchen. Buy a good one and don’t worry about it.
Steel Tongs
When you need direct control over food, or a safe standoff for moving a blazing hot pan, you need tongs.
In the US, plastic tongs are the standard, but they melt readily when they come into contact with your cooking surface. You’ll be able to smell the plastic burning, and I know that ain’t right!
Reach for steel tongs instead, or steel tongs that have a silicone coating if you’re worried about shaky hands scratching your cast iron…
Wooden Spoon
Can you even call yourself a home cook if you don’t have a wooden spoon? This is another ubiquitous mainstay in any well-equipped kitchen. Stirring sauces, making roux, taste tests, and a whole lot more.
They’re completely safe, non-reactive, and just downright charming. Plus, there is zero chance—and I mean zero—of scratching your steel or your cast iron seasoning. And when they wear out, they are cheaply replaced.
Steel Ladle
I can’t tell you the last time I saw anything but a plastic ladle in a kitchen except my own. Do they even make steel ones anymore!?
I’m being rhetorical, of course they do, but that’s not something you’ll find unless you buy a big box cook set according to what I see on store shelves.
Nonetheless, get a steel one. Order one if you have to. If you don’t make huge batches of soup, broth, sauce, and things like that, you can probably get by without one of these entirely and just use a large cooking spoon.
Steel or Wooden Slotted Spoon
Another tool that’s invariably made of plastic, and one that has to go if we are going to detoxify our kitchen workflow. Steel or wood is my choice here, but a silicone one is also worthwhile as long as it isn’t made with a plastic base or attachment points.
That’s been common from what I’ve seen to make them more flexible, so check the construction before you commit.
Silicone Pastry Brush
Depending on your typical menu and favorite foods, this is a tool that you will use seldom or all the time. From buttering pastries to slathering on barbecue sauce, sometimes cooking just calls for a brush.
Regrettably, all of them—and I mean all of them—that I’ve seen in recent years are made with synthetic bristles that will scorch, curl, and melt if they are exposed to even modestly high temperatures. That is a total no-go.
I know you can get natural cloth mops, but I honestly don’t know how you’re supposed to keep something like that clean. For my money, silicone is the only way to go here, and make sure it’s got a steel handle and other hardware.
Stainless Steel Colander
It must be a law that every house has a big red plastic colander. Why are these things everywhere?
As you might imagine, draining boiling hot pasta water or anything else through one of these is going to open up that plastic and cause it to release dangerous chemicals, as with everything else we’ve talked about so far.
Get yourself a high-quality steel version and you’ll have it for the rest of your life.
Wooden or Marble Rolling Pin
My rolling pin is a true workhorse. I use it for breaking down coarse sugar, prepping all kinds of baked goods, crushing breadcrumbs, and so much more.
Those dense plastic models that still somehow feel flimsy are increasingly what they want consumers to buy, but I’m not going down like that.
Wood is the only way to go here unless you want to spring for a fancy marble one. They require more care, but this is another kitchen implement that will turn into a cherished heirloom if you make it last.
Stone or Marble Mortar and Pestle
For cocktail mixers and anyone who likes to dry and grind their own spices, a mortar and pestle come in handy.
We’ve got to go old school here, and that usually means dropping a pretty penny on a set, but stone is the only clear choice. The weight and texture also really help get that fine texture that you want when you’re really trying to break something down into a powder.
Glass Food Storage Containers
I admit, I used to have a mountainous collection of plastic food storage containers. Tupperware, Rubbermaid, and all the rest. I would even reuse those resealable cold case cold cuts containers. Plastic, plastic, plastic, everywhere!
I shudder to think how much money I wound up throwing away when I learned what I did about how bad this stuff really is and the impact it’s having on our kids. But I’m much happier with the glass, and the glass has proven much more useful and easier to clean…
Glass or Ceramic Flour and Sugar Jars
Some things in the kitchen get used so much that they get a place of honor and their very own container where they are left on the counter.
Don’t be seduced by these postmodern plastic contraptions that look like a part that came off the international space station: return to tradition and get a glass, ceramic, or earthenware set of jars for your flour, sugar, salt, coffee, and whatever else you use constantly.
Stone Hand Juicer
Formerly a mainstay that you could expect to find in every home, hand juicers have become almost a novelty. Well, excuse me if I don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars for yet another electrical gadget!
Unfortunately, you’ll usually only find plastic ones in the kitchen department of most stores. Take the time to track down or order one that has a stone or ceramic top.
Metal can be a worthwhile alternative, but constant subjection to harsh acids, usually from citrus fruits, will prove to be a severe test even for the best modern steels.
Silicone Egg Rings
You can’t beat a good fried egg for breakfast or as a sandwich topping. I make them all the time. Sunny-side-up, over easy, any way I can get them.
I was horrified to find out that the current egg ring set I had was actually made out of aluminum! That just won’t do, despite how prevalent aluminum has become in our kitchens.
Aluminum, for a metal, is highly reactive, especially with acids, and the problem is made worse when it’s heated. Once again, silicone can ride to the nonstick rescue. These are cheap and super easy to use, so get a set.
Steel Garlic Crusher
Whatever you’re making, it’s garlic that makes it good! I trust that, as a seasoned home chef, you aren’t using the minced stuff out of the jar or garlic powder all the time. Nothing beats the fresh stuff for flavor and aroma.
That said, mincing garlic for 10 minutes isn’t my idea of a good time, so I reach for a garlic crusher, or garlic press, to make short work of it and maximize flavor. Steel is the only choice here, both for health reasons and also for ease of cleanup.
Digital Meat Thermometer
We’ve been going old school for most items on this list, but here’s another one where a 21st-century upgrade just makes sense.
If you’re still using a mercury thermometer, time to upgrade to a digital version to reduce any risks associated with that crazy element.
Again, just make sure the body of the thermometer is metal.
Bamboo Disposable Utensils
Plastic disposable utensils are a must-have for cookouts, tailgating, picnics, and the like, but these things are cheap, really cheap, and cannot be trusted when it comes to the integrity of their construction.
Aside from being an environmental catastrophe, there’s no telling what is coming off of them and getting into your body.
If it’s not something you’re using every day, spring for bamboo versions instead. They add a touch of class and cuteness to any gathering! As with the bamboo cutting board above, make sure you vet the manufacturer for best practices.
Silver Table Cutlery
If you are fortunate enough to already have a set of real silver cutlery, get that stuff out. Start using it, and use it every day.
I can make a great case for it: for starters, silver is a natural antimicrobial. Second, when silver is actually used, it won’t tarnish, and that means you won’t have to go through the painstaking job of cleaning it and shining it to get it out once or twice a year.
I know that’s agony for the whole family; I’ve been there!
If kept in constant use, your silver won’t be any harder to maintain than any other cutlery, but you will have to hand wash it. Dishwashers and dish detergents are far too harsh on them.
Tim Makay
Tim is a farm boy with vast experience on homesteads, and with survival and prepping. He lives a self-reliant lifestyle along with his aging mother in a quiet and very conservative little town in Ohio. He teaches folks about security, prepping and self-sufficiency not just through his witty writing, but also in person.
Find out more about Tim and the rest of the crew here.
The post Get These 30 Non-Toxic Kitchen Items Today appeared first on The Homesteading Hippy.