No shock to anyone that I love to cook. When I first started cooking, I was fresh out of nursing school and had a bunch of cheap cooking stuff from Walmart because that is all that I could afford.
As I started to learn about chemicals that we were likely exposed to from non stick cookware and plastic options, I decided that needed to be something I focused on. So gradually as my budget allowed, I worked on finding products that were durable and didn’t expose my family to a lot of chemicals and began making the switches.
Here is the lineup of changes I have gradually made.
Stovetop pans
We use a company called Xtrema which produces ceramic pots and pans that don’t leach chemicals. I wrote an entire article on why we choose this company and some tips for using and cleaning. Check that out here. They also offer 10% off if you use this link and enter code Savex10. Often times they run specials on their website and you can still use the code on top of their special sale price, so make sure to check them out!
Baking sheets
We opt for stainless steel. In order to make clean up easier, I typically will line the pan with parchment paper. Since I try to consciously not produce a lot of waste, I will often reuse the parchment paper multiple times before tossing. Here is the one we have a couple of.
Roasting pan
This roasting pan is a game changer for meal prep. It is HUGE and allows you to bake a lot of food. I do find it sometimes takes the food longer to roast to a level of crispy that I like and not sure if that is just because of its size or that it has sides?? We have two and use them weekly!
Muffin tins
Stainless steel choice again. In order to make cleanup easier, I will often use a silicone liner in the tins.
Glass baking dish
Pyrex is a really cheap durable option and a bonus is that they often come with a lid so storing leftovers is really easy. I have multiple sizes including three rectangular ones, 8 x 8 square and a bread dish.
Bamboo utensils
I got rid of all my plastic spoons and spatulas and now opt for bamboo for most everything and a few stainless steel options. Here is a great starter set and then you can check out my favorites page for some additional options.
Stainless steel flipper
My all time favorite cooking utensil is this flipper. It is intended for fish, but I love using it for pancakes as well because it is so long and gets under the food really well. Because let’s be honest, no one wants messy looking food because it fell apart when you tried to flip it!
Remember this is one small step on your wellness journey and not something that can be done overnight (or maybe it can?). Do you think you are ready to make one swap for a better option? Where are you going to start?
**Psst – check out the entire page dedicated to my favorite products that fill my kitchen here**
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