How Home Cooking and Intentional Meals can reduce your plastic exposure.
Now how does this extend your life? Well we all know happier healthier habits reduce stress, and build a supportive home but these changes could literally save your life if you’re a frequent flyer of “to go” foods.
We see restaurants use plastic cutlery, plastic bags, and plastic containers that host piping hot food. Containers that leeches particles of plastic into delicious curries etc. Unfortunately many of these tasty dishes are often doomed from inception before they ever hit plastic.
The giant banner on the San Fransisco Environemental department website glows an ominous green stating in large print “PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” are commonly used in non-stick cookware but pose serious health and environmental risks”.
This is an undisputed fact and a serious warning, but restaurants still use Toxin coated pans. I don’t see these labels in cookware stores, or on the backs of Teflon Sautee pans in the local home goods sections. That’s because companies are allowed to use cancer causing, endocrine disrupting chemicals in our products, clothing and even foods, often without warning.
“Per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) are a class of chemicals that have non-stick, stain-resistant, and waterproof properties.” SFED They can be found largely in non stick pots and pans. What you cook, goes directly into your system. If you could make one swap today, let it be alternative cook ware.
Alternatives
- Cast Iron
- Stainless Steel
- Ceramic (watch for lead coatings)
Tip: Cast Iron can be extremely versatile. Try finding vintage cast iron in thrift shops and cleaning them up yourself. Use a metal chain brush ( not steel wool).
There are tons of videos on YouTube teaching how to best “season” your pans. My husband was just restoring some old cookware that we picked up thrifting. He uses a process of electrolysis to blast away the caked on debris. We want our cast iron seasoned, but not dirty. Plus Second hand is better on the planet and the budget already so thrifting non toxic materials is a win win!
Here is a helpful video that walks you through restoring cast iron yourself.
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