Why Choosing Safe Cookware is so IMPORTANT
Should we be concerned with using nonstick cookware? YES. Yes, you should. Siwicki Fit Fam, there is SO much information out there as to what is harmful, toxic, etc. I know all of the information can be overwhelming at times. We try to keep things basic here, relaying information that is backed by data. Nowadays everything is meant to make our life more convenient - which sounds great! Life is so busy, why wouldn’t we want to make things easier on ourselves?! Sometimes the easier approach isn’t always the best and safest approach. We are learning there are certain things, like the health and wellness of our family, we just will not make compromises on. Who doesn’t love nonstick?! Nonstick makes the clean up process so much easier. There has been some controversy surrounding nonstick for the past few years. We decided to dig a little deeper and were shocked by what we discovered.
Nontoxic Recommendations for Safety & Durability
HOMICHEF for a great nickel-free stainless steel cookware option
Lodge offers a variety of 100% cast iron skillets, griddles, grills, dutch ovens, etc. They’re affordable, easy to use, great for indoor or outdoor cooking, available everywhere and we love them. Made in the U.S.
Proclamation – stainless steel – multipurpose duo pan and matching lid – sear, sauté, stir-fry, boil, braise, bake, and more.
MadeIn Cookware – heavy duty stainless steel and carbon steel cookware. Most products are made in the U.S. but a few pieces are made in France or Italy.
Xtrema – beautiful ceramic cookware – verified by third party testing to be inert (use the link for 10% off your purchase). Made in China.
Le Creuset is an enameled cast iron brand (verify that the color you choose has been third-party tested for lead and cadmium as the brightly colored ceramics may have issues).
CorningWare lead-free glass baking dishes, casserole dishes, pots and pans, Pyrex storage containers, etc. Note – some vintage Corningware and Pyrex have lead.
Visions Glass Cookware – current version is inert – lead and cadmium free glass cookware – also great for cooking tomato sauces, pasta sauces and other acidic foods that tend to leach nickel from stainless cookware. Note – some vintage Visions cookware contain lead.
For better non-stick options, we like the brands Always Pan by Our Place, Great Jones Large Fry and Caraway. We need to be aware that any non-stick coatings will slowly wear off given frequent use. Care should be used when using and cleaning these types of pots and pans. Only use low to medium heat and wooden utensils when cooking with them.
For baking sheets, it is important to look for stainless steel to avoid the aluminum in many baking sheets. When looking at stainless steel, you will see numbers "18/0", "18/8", "18/10", etc. The first number, "18", means chromium and the second number means the level of nickel. "0" being the best/ nickel-free. Nickel only leeches out when in contact with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, lemon, lime juice, etc. Linked here are a couple baking sheet options.
Always use unbleached parchment paper. Bleached parchment paper is bleached with chlorine gas or chlorine derivatives. However, you can always cover your stainless steel cookie sheets with unbleached parchment paper, which will help prevent aluminum and other toxins from leaching onto your food.