For almost every problematic kitchen product, there is a safer wood, glass, stainless steel, or other reusable alternative. These are easy to find, work great, and can go a long way to reducing the amount of chemicals you’re exposed to in your diet. Safer alternatives are available today, not some hypothetical future!
Here are a few simple steps you can take starting today to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals in your kitchen:
- Use PFAS-free pots, pans, and baking sheets — you can cook nonstick without PFAS on cast iron, stainless steel, carbon steel, and other PFAS-free options.
- Go plastic-free for food storage and reheating — Since plastics in direct contact with food or liquid can leach bisphenols (like BPA), endocrine disruptors like phthalates, and microplastics into your food, minimize plastics in your food storage and when reheating foods. Eliminating plastic wrap, plastic containers, and plastic storage bags at home is better for you and for the environment – try reusable and safer options like glass and stainless steel containers for leftovers, cotton produce bags for your fruit and veg, and beeswax wraps for covering cheese.
- Use non-leaching cooking utensils — Putting a plastic spoon or spatula in direct contact with hot food or a hot pan can cause microplastics and plastic-related chemicals to shed into your food. Opt for stainless steel and wood when flipping burgers or stirring soup!
- Cut food, not chemicals — Plastic cutting boards shed toxic chemicals and microplastics directly into your food, and shed even more microplastics into our wastewater systems (and eventually into our surface and groundwater) every time you wash them. Wood cutting boards have been found to offer superior hygienic properties compared to plastic ones.
- Replace harsh chemical cleaners with safer alternatives — conventional disinfecting and cleaning sprays, wipes, and oven cleaners often contain harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Baking soda, white vinegar, fragrance-free soap, and water can handle just about any mess you can make in a kitchen without risking your health! You can also find safer cleaning supplies by searching the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
- Detox the tap – Whether you get your water from a public drinking water system or a residential well, you may want to test your tap water. Old pipes can leach lead into the water; only some states require treatment for PFAS in drinking water, and (especially for well owners) it is important to know if your well water contains any other contaminants that can impact your health. A water filtration system can provide an added layer of health protection and there are options for every budget – whether you choose a countertop pour-through pitcher or an under the sink system, just make sure it is NSF certified for the contaminants that are in your water. You can check water results by zip code and learn more about filter options with EWG’s Water Filter Guide and Tapwater database.
For more information, check out PlasticDetox’s kitchen tips and GreenBuilder’s sustainable kitchen guide, and make sure to subscribe to Defend Our Health’s newsletter!
Want to learn more?
- Return to the homepage
- Search the Cookware Brand Chemicals Disclosure Directory
- Learn how state laws are improving cookware safety nationwide
- Find out why scientists and policymakers define PFAS as a class of toxic chemicals
- Check the facts: Are PFAS safe for food-contact materials like cookware?
- Dig in to what the experts say about PTFE, the PFAS plastic most commonly used in cookware
- Take Action: Demand that big retailers and cookware brands stop selling PFAS cookware nationwide!
If you found this information useful and would like to support Defend Our Health’s work, please consider becoming a monthly sustainer! Together, we can expose avoidable toxic chemicals in consumer goods and advocate for safer solutions that protect families and communities.
