Five Safer Kitchen Swaps

When cleaning up your kitchen, safer cookware should take top priority – stainless steel and/or cast iron are my top recommendations – and as you move within your kitchen for more safer swaps, here are my top five:

• Ditch Plastic and Invest in Glass Storage: Plastic containers are not built to last, as they easily get scratched, discolored, you name it, and then that’s when the worry arises about the plastic chemicals potentially leaching out into your food. Instead, invest in glass containers that are durable, safer (nothing leaching here!) and make reheating a breeze. This Anchor Hocking set is the perfect set to get you started!
• Stop Using Foil and Switch to Parchment Paper: Did you know that aluminum could leach into your food as you cook with foil and that risk increases when baking at high heat and using acidic foods? Avoid that risk and use parchment paper instead. Why? It too will help food not stick to your baking sheets, will allow you to skip the greasing step and If You Care unbleached parchment paper is chlorine-free, compostable and responsibly sourced – not to mention works so well and your clean up will be such a breeze!
• Your Most Versatile Cleaner in the Kitchen and Beyond: Many people keep Barkeepers Friend under their sinks, but opt for the non-toxic and inexpensive multitasker Bon Ami instead. That other one scores an F on the EWG database, while Bon Ami gets an A and is made without any harsh chemicals, dyes or perfumes. Plus, it’s gentle, biodegradable and effective, and has awesome scrubbing and cleaning powers for your kitchen sink, pots and pans, counters, bathrooms and more.
• Use a Dish Soap with Safer Ingredients: When shopping for dish soaps, you’ll want to turn over the bottle and carefully read the ingredient label – be sure to avoid harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, triclosan, fragrance and artificial dyes, to name a few. Our go-to has been Puracy dish soap and love its safer formulation, how well it works and that it’s sold in refill sizes.
• Say Goodbye to Bleach: Safely disinfecting has become extra important over the past few years, but it’s time to say goodbye to bleach, wipes and chemicals. Instead, choose a cleaner like Force of Nature, as this awesome appliance turns tap water – plus a capsule of salt, water and vinegar (that’s recyclable, too) – into a super powerful multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant (yup, it’s EPA approved for use against COVID-19!). This sustainable, powerhouse cleaner will replace many others in your cabinet and your air will thank you, too!