Have you been trying to eat healthier…or maybe even convert to organic? Have you heard so much about the toxicity of food that it seems the only safe thing to eat is from your own garden or farm? Well, this post is to let you know that not only is it important what you eat, but you need to consider the actual cookware you are using to prepare your food. In other words, putting your ‘clean’ food in a dirty, toxic pot is defeating the purpose of your efforts.
Our journey to be healthier and more conscious about what we ingest began a few years ago. From food to household cleaners and even personal hygiene items, EVERYTHING in our household came under review. However, it never dawned on me to evaluate our cookware. I tend to gravitate to shoes and not cookware, so most of our cookware dated back to when my husband and I first married 18 years ago or maybe even from my college days. So, I’m not sure what prompted my research about six months ago, but I was not a happy camper when I discovered all of the toxic chemicals the cookware that I was using contained. It felt like my efforts to find the best deals on the healthiest foods for the past few years had been a waste.
I am not interested in cancer causing, hormone affecting chemicals being leached into my family’s food.
So, my new quest was to find non-toxic cookware that met the following criteria:
- It must be dishwasher safe (Hand washing on a long-term basis is not an option for OCD or CDO folk. LOL)
- It must NOT be so heavy that I need two people to drain the water out of my noodles. (You know where you are trying to save on dishwashing and don’t want to bother with using a colander, so you just prop the lid over the pot and lean over with it.)
- It must be affordable.
- It must be easy to clean.
- It must not be a surface that everything sticks to.
- It must not chip or damage easily.
If this post peaks your interest, feel free to scan the web for more research. There are other non-toxic options out there. The other two that I strongly considered before my purchase were Le Creuset coated cast iron and Ceramcor. Le Creuset states that it is dishwasher safe, but it is not recommended. It will fade the color of the pot and the cost of one pot in this collection is more than what I spent on my entire set. Le Creuset is also EXTREMELY heavy. I actually tried an Xtrema Ceramcor saucepot that I bought on a Black Friday deal, but the lid chipped the first day that I used it and it took a very long time to heat up. It did retain its temperature, but it was a noticeable difference in cooking time.
My final choice was a product that you probably remember from the 1980s, called Visions by Corning. Based on my web searches, many said that Visions Cookware was no longer being produced, but I was thrilled when I found it brand new at this website, https://www.shopworldkitchen.com. They also had a buy 2 save 40% off offer on all Vision pieces, plus I signed up to receive their email newsletter and they instantly emailed me a promo code that you can stack on top of the current sale. I just checked today and they still have this promotion going on as of now.
Plastic, aluminum, Teflon and the list goes on….these are things that you really do not want in your kitchen.
Most glass is very safe and Pyrex is a very good option for bakeware. Also, Hartstone Pottery makes cookie sheets and muffin pans that are somewhat heavy but are dishwasher safe, which is rare for baking stones. You can purchase these from Bed, Bath & Beyond and use their famous 20% off coupons.
Some silicone is safe, but it has to be the right kind of silicone and I’m not sure how you can prove that.
Join me in going vintage and let’s rock that Visions Cookware.
The Fervent Family 