Over the past year or so I’ve been slowly phasing out my non-stick cookware. After reading about, and having my own suspicions about the safety of non-stick coatings I decided that I was done with it. Even if the health risks are minor there are so many other options out there why not try something else.

I’ve gotten a few different types of pans to replace the old ones, some have been better than others. We got a few pieces of really nice anodized aluminum cookware as gifts and I wasn’t really impressed at all. They are great for some things but food sticks to them like crazy. They also require too much babying. I have to keep referring to care card that came with them to remember the proper way to clean them.  They end up sitting in the cabinet most of the time. 

We got a couple stainless steel sauce pans that I’ve been really happy with. They’re easy to clean even when something happens to stick like rice or oatmeal. I’ve been pleased with them overall.

The 2 stars though have been the cast iron and enameled cast iron pans. The one draw back is that they are really heavy and I’m kind of a weakling but they work great. We have an enameled cast iron braising pan and use it all the time. Really easy to clean, food doesn’t stick to it. Same thing with the regular cast iron skillets.

If you’re looking to change your cookware to something a little greener, here are a couple things to keep in mind.

Avoid pots and pans made with perfluorochemical (PFCs):  PFCs are the chemicals that make your pans “nonstick.” PFCs is a collection of substances that among other things, keeps food from sticking to pots and pans. PFC’s aren’t just used in cookware, they are also used in cosmetics and a variety of other applications. PFCs may be worse in dishes than other applications because there are many health hazards of having PFCs in your body, and PFCs last forever both in our bodies and they won’t degrade in the environment. You don’t want to cook on and eat off this stuff.

The best choices of cookware are stainless steel, glass and cast iron. 

The worst pots and pans: Non-stick pots and pans – anything with Teflon coating.

What if you already own non-stick cookware?: The best thing to do is upgrade your cookware, but if you do hang on to your non-stick pieces, don’t heat them to above 450 F and get rid of them if the non-stick coating starts to peel off.

The Environmental Working Group website has a lot of great info and research on a variety of topics.

I think these kinds of things are a little scary. People should pay attention to the things they buy and take just a second to think about the impact of that product. When in doubt go for the least processed, least engineered, most natural option.

So the idea of going without buying anything made in China isn’t something I came up with on my own. It’s been a couple years in coming. My parents constantly complain about how it’s so hard to find things made here in the United States. Then there’s all the recalls, lead paint in children’s toys, contaminated baby formula, toothpaste and pet food. And last summer a friend mentioned that her husband was trying it out for a year. 

There was also a book that came out a couple years ago about a family who went without goods from China for a year.

On top of that I’ve been becoming a more conscious consumer. I read labels, I try to make good choices but sometimes it really seems impossible to buy things made in our own country.

One thing my dad said when we got our economic stimulus checks last year was “All those people who have lost their jobs because the manufacturing plant they worked at moved to China are going to take those checks and run out to WalMart and buy a bunch of junk made in China. Who’s economy are we stimulating anyway?”

He’s right in a lot of ways. 

So in addition to taking the Buy Handmade Pledge I am going to not buy anything made in China this year. The two kind of go hand in hand. I know even with my best intentions at heart I won’t be able to buy everything handmade. So in those cases I will try to find an option that is made in the US, or at the very least not made in China. I’ve got some options that way, a little safety net so I don’t completely fall off the wagon.

My motivation for doing this is rooted more in trying to support our local economy and give my neighbors jobs they need to feed themselves and their kids. I don’t really have anything personal against China I just feel that enough is enough. We really have to make an effort to invest in our country and our people. A good way to do that is by thinking just a little bit about where we spend our money. 

If you’re interested in joining me in the challenge please leave a comment.