Investing in a quality cookware set is every budding cook’s dream. Knowing the pots, pans and casserole dishes in your kitchen are safe, won’t warp or stick to food, and can last a lifetime is pure peace of mind. But do you know whether the cookware you just bought or inherited from your grandmother is eco-friendly and 100% non-toxic?
What Is Eco-Friendly Cookware?
Eco-friendly, non-toxic cookware includes pots, pans, and other cooking utensils that don’t contain chemicals that can damage your health or the environment. To be considered environmentally safe, pots and pans must use sustainable materials, follow ethical production and sale practices, and respect the environment while being highly functional.
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4 Benefits of Sustainable Cookware
Picking eco-friendly and non-toxic pots is the wise choice for several reasons, including:
- Enjoying better health and hygiene: Environmentally friendly cooking items ensure you only eat what you put in them without risking exposure to harmful chemicals. They don’t release dangerous chemicals when heated and don’t leave harmful particles in your food.
- Protecting the environment from toxic pollution: Cookware like non-stick pans contributes to pollution by releasing microplastics and deadly gases during manufacturing or when exposed to high heat.
- Supporting sustainable manufacturers: Eco-friendly producers source their raw materials sustainably, ensuring your kitchen becomes environmentally responsible.
- Longevity and cost-effectiveness: Wondering about eco-friendly cookware’s life span? It depends on the set’s material and how well you care for it. The short answer is it can last forever, but once they become damaged or if you don’t take care of them, they usually need replacing.
4 Best Materials for Eco-Friendly Cookware
Several materials are safe for cooking, no matter what temperature you use them at or how you scrub them clean. Consider getting pots and pans made from the following.
Stainless Steel
Cooking in stainless steel takes a little getting used to, as the pots and pans take a bit longer to heat, but they also retain heat better. Stainless steel is pure steel, so it has a surgical quality, meaning it’s free from contamination.
A huge benefit of stainless steel cookware is it doesn’t scratch easily, so there’s less chance of damage. You can also use any utensils with it, and while it’s not nonstick, you can use specific cooking techniques to stop your food from sticking to the pot.
Glass
While glass may seem fragile, it’s gaining popularity thanks to improved methods of reinforcement for higher temperatures. Glass casserole dishes are popular with health-conscious individuals because they don’t leach chemicals into food.
Using glass casseroles means no flavor transfer. While it heats slowly, food doesn’t stick to it as easily when correctly prepared.
Cast-Iron
Cooking with some version of cast iron has existed for centuries. However, the first commercially manufactured cast-iron cookware dates back to the 1700s, when metal workers used sand molds to create pots.
Cast-iron cookware items aren’t non-stick, but you can ensure food doesn’t stick by preparing or “seasoning” the pots and pans.
Enamel Cast-Iron
Manufacturers sometimes cover cast-iron pots with enamel — a type of metal glaze. Enamel is safe unless the glazed surface is compromised. Chipped enamel surfaces may leach heavy metals from the coloring agents, contaminating your food.
What About Silicone Cookware?
The Food and Drug Administration has rated silicone safe to use in the kitchen. However, regularly heating it to temperatures over 500 degrees Fahrenheit releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and food.
Exposure to VOCs increases your risk of all-cause mortality. So, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for how hot your silicone cookware can get.
Why Chemically Treated Cookware Is Harmful
Are non-stick pans dangerous? Possibly.
While your grandparents may have cooked in cast iron, you’ve likely grown up in the Teflon revolution. Such pans became all the rage in the 1950s, with the DuPont company’s non-stick coating soon becoming a household name.
It makes Teflon from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). When the substance degrades after continued heat exposure or damage that causes it to lose its bond to aluminum, it starts shedding microplastics that significantly contaminate food and natural resources. With 309,000 tons of PTFE produced annually in 2021, microplastic pollution is staggering.
Manufacturers trying to jump on the non-stick bandwagon invented other chemicals that make pots and pans non-stick, but these are equally harmful. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals used in non-stick coating technology — are also dangerous, as they don’t break down. Known as “forever chemicals,” these toxic microplastics cause lasting environmental damage that’s been the root of a $1.18 billion lawsuit against DuPont, Chemours and Corteva chemical manufacturers.
The environment near the PTFE or PFAS processing plants often faces severe contamination. The extent of the chemical contamination of drinking water is still unknown, but the Environmental Protection Agency has issued public health advisories.
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4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid
Here are four cookware choices you can pass on:
- PFAS-containing non-stick cookware: Non-stick coatings contain PFAS unless the pot’s label states it’s free of this harmful chemical. When in doubt, leave it out.
- Aluminum cookware: Research has linked elevated aluminum levels to Alzheimer’s and other mental health conditions. However, whether aluminum pots contribute sufficiently to cognitive decline is not yet established. Erring on the side of caution might be wise.
- Copper pots and pans: Copper pots and pans can form copper sulfate when unused, which becomes toxic in the body. Most have a secondary metal lining that provides a barrier between the copper and your food, but there’s still a risk.
- Ceramic casseroles: Glazed ceramic cookware may cause lead poisoning if the lead glaze is incorrectly fired or damaged. Imported or traditional glazed ceramic casseroles and pots may contain large amounts of highly toxic lead, but you can also consider ceramic an eco-friendly alternative since potters make it from natural materials. You can get ceramic-glazed pots with a steel base covered with silica glazing, which is harmless.
Are All Non-Stick Pots and Pans Dangerous?
You can assume they are safe when the manufacturer guarantees their crockery is free from harmful substances like biphenol A, PTFE and PFAS, but the risk remains. Only a few vigorous scrubbing sessions reveal the copper, aluminum and lead on these toxic items.
Choose an eco-friendly cookery line made from non-toxic materials to prioritize your health and safety. This will ensure your food stays safe while cooking.
4 Considerations When Choosing Cookware
When you’re ready to choose your eco-friendly cookware set, you may want to consider a few factors that affect your decision between stainless steel, cast iron, glass, silicone and enamel.
1. Your Cooking Methods
Decide whether that set of pots you’ve been eyeing suits your kitchen’s cooking method. Stainless steel doesn’t work as well when cooking on gas as an electric stovetop, but cast iron performs similarly regardless of what your stove runs on. Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines.
2. Size of the Set
If you want a cookware set, check what each set includes, how this matches what you cook and the volumes of food you prepare. Larger pots and pans may take longer to heat, which increases your energy requirements, so getting them may be wasteful if you have a small family.
3. Heat Retention Properties
When your family often eats late or you must keep food warm, selecting an environmentally safe cooking set that retains heat is ideal. A stainless steel pot set would be perfect. If you need to heat your cookware quickly to scramble a meal together, you may need a set that heats up fast, like a stainless steel one with an aluminum base.
4. Stove-to-Oven Compatibility
You may enjoy preparing food that starts on the stove and finishes in the oven. In that case, a cast-iron pan set is the way to go. Because these don’t have additional handles that may melt, they can quickly move into the oven without transferring food.
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How to Make Your Environmentally Friendly Cookware Non-Stick
Nobody wants to scrub for hours to clean their eco-friendly pot sets. Accidents happen, and now you’ve got some burnt-in sauce to remove. If only you’d used a non-stick pan, right? Fortunately, any environmentally friendly pots and pans can become non-stick with the correct treatment.
Here are a few pointers:
- Stainless steel pots and pans: Ensure you preheat stainless steel cookware. A warmed pot sears the food before cooking, helping it not stick. Use enough oil to coat the bottom of your pan, and keep some water on hand to help loosen or deglaze any food that sticks. Adjust the heat if the food starts sticking.
- Cast-iron skillets: Preparing your cast-iron pan is also how you ensure you can use it longer. Clean it thoroughly, then coat it with good-quality oil, place it in a 450-500 degrees Fahrenheit oven and bake for an hour. The oil bonds with the iron, covering any tiny pores left during casting. Luckily, most home ovens go up to 550 degrees F, so you should be able to get yours hot enough. Repeat the process as necessary until the pot or skillet feels smoother.
- Glass and ceramic: While you can’t really apply a permanent non-stick trick to these types of cookware, you can ensure food doesn’t stick by using the correct temperature and generously coating your container with a non-stick spray. Or, rub oil over the surface before adding food.
3 Ways to Care for Eco-Conscious Cookware
Caring for your environmentally friendly pots, pans and casserole dishes depends on their materials and the care necessary.
1. Using the Correct Utensils
Wooden or bamboo utensils are a safe choice for any cookware because they don’t easily scratch eco-friendly surfaces. You can also use silicone cooking utensils. Beware of non-stick cooking utensils, as these may have a chemical coating on them like a non-stick pan — and you know how harmful that can be.
Care for your environmentally safe kitchen utensils. Wash them by hand, dry them quickly and never leave them in food, as they may absorb flavors.
2. Cleaning Your Non-Stick Pan
Cleaning your skillet or stainless steel pot when food is burned or stuck to it requires two ingredients — water and baking soda. You can also use a rubber brush or spatula to help you remove the food. Avoid using metal scrubbers or brushes, as these can damage the nonstick surface and the pan itself.
Remove as much burned-on food as possible with a rubber or silicone spatula, lightly scraping after soaking in warm, soapy water. Mix a little hot water and baking soda until it’s the consistency of toothpaste. Apply thickly to the food or burn areas and set it aside for 10 minutes, then gently scrub it with a silicone or rubber brush. Rinse everything out and make sure the pan is dry before putting it away to avoid rust.
3. Utilizing the Dishwasher
Dishwasher safety will depend on the material used and the temperature setting of your dishwasher. Extreme heat is never suitable for cookware, so avoid it and treat all eco-friendly cooking items that need it after cleaning and drying. Your cast-iron pans will need a seasoning session to replace any lost oils.
Here are a few additional quick tips:
- Always choose the temperature setting that matches your pot’s requirements.
- Don’t forget your pots on the stove, which results in burned-in stains.
- Follow after-care instructions, such as oiling a cast-iron pan.
- Dry pots and pans using the correct methods. Some materials need air drying, others require wiping and cast-iron pans often need heating.
When Sustainable Cookware Becomes Unsafe
How do you know your eco-friendly pots and pans are no longer safe? It depends on the material:
- Stainless steel cookware: When cleaned correctly, it lasts a lifetime. Discard it when food stains don’t wash out anymore.
- Cast-iron pots and pans: It’s done when rust pits the surface.
- Glass, ceramic or stoneware pots: Throw them away if they become cracked or chipped.
- Enamel pots: Throw these away when the inside surface is chipped or shows rust.
Cookware for a Better World
Choosing eco-friendly cookery means you and your family don’t compromise your health, as no chemicals are leaching into your food or the local water supply. You won’t have to breathe in harmful gases from the nonstick layers a cookware manufacturer applies. Plus, if you care for your eco-friendly cookware, it could be a lifelong investment.
