Making healthy food isn’t only about what we eat, but also how we prepare our food. Because kitchen cookware, tools, and gadgets can contain harmful materials, we’ve partnered with Made Safe, an independent organization that certifies safer and sustainable household products. We’re here to walk you through commonly used kitchen materials and to offer you practical advice to help you choose healthier options.
Pots, Pans, and Cookware
The main consideration with cookware is nonstick coatings. And the most concerning chemicals by far are PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances), a large group of compounds used in cookware, as well as kitchen gadgets like nonstick waffle makers and air fryers, for their ability to resist grease and water and make food slide right off.
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One of the most common nonstick coatings made with the PFAS chemicals is called PTFE but is more familiarly known as Teflon. The problem is that PFAS, dubbed “forever chemicals” because they degrade extremely slowly in the environment, have been linked to a host of health concerns including cancer, reproductive and developmental issues, and more.
More on Safe Household Products
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Best Silicone Storage Bags
That may make you wonder how to shop for safer options. Here’s how.
For nonstick cookware, consider ceramic coatings instead of PFAS. Partly because of concerns about PFAS, some manufacturers have started making nonstick pans with a ceramic coating, and CR’s tests have found several that work quite well. Be aware, though, that identifying pans made without PFAS can be a little complicated: Some manufacturers claim that their products don’t contain PFOA, which is just one particularly notorious PFAS compound—but they may still be coated with PTFE or other PFAS. So look for cookware that specifically says its coatings are not made with any PFAS, including PTFE. If a pan is labeled as nonstick without disclosing the material, assume it’s PFAS.
Care for nonstick pans appropriately. All nonstick cookware, regardless of the coating, should be well cared for, because the coating can deteriorate over time, making it more likely to release potentially harmful chemicals. Use soft utensils, don’t stack your pans, never heat up an empty pan (which can cause pans to overheat), use oil or butter instead ofcooking sprays (which can cause a buildup on the pans that is difficult to remove), and wash them by hand, avoiding abrasive cleaners and sponges. If your pans are scratched, flaking, or damaged, stop using them. And because cooking with a PTFE-coated pan, especially at high temperatures, may release potentially harmful gasses, ventilate your kitchen by using an exhaust fan, if you can.
Opt for uncoated cookware. Good options include cookware made from glass, stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron. That includes not only pots and pans but also baking sheets and pie and cake pans. An added benefit of cast iron: Well-seasoned cast iron develops a coating that resists sticking.
Cooking Tools and Food Storage
Plastics are ubiquitous in the kitchen and can affect health by introducing harmful substances into our food and water, in at least two main ways: through plastic chemicals and through microplastics.
Plastic manufacturing uses thousands of chemicals. Just two examples are phthalates and bisphenols, which can leach into food during and after production. A recent CR test of nearly 100 foods found phthalates in almost all products tested.
Bisphenols are a class of chemicals commonly used to make plastics rigid; they’re also used in food packaging. You may be familiar with BPA, just one of more than 100 bisphenols. It’s linked to a multitude of concerns, including developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and early puberty.
Given these issues, there has been a push to remove BPA from products. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes replaced with other bisphenols that, while less extensively researched, have been linked to hormone disruption and early puberty. One thing is clear: Swapping in other bisphenols for BPA is not inherently a safer choice. The same pattern holds for phthalates, chemicals used to make plastic flexible, that are associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity. In CR’s recent tests, we found that the concentrations of replacement chemicals were often much higher than the originals.
Photo: Shutterstock Photo: Shutterstock
Plastics can also shed tiny pieces called microplastics that contaminate food. These plastic particles can release not only bisphenols and phthalates but also other toxic substances they’ve absorbed from the environment, like heavy metals and polycyclic hydrocarbons. In addition, preliminary research suggests that the particles themselves may accumulate in the body, triggering an immune response and other health problems.
Another food prep and storage go-to is aluminum foil. Foil has a number of environmental concerns, especially given that it’s typically used once and tossed. Aluminum manufacturing is a source of perfluorocarbons, persistent greenhouse gasses that exacerbate climate change. Manufacturing is energy-intensive, typically relying on coal, and land-intensive, diverting land from rainforests and farmland relied on by native communities, while creating toxic waste that can contaminate water.
Despite the pervasiveness of plastic and aluminum foil, we can take steps to reduce our use:
Swap out plastic food storage for glass or stainless steel. Though they are more expensive than single-use plastics in the short-run, they can be used endlessly, making the long-term reward worth the initial investment.
Try reusable silicone storage bags instead of single-use zip-top plastic bags. They can go in the dishwasher, are great for the freezer, and can be used over and over.
Limit use of plastic utensils and tools. Go for bamboo, wood, stainless steel, and food-grade or medical-grade silicone spatulas, cooking spoons, cutting boards, and other gadgets.
Cut back on your use of aluminum foil to reduce waste. Consider marinating foods in glass containers instead of foil, invest in a ceramic nonstick cookie sheet instead of lining a sheet with foil, and use a stainless steel basket for your grill rather than wrapping foods in foil.When you do use aluminum foil, make sure to recycle it because aluminum is one of the most recyclable materials in existence.
Don’t heat up food in plastic. Whether that be in the microwave, in hot water (like baby bottles), or otherwise. Even if the container says that it’s okay to heat, plastic is more likely to leach when heated.
Try beeswax or fabric coverings as a way to protect your food without plastic, aluminum foil, or traditional waxed paper. Waxed paper is often coated in paraffin wax, which can be contaminated with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons if not fully refined.
Dinnerware and Glassware
Plates, bowls, and cups are common plastic offenders, especially products for children. Just like plastic cooking tools and food storage, these items can leach microplastics, phthalates, and bisphenols, and so are best avoided.
Another thing to look out for is lead, as ceramic and crystal can contain the toxic metal, especially in vintage and imported pieces. Lead can be found in ceramics from glazes and pigments and in crystal from the manufacturing process. While the Food and Drug Administration has regulated lead in ceramics since 1971, vintage and imported ceramics may still pose risks. And crystal is not regulated in the same way, so new crystal glassware can still contain lead.
To spot safer options, use our dinnerware and glassware tips.
Choose dinnerware and glassware made from stainless steel, glass, or ceramic instead of plastic. Make sure glass and ceramics are made without lead by using our tips below.
For small children, opt for silicone or stainless steel over plastic. Both are durable and drop-safe. Look for products that list only medical-grade silicone on packaging to ensure that they’re made with a higher purity standard.
Exercise caution with vintage and imported ceramics and crystal. Consider permanently relegating these to your display china cabinet. Contemporary and American-made glassware can still use lead in manufacturing, not just imported and vintage pieces. So make sure to check labels on new glassware items to ensure that they’re lead-free, and check out this article for more tips on how to avoid heavy metals in glassware.
Sydney Cook
Sydney Cook is a substance and material expert. She serves as the director of science and research for Made Safe, an organization that educates consumers and companies about nontoxic products. Her research at Made Safe encompasses all aspects of ingredients and materials, including human and environmental toxicity, manufacturing processes, sourcing, contamination risks, and more. She has evaluated thousands of substances using the Made Safe Ecosystem Approach screening.
