Undercover Hippie Files: Material Girl

When reading the sorts of hippie books and blogs I tend to read, sometimes you get the feeling that everything you touch will kill you, especially in the kitchen. Don't use plastic because of BPA, or non-stick surfaces because of Teflon (unless you can keep your pots only on low), or aluminum or any item that begins with the letters a-k. Okay, I made that last one up but it can get overwhelming. What am I supposed to do, get magical powers so I can cook my food without it touching anything and then never save any leftovers?

First off, I remembered the old saying anyone who has ever taken a toxicology class should know by heart, "It's the dose that makes the poison." There is really no need to throw out every item of questionable content all at once and replace it with something that is currently deemed more safe (I say currently because who knows what some study will say tomorrow). There are some easy and cheap changes I can make right now, and for the bigger stuff, as things need replacing, I will do so with the best materials our budget will allow. And for determining the best, I will stick with more classic materials. Here is rundown of what materials I use:

For Storage -
For freezing, I use mostly plastic containers and Ziplock bags. However, I recently won a Tickle Trunk stainless steel storage container from Keeper of the Home and I have to say, I love it. The way that it seals is very secure so unlike some plastic storage containers, I don't worry about the lid popping off when I am rummaging in the freezer. And it cleans very well. I hate how plastic stains and looks dirty. They aren't cheap, but they aren't super expensive either (I'd say similiar to classic Tupperware - the website price is in Canadian dollars so when you convert you get a sweet surprise, unless you're Canadian that is). The Tickle Trunk has other things too, including water bottles, ice cube trays and cups - all in food-grade stainless steel. As I need new items (or as I have a big enough kitchen to fit them) I will probably go this route for most of my storage needs.

Until then, I will continue to use my plastic. And for for freezing soups and stews in a space saving way, I don't think you can beat Ziplock. I let the food cool before putting it in the plastic and I try not to heat/microwave items directly in the plastic, but instead move them to a regular dish to microwave.

And for temporary storage in the fridge (leftovers, marinading meat, etc) I use my bowls with a plate for a lid. With my fiesta ware, the sandwich plate fits perfectly on top of the soup bowl. And my dinner plates work for lids for my mixing bowls. It's cheaper than buying aluminum foil or plastic wrap and it means less dishes than if I used a new storage container. This is one of the first changes I made and it is really is the easiest and cheapest thing you can do if you want to avoid plastic and aluminum touching your food.

For Cooking -
I didn't like my non-stick I inherited when I married Craig but I dealt with it - until it started flaking. Not acceptable. I spent quite a while looking at my replacement options:

Cast Iron - I have one cast iron pan and it's good for some things, but I couldn't see using if for everyday cooking. I would love ceramic coated cast iron (Le Creuset) but it is too expensive. Also, it's really heavy.

Anodized Aluminum (aka - the new "green" pan) - Supposedly the way these pans are processed encases the aluminum so that it doesn't actually touch your food. And the coating is ceramic and free of PTFE and PFOA so it is safe. I've heard good things about it so far, but it is new and I tend to be skeptical, mostly of it's general cooking ability, but also it's safety.

Stainless Steel - This is the choice I went with. I bought a Wolfgang Puck set and so far, it is great. My set was on the lower end of the price scale but you really can spend as little or as much as you want on a stainless steel set. My main reason for choosing stainless steel was that it has been around a long time and is generally considered to be safe. Plus, it's what chefs use. They must have a reason for doing so! And I think my cooking has improved, as you can't really get a nice brown on anything in a non-stick pan.

There are some downsides, mostly that it has no nonstick properties. But I haven't really had too much of a problem with stickage although Craig had a bit of trouble with omelets last week. Mostly you have to make sure you heat it up thoroughly before adding the food, and be sure to use some fat to stop the sticking and use Bar Keeper's Friend for cleaning.

So if you visit my house, you won't find a plastic, aluminum and Telfon free kitchen, but you will see someone trying to slowly make changes to improve our material usage. Have you made any changes with how you cook/store foods?