Healthy Kitchen Swaps

I LOVE this post! I have made the switch over the last few years and no longer use plastics or teflon! My mom was diagnosed about 5 years ago with a brain tumor and it really was a wake up call for the entire family on the environmental poisons we put in our bodies!

Annmarie recently posted…Actio926: Active Wear That Moves You Review + Giveaway

I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. It’s true about our environments, though. Our bodies are working so much harder filtering out the crap that we don’t even think about! You can eat all the good food in the world but the things around you matter too.

OH golly, I have a few strikes against me, but I am a huge fan of glass Tupperware! I have 1 ceramic pan. I could def switch to wooden spoons, That’s easy. And that dish soap just sounds lovely anyway! I needed to read this one Pragati! Thank you!

Jessica Joy @The Fit Switch recently posted…Movie Scenes For Fitness Inspiration

Thanks for stopping by, Jessica! I hope it was helpful. These little changes can make a big difference :)

I love all these swaps! I just bought ceramic to replace my old teflon and use wood anytime I’m making hot food. I ave a few plastic utensils that will likely get tossed soon. I ONLY use glass tupperware when I’m storing anything hot or that I will reheat. I had to buy Dave a set too because he was using plastic (yuck). This list is so practical! I think you got all the helpful tips I have too. I use parchment paper to line my cookie sheets with so I don’t have to clean the dishes, but I think that’s just a lazy person tip :)

Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…Pumpkin Sunflower Seed Crackers

lol Sam – I love that tip! There’s no shame in creating less dishes to wash :P I’m glad the list was helpful. It’s an ongoing process for me, but I’m always looking for ways to “clean up” my environment. Especially if it’s going to benefit my health.

These are great! My last swap is switching to Meyers or similar products for cleaning dishes and to get everything over to glass for leftovers. I actually like storing my leftovers in canning jars!

Kate @KateMovingForward recently posted…Healthy Living Hacks: Make It Fun!

oooh yes! I’m a big fan of mason jar storage. My husband hates my jar obsession :P I also like Method products and ECOS – both are equally as good as Meyer’s.

I totally thought this was about edible substances, but I love this too! :D I don’t think it gets covered very often, and it’s really important! I have an insane tupperware collection (I know it’s really bad ._. ), and I really need to replace them with glass! (I kindasorta have a start on that with mason jars? :D?)

I absolutely love using mason jars for food storage. They’re so portable! I hope this post was helpful :)

I love that visual. And honestly, I use the Meyer’s soap and glass instead of plastic, but do not have the first 3 so am going to make some changes for sure!!

Bri @ Simple Delights recently posted…Movies That Inspire Fitness

Epicurean has some pretty awesome products. Plus you can get them at Bed, Bath and Beyond (hello 20% off!). I am so in love with my cutting board, it’s completely ridiculous :P

I love your take on healthy kitchen swaps – that it’s not always necessarily about food! I’ve been doing more cooking in a dutch oven and cast iron skillet, and loving it :)

Jess @hellotofit recently posted…Link Love #6 and the biggest pizza slice

YES! The cast iron skillet is another good one. I try to use my daily. I love how hot it gets and that it can go right into the oven.

Great list of swaps that make a cleaner kitchen! I think I’ve actually made all the swaps on your list except for the dish soap. I will look into the Meyer’s. Thanks! #fitfamlove

jill conyers recently posted…3 Movies That Changed My Life

Thanks, Jill! I love Meyer’s. I’m also a big fan of Method and ECOS :)

Oh, I love your image/chart for swaps! Makes it really easy to see where people can make some better choices and change things for the better!

Thanks Tazim! I hope it was helpful :)

Great read – I had no idea there were differences btw wood and plastic. I just purchased an Epicurean, so will need to start swapping out some items in the kitchen.

Jennifer recently posted…Friday Five – I Signed Up for a Triathlon

I love Epicurean! I hope you do too. It really does depend on the wood. I like to look for wood based kitchen tools that aren’t porous, so bacteria, etc doesn’t stick around.

OMG, I have some SERIOUS swapping to do!! Like NOW! And I agree with Tazim – great visual!

Taslim Jaffer recently posted…Do You #KnowhereToGo To Flee Domestic Violence? #ChimoBC

Thanks, Taslim! Little changes can make a BIG difference :) I hope this was helpful!

Usually when the topic of kitchen swaps comes up, it’s food related.

Surprisingly, this post is not (no flax seed eggs here).

There are lots of ways to live a healthy lifestyle – including the items you chose to cook with, store food in and drink out of. It’s all connected. If you’re fairly new to the realm of toxin free living, you might be wondering where to start. There are so many things we use on a day to day basis that simply have better alternatives. I’m here to help you get started.

Healthy Kitchen Swaps:

1. Ceramic vs. Teflon

Teflon is popular because it’s non-stick. Aside from that one thing, it has very little going for it. The non-stick quality comes from a chemical known as perfluorooctanoic acid, which releases toxic fumes when used at high heats. The solution is simple: switch out your toxic teflon pans for ceramic pans. They are naturally resistant to high heat and flaking, so you’ll only eat what you’re cooking, not the toxic by products.

2. Wood vs. Plastic Cutting Boards

Plastic cutting boards are a bad idea. First of all they’re plastic. They’re also porous and full of chemicals. Replace your old plastic cutting board from college with one made by Epicurean. This is easily one of my favorite kitchen brands. All of their products are made in the USA, they’re wood based, eco-friendly and dishwasher safe. Since getting this cutting board, I’ve never been happier. I lamented over getting a big wooden chopping block but those require specific cleaning techniques and sometimes I just want to throw everything into the dishwasher. I can do that with Epicurean #winning.

3. Wood vs. Plastic Utensils

I swapped out my old plastic spatula for a sleek wooden one by Epicurean for all the reasons mentioned above. It’s totally versatile and easily one of my favorite cooking utensils.

4. Meyer’s vs. Dawn

I’m a huge fan of Meyer’s Clean Day. Not only do their products smell amazing, they also clean spectacularly. Meyer’s uses plant derived ingredients and essential oils making their products easy on the environment and on your hands. I use Meyer’s dish soap in my kitchen daily. This is one of the easiest swaps you can make; it’s time for you to toss the chemical laden, artificially dyed soaps for the Meyer’s. You’ll thank me later.

5. Glass vs. Plastic

Food storage is important. First, you want to make sure you’re storing food in airtight containers. Second, you want to use containers that work for hot or cold items. By now, most of us know that heating plastic is a huge no-no. It release chemicals into your food and it’s just plain nasty. On Black Friday I scored a huge Pyrex set and I absolutely love it. It has containers ranging from 1 cup to 8 cups – perfect for storing leftovers and packing lunches – plus baking dishes, a pie pan and a bread loaf pan.

Toxins are lurking in lots of products, primarily because many chemicals aren’t banned in the U.S. (it’s a completely different story in Europe). Once you start to realize how prevalent they are in every day items, it can be concerning. One of my favorite resources is the Environmental Working Group. If you haven’t checked out their site, you must! It’s full of useful, science based information.

Now that I’ve shared five ways I keep my kitchen healthy, it’s your turn:

What are your favorite non-food related kitchen swaps? What’s your favorite kitchen tool or appliance?

I’m sharing as part of the Fit Dish link up with Jill and Jessica:

Original article and pictures take http://simplemedicine.co/2015/02/24/healthy-kitchen-swaps/ site