We get so excited every time SafeMama churns out a new cheat sheet! Their latest masterpiece comes at the perfect time, as many parents have most of the baby feeding basics under control and are beginning to scan the horizon for safer dishes and cookware for the whole family.
SafeMama has taken the same proactive stance on melamine as we have. Their Dishware Cheat Sheet highlights products that are free of BPA, PVC, phthalates and melamine (be sure to check out the whole list here). We think it’s the perfect compliment to our Safer Kids Cup and Dish Guide.
We aren’t experts on alternatives in cookware, so needless to say, we were thrilled to see SafeMama’s discussion of Teflon and non-stick cookware in their recent Dear SafeMama Q & A.
Teflon and non-stick surfaced cookware has been in the green news before for being not so green, or healthy. The problem is that non-stick coatings are not meant for very high heat, and on many cookware labels they actually say “for low to medium heat”. That doesn’t mean people adhere. You figure its a pan, for cooking, its going to get hot. Duh. Apparently when overheated it can be a potential healthy hazard. The EWG links the chemicals used in nonstick coatings to cancer, stroke and high cholesterol. It’s a lot of information but a basic breakdown of the chemicals that are part of this Body Burden problem in Americans can be found on the EWG website.
So what do we do? Look for cookware that is void of this family of chemicals known as PFC’s (Also called PFOA, PFOS, C8, PTFE, and Teflon).
Cuisinart GreenGourmet Eco-Friendly Nonstick Hard Anodized Piece Cookware: Features an aluminum alloy core and exclusive PTFE- and PFOA-free nonstick surface that’s ceramic- rather than petroleum-based, so it helps to conserve existing oil reserves. Available on Amazon.com!
GreenPan™ Cookware: This cookware is now available at some Target stores. Features Thermolon™, a PTFE and PFOA free coating and releases no fumes when overheated. Find it at Target.com!
Cast Iron Cookware: Cast Iron has long been around so finding it won’t be a problem. Cast Iron distributes heat evenly and they can become “seasoned” into a perfect non-stick cooking option without any fancy coatings. Coast Iron can also add some valuable iron to your diet! Lodge Logic has some available on Amazon.com, but you can probably find cast iron at any local cooking supply store.
Safer Utensils: Try bamboo. bamboo is a sustainable material and is naturally resistant to bacteria. Find some at Pristine Planet.
Added to note: Regular stainless steel cookware isn’t an issue since it doesn’t have any non-stick coatings so for those of you wondering why it’s not mentioned here, there you go.
You can find lots of great cookware options in SafeMama’s store here. In the meantime, we’re going to “stick” with our massively heavy cast iron cookware – but you can bet that we’re adding some new cookware to our Christmas list 
Photo Source: iStockPhoto
