Kitchen Essentials for Avoiding Plastics

In our home, part of eating a natural and nourishing diet means getting back to basics when it comes to kitchen supplies. From the pans and pots we cook in to our plates, cups, cutting boards, serving utensils and even the products we use to wash and care for those items. In many cases, the tools of old have proved themselves worthy of use in the modern world but with conflicting advertising coming in from every corner of the internet it can be really confusing!

I by no means claim to be perfect in this regard but since I find myself often operating outside the norm, I thought I would share this simple broken down guide to what I'm using in my own kitchen and why. Let me know in the comments below what items you're loving in your own kitchen, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts!

Cookware/Bakeware:

For me, Cast Iron is the go-to for cooking just about anything. I have 3 well seasoned Lodge pans in varying sizes that sit on my stovetop ready to go at all times. I can't envision cooking meat on anything else. I avoid any type of non-stick cookware, as the coating can leach into food as it wears down. Caring for cast iron in the modern day is easy! Wash with dish soap as needed, dry well and apply a thin coat of oil before putting away to store. In the event some leftover moisture causes some rust, use a wire scrub to brush it away or the 'Rust Eraser' from Lodge!

I also have 3 stainless steel pans and a pot in varying sizes as well as a few pieces of enamel coated cookware. I have 2 Dutch ovens I use for cooking or baking, 1 enamel coated cast iron and another plain cast iron. For bakeware we have steel sheet pans in varying sizes and loaf tins for bread as well as a couple decorative yet functional ceramic muffin trays. All of these items also double as bakeware since they have no plastic handles! I'm always on the hunt for more pretty copper pieces!

Wooden cutting boards and bowls are also essentials in our kitchen!

Dishware:

Tip on glass: get the thick stuff! I especially adore unique items found at thrift stores, swap meets and yard sales. They really just don't make things like they used to! But I avoid anything with a design on it unless its something carved into the ceramic or painted into the glaze. Lots of modern designs on glassware is cheaply printed on and wears away. We don't use any plastic dishware; our plates and mugs are mostly ceramic, glasses are glass, and I have some fun colorful enamel dishes and mugs that will double as camping gear.

Food Storage Containers:

When bringing home pantry goods, I always aim to transfer as much as possible into glass storage. My top recommendation is to invest in a box of Ball brand half-gallon jars and a pack of reusable wide mouth lids. I also have lots of old sauce jars when possible and use those for spices or herbs. I even keep my sourdough starter in an old Rao sauce jar!

I also have a couple sets of glass snap-lock food storage containers with silicone seals which we use for packing lunch to work or storing leftovers in the fridge.

Dishwashing:

I'm still on a quest to find the best and cleanest dish soap. Lately I'm using Meyers Clean Day, which may be better than leading brands but I'm sure still contains ingredients I'd rather avoid. I have tried using Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap mixed with water for a dish washing liquid as described on the bottle but it didn't cut through grease as easily as I hoped it would and i found myself pumping into the sponge before every dish because it was too watered down for my liking. I have also seen some folks talk about lard based bar dish soap which I'd be interested to try someday.

For sponges I was really attached to loofah for a while but I've recently discovered these Lodge brand orange/black scrub cloths specifically designed for cast iron and I love them! hard to find on Amazon sometimes but certainly worth looking for!

What tools are you loving in your kitchen right now? And what pieces are you on the hunt for?! Comment below!