40 Tips

Whether you know it or not, you’re probably better off without Teflon coated cookware in your house. I understand that it is affordable, I’ve been there so many times myself. Getting sucked in by the lure of affordability. Unfortunately, when Teflon gets scratched, you’re in trouble. Scratched Teflon will flake into your food, and you can scratch Teflon easily with stainless steel utensil or hard scrubbing.

No big deal, right? Wrong! Teflon is toxic! So, if those flakes get into your food, your putting toxins into your system. But that isn’t the only way. Studies have been done that show Teflon emits toxic off gas once it gets around 750 degree F. This may seem like a high temperature, but cookware can reach that temperature if left to pre-heat with nothing inside.

So, why not look elsewhere? I’ve found the most durable cookware you can use is cast iron. Compared to the high-tech options in the market, cast iron seems archaic. But it has been around a long time and many people have passed their cast iron down to their children. It is much more susceptible to rusting than most cookware, but it is also able to be rejuvenated.

Since it is so durable, you don’t have the same worries that come with Teflon. No matter what grade of stainless steel (usually marked as “flatware 18 10” or “stainless 18 0″) your utensils are, cast iron can take it.

As touched on earlier, one of the main benefits of cooking with cast iron is the ability to rejuvenate. Cast iron becomes nonstick through a process called seasoning.

To season your cast iron, make sure it is clean. Apply a thin layer of cooking oil to the entire surface of your cast iron skillet. Then, place it in the oven at 250 degrees F for two hours. During this process, the iron absorbs the oil. The surface gets sealed and becomes nonstick. If the cookware loses the seasoning, you can simply go through the seasoning process again.

Save yourself from toxicity and go with an old classic.