After seeing this episode from The Diary of a CEO over the holidays, I was set on purging plastics from our kitchen and reducing the amount of toxins (PFAS) we put in our bodies. Not only from food, but from the stuff we apply to our skin and other outer layers like hair. Honestly, I was getting tired of all the takeout containers we had, never knowing which lid went on which bottom. So hearing about how all the chemicals in plastics could end up in your body and not ever disappear, eventually causing diseases or hormone disruption, made me want to get rid of all the bloody plastics in our home!
I’ve been meaning to switch over to using glass instead of plastic when storing leftovers, but the containers can be pricey, as well as heavy and take up too much room in the fridge. All deterrents that have been holding me back. Thankfully, my sister or my mom – I’ve forgotten who – had an extra set of glassware containers that were passed on to us last year. We’ve been making do with about five or six glass containers for now but will need a few more to replace all the plastic ones we had before.
Gradually, too, as the kids have gotten older I’ve been transitioning them to using ceramic bowls and cups over plastic. Even if something says BPA free, there is a risk of some unknown chemical leaching into food, especially if the plastic is heated. There were years that I would microwave foods in plastic containers because it said “microwave safe” on the bottom. But never again! And all the years before that in the 80s, when my mom used plastic wrap in the microwave because we didn’t know any better… NEVER again!
The maddening thing is how prevalent plastic is in so much of our life and world now. We just didn’t know any better before, or at least I didn’t, but shame on us if we continue to ignore the hazards. I’m kicking myself for not investing in stainless steel lunch boxes for our kids sooner. This past September I chose the cheaper, prettier alternative for Blythe, but will likely get her and our other kids this one or something similar.
This bit of kitchen decluttering also gave me an excuse to reorganize some of the kitchen cupboards.
Here’s what our bowls and drinkware cupboard looked life BEFORE:
Unnecessary clutter – stuff that should have been elsewhere, like the bathroom – was moved to the appropriate location in our home.
Too many bowls on one shelf made it hard to access the ones in the back. By freeing up the display shelf underneath, the smaller bowls and cups could find a new spot there.
AFTER:
Whitney and I went on a few post-Christmas shopping expeditions, one of which she picked out some Hello Kitty holiday bowls. On another, we added some more seasonal and stylish mugs to our collection.
Educating ourselves on the toxins in cookware is just as important. While getting a cheap non-stick pan makes cooking certain foods and cleaning up after a breeze, the trade-offs are much worse. The tiniest scratch can leach a vast array of chemicals into your food. Cooking on too high of a heat is also bad and sometimes you can’t even see scratches in your pan, so you think you’re okay when you’re actually not.
For now, I am trying my best to stick to the cast iron pans and pot we have, as well as stainless steel. Eventually, I would like to invest in a ceramic non-stick pan like this or this.
Why do we have to pay more for things that are better for us?
A girl can dream… I will be adding this to my vision board.
In other news, Bree has been adopted and will be going to her new home tomorrow. We are SO happy for her but will also miss her as she’s become part of our kitty crew and family! Brighton, of course, is the saddest again. Her new owner has been kind enough to offer us a visit to her farm – Bree’s soon-to-be-home when the weather warms up.
It’s a busy weekend of birthday celebrations for us. Hope your weekend is as festive!
