Healthy Cookware Options for the Real Food Kitchen

Are you someone who is conscious about putting clean food on the table? Did you just realize that you’ve been preparing healthy food in unhealthy cookware, that your pots and pans may be leaching unwanted substances into your wholesome food? I’ve been there myself! And today, I want to help you move toward change by giving you my list of favorite, healthy cookware options for the real food kitchen.

 

Take It Slow. Take It Easy

Before you begin scrolling through the list of natural cookware items I love and use in my home, I want you know my collection didn’t form overnight. Changing over to quality cookware takes time and money. Truth is, most of my cookware was purchased secondhand and has accumulated over the course of 5 year’s time.

You see, we didn’t have the money to rush out and purchase everything brand new! Instead of giving up, I familiarized myself with healthy cookware options and brand names, then waited for second-hand deals to appear! Think garage sales, secondhand stores, local buy-and-sell FB pages. You’ve got options!

For those of us who can afford to purchase brand new items, I’ve shared several affiliate links in this blog post for your convenience.

All good? Let’s walk through my favorite, healthy cookware options for the real food kitchen!

 

Cookware For Stove Top Use

Let’s talk about natural cookware options for the stove top. We all fry eggs, veggies, meat and create delicious soups and stews on the stove, right? Here are my favorites options for both pots and pans!

 

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel isn’t supposed to leach it’s properties into your food, making it an excellent “clean” option for the stove top. If you want to read more about the numerous grades, this is a wonderful article! I’ve never had much luck with stainless steel frying pans, but when I need a pot for soups, sauces, morning porridge and the like, I always turn to my stainless steel!

When you shop for stainless steel pots, be insistent on quality. Cheap, thin-walled options often burn food and that is something the homemaker can do without!

 

Cast Iron

Cast iron is my first pick when it comes to a frying pan! These oldies are recognized by their heavy weight and black color. They’re special, will outlive their owners and I have far too many pieces in my collection! 

It takes a bit of know-how to master cast iron cooking. But once you do, you’ll never look back! I began with a 10 inch Lodge frying pan. Know that you don’t have to purchase these black beasts brand new! Look at garage sales, thrift stores and on buy-and-sell groups. They may need a bit of TLC, but the oldies often have the smoothest surfaces from years of use.

 

Bakeware for the Oven

Natural cookware options for the stovetop are few and far between. But when it comes to baking, there are more than a few options. Here, I’ve listed my favorites.

 

Cast Iron

Yes, cast iron can go on the stove top or in the oven! It comes in many forms: skillets, pots (known as dutch ovens), bread pans, etc. Lodge is currently the king of cast iron, and their website has some wonderful options for the home cook!

Also, be sure to check out my “Cast Iron Recipes” board on Pinterest for ideas! This cookware is far more diverse than most people realize!

 

Unglazed Glass

If you’re itching to get started with natural bakeware, clear, unglazed glass will give you the most bang for your buck! You’ll discover casserole dishes, baking pans, pie plates and also my absolute favorite glass bread pans! 

These items are readily purchased online, but you may want to check at your local grocery store first. You’ll likely find an assortment of glass bakeware there.

 

Stoneware

It was difficult for me to find natural options for large baking pans. However, once I was introduced to the world of stoneware, I discovered there were options! You can find rectangular baking sheets and wide cookie sheets for a reasonable price in stoneware form!

In my kitchen, stoneware rules! I love the way it finishes my food and the old world feel it brings to my kitchen. It’s easy to clean up, and if you’re looking for wide baking pans, go with stoneware!

Pampered Chef carries a selection of unglazed stoneware items. I’ve only ever bought their stuff secondhand because of the price, but I still have several of their pans on my wish list! I keep telling myself it’s going to happen soon!

 

Clay Bakeware

An ancient option, clay bakeware is probably used the least in our North American culture! If you’re looking for a quality, casserole type dish, this is it.

Because it needs to be soaked in water for 10-15 minutes before use, it steams food beautifully. Whatever comes out of the clay baker is delightfully moist, whether it be meat, vegetables, bread or the like.

In my kitchen, I have several clay bakers from Romertopf  that I managed to snag, secondhand. I primarily use them for cooking meat and bread.

 

What You Need to Know About Healthy Cookware Options

Using natural cookware is going to be a change for you! So before you dive in too deep, be sure to educate yourself! Educate yourself on how to prep, care for and prepare food on that particular item. Trust me. I didn’t do it this way originally, and it resulted in a lot of frustration.

 

In Conclusion

These are my favorite, healthy cookware options for the real food kitchen! If we shared a cup of tea in the kitchen, you’d notice my unusual supply! It’s something I’m quite proud of, because I’ve built it up over the years, piece by piece, sale by sale, thrift shop by thrift shop! 😉 

Remember: it doesn’t always have to come with a brand new price tag! Sometimes, secondhand is best!