Toxic Kitchen Makeover- How am I doing?

[kalishea]

I would like someone to critique my list of kitchen products to let me know how I am doing and if there is something I am missing regarding safety (researching this stuff gets so overwhelming and confusing!)
I have been going through my kitchen and getting rid of and replacing things that I would rather not use any longer due to materials they are made of, etc.
Here is what I have come up with so far:

Dishes: Got rid of patterned Corelle and using clear glass and Pfaltzgraff (claims lead free).
Glasses/Coffee Mugs: Clear glasses and Ikea coffee mugs (claims lead free).
Storage: Clear glass or stainless steel.
Mixing Bowls/Measuring: Clear glass or stainless steel.
Utinsels: wood or bamboo
Bakeware: clear glass cake and loaf pans, Pampered Chef stoneware cookie sheet (claims lead free), cast iron muffin pan
Cookware: cast iron skillets, stainless steel saucepans and enameled cast iron (le creuset or Lodge- LC claims lead free and made in France. Lodge enamled cast is made in China and has this on their website re: lead

Are Lodge Enamel products tested for lead safety?
Lodge utilizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Test Procedure 7.5.1.4a Leachability of Lead and Cadmium for Glazed Ceramic Surfaces. The FDA Division of Compliance Programs uses ASTM-C738 as the Standard Method of Test for glazed ceramic. In addition to information provided by vendors, Lodge Manufacturing Company uses third party testing to ensure that products with the Lodge name comply with standards set forth by the United States Food & Drug Administration. All our domestic as well as imported cookware complies with the FDA Standards. We are also in compliance with California Proposal 65, the world’s most rigid standard for lead and cadmium content.

I'm not sure what to think about that. The Lodge is sooooo much cheaper then the LC, but that doesn't matter to me if it's not safe.

Casserole dishes- currently have Corningware French White set but have found inconsistancies on whether it contains lead or not. Found both yes and no.

Any help, advice or suggestions would be great!
Thanks!

[SleeplessMommy]

Your concern is lead? Are you also concerned about indoor air quality and risk of burnt teflon?

My priorities would be:
1) water filter for drinking and cooking water (lead solder in pipes = risk of lead in water)
2) replace teflon pans with "hard anodized"
3) make sure the vent fan goes to the outside, and use it every time you cook.

If you have cookware you love, i would test for lead rather than replace - good enamel ware is expensive!

[kalishea]

My goal is to replace easily replaceable items that may be a health concern with safer items. So, yes, exactly: lead, teflon, plastics, etc.

We drink filtered and distilled water, but mostly use tap water for cooking- so good call on that.

Currently we have Teflon cookware that I wouldn't hesitate to part with. Replace it with Hard-Anodized rather then cast iron or stainless steel?

I would like to replace my corningware with the enamled cast, as long as I can be assured that the enamled cast is lead free.

[SleeplessMommy]

My husband purchased some enameled cast iron cookware from a major retailer. Shortly after purchase, there was a chip in one of the cooking surfaces... (micro-crack + water + cooking heat = chip) He returned everything, on the theory that expensive cookware should last a long long time, not a few days. I checked the Amazon reviews for several brands (including LeCruesset). They all had about 1% bad reviews due to chipping. They are all made in China these days, even leCruesset, and maybe all in the same factory.

We got the hard anodized for a small wok and a pot for cooking tea (we boil milk in there and it sticks). We LOVE the hard anodized! It has a very effective non-stick surface. We also use vintage Revere ware and a cast griddle top. There is no lead risk for stainless steel or cast iron.

[theresa1]

I just read the book Slow Death By Rubber Duck, it will give you lots of kitchen ideas as well as general household things to avoid. A whole chapter is on Teflon. I have been wondering about if there is teflon on the black removable pans under the gas stove burners on my stove top...
Does anyone know of a safer toaster oven? I think our is mostly made of plastic and teflon.