Silicone Cooking Utensils: Say No to Plastic
One common area that plastic is used every day is our cooking utensils. Think spatulas, spoons, noodle spoons, ladles, etc. Remember one of my Switch 3 topics is Say No to Plastic. This can sound overwhelming, but if you take it one item at a time (being proud of yourself for each switch to safer) you can do it!
The Gist:
- Silicone is a synthetic hybrid between synthetic rubbers and synthetic plastic polymers.
- The reason silicone is considered safer than plastic is because these polymers are tightly bound and have high heat and chemical resistance.
- Important note: get a high grade silicone that DOES NOT HAVE FILLERS. Some will be called Food Grade Silicone. RSVP is a great brand that has an iron core to make it even more sturdy.
- For cookware I would still use glass or stainless above silicone since it is sitting in the oven for so long at high, high heat; however, utensils are safe since they are cooking in the heat and are better than cheap plastic ones.
- What's the deal with plastic again? Not only is it horrible for our planet, but when going through extreme temperature changes plastic can leak endocrine disrupting chemicals like BPA and and phthalates.
- The truth is, even with everything being BPA-free we don't know exactly what other chemicals they have replaced BPA with.
- Beyond personal safety and protecting our environment, I love the functionality and durability of silicone much better than plastic.
- Prime my favorite brand HERE
***There are a lot of views on whether silicone is actually safe and completely free of leaching chemicals into your food. This is why I suggest using glass or stainless for cooking and simply opt for silicone utensils when necessary. Remember to make sure they are free of fillers.***
