If you read my last article, hopefully, you are raring to go and buy some sustainable cookware. Great! One problem though – good sustainable cookware isn’t cheap. For example, most ceramic pots and pans actually have a coating. Xtrema is a rare cookware manufacturer that doesn’t coat its ceramic pans. Perfect! Except for this quality, sustainability and non-toxicity cost money. Of course buying durable, long-lasting cookware will save you money in the long run. Sometimes buying cheap is a false saving that doesn’t really help in the short term.

How can you help the planet and save money?

1. Consider Second hand

For some cookware, especially cast iron, there’s no harm in getting something second hand. You can buy it, or even better, maybe talk a family member into passing you one of their pieces of cast iron!

2. One Pan at a Time

I wouldn’t suggest going out and buying a new cookware set straight away. If you are used to cooking with Teflon, it’s better to replace pans as you go. Cast iron, for example, is more work. It’s heavier, and you need to change your cooking style slightly. What if you hate it? Try one, second hand, pan before you buy more. Who knows – maybe you’ll love it and get a set.

3. Take a Look at, or Through Glass Cookware

I recently researched and wrote about glass cookware, which I find interesting. Do you know there is such a thing as a glass frying pan? I have been thinking about getting one (and keeping it away from my children!) I will wait until my nonstick pan starts to wear though. I don’t need it straight away, so why not use what I’ve got? It’s the opposite of sustainable to throw away perfectly usable pans.

4. Less Cookware

I write about cookware so maybe that’s why I have a bit too much in my kitchen! My kitchen isn’t huge but it isn’t the smallest either. I always feel like there isn’t enough room though. Sometimes less is more. If you can’t afford a full sustainable cookware set, perhaps you don’t need all the pieces? As an example, I don’t use a proper griddle to cook pancakes – I use a normal pan.

5. Go For Flexible Pans

A way of using less energy is by having fewer pans. It also has the advantage of clearing some space in your kitchen. I can use the same pan for different things then that helps declutter my kitchen. Versatility can come in different ways and depends on each person, but for example:

Oven safe can be convenient
Having a lid makes it easier to turn a frying pan into a saute or even saucepan
Being easy to clean means they are ready to use for the next meal
Fitting on one burner on the stove but having a decent capacity. For a frying pan, 10 inches seems to work well
Whatever you do make sure it’s what you need, and it works for you.

6. Mix It Up!

Flexibility goes more than one way. By mixing and matching you increase what you can do. For example, when heating liquids, stainless steel is fantastic. This is great for cooking things like pasta, soup, and sauces, or for steaming. So a stainless steel stockpot can be a great idea. But then a large cast-iron skillet could help with popping corn, frying, and searing.

7. Consider Cores

Copper or Aluminum cores are a great way of using these conductive metals. Copper bottoms often wear off. A core is inside the pan so avoids this problem. It will save you money in the long run through more efficient heating – plus not more hot spots!

8. Consider All Your Options

If you need to fry some eggs, perhaps even consider a small nonstick pan. Yes, it’s better to use the cast iron skillet, if you can, but it is harder! Actually even better could be a stainless steel frying pan with a copper core as it wouldn’t need much heat. Except the eggs will probably stick. If you can deal with that – perfect!

9. Beware Coatings

Coatings are the “Gotcha!” of cookware. Do you think you are buying a healthy stone pan? Great – but what’’s it coated in? Apart from chemicals, the coating will eventually wear away and you’ll need to replace the pan.

10. Be Realistic

The worst thing you can do is go and buy a sustainable cast iron cookware set and never use it. Are you prepared to do the extra work? Do you even have the time? You can buy really low maintenance, sustainable cookware for a high price. You can also get some nice, affordable, sustainable cookware that does need a little work. Getting affordable, long-lasting, sustainable cookware that doesn’t need any maintenance – well that might be harder!

What Cookware Should I Get Then!? What should you aim for in the long term? Here are my thoughts:

Up to 1 Nonstick frying / sauté pan with an aluminum body to heat food quickly. Or (better yet) a stainless steel pan with a copper or aluminum base or core.
A stainless steel stockpot, ideally with copper or aluminum base of the core.
A cast-iron Skillet
Steamer / colander – stainless steel
Ceramic or glass bakeware

Of course, it depends on what you cook. Want a nice crunchy stir fry? Then a carbon steel wok is perfect. And, clearly, the larger the family the more cookware you need!

Thanks, Beatriz for 2 great articles and information about the differences in cookware and what’s sustainable and what’s not. I appreciate your contribution to holistic and sustainable living from all aspects. Now we know something about sustainable cookware. Got any tips, comments? Beatriz and I would love to hear from you. Enjoy. Judith

Frank James on July 7, 2020 at 3:12 pm

Note to Judith Dryer about her tips on her blog

Hi Judith,
In regards to number 6 mentioned below.
6. Mix It Up!
Flexibility goes more than one way. By mixing and matching you increase what you can do. For example, when heating liquids, stainless steel is fantastic. This is great for cooking things like pasta, soup, and sauces, or for steaming. So, a stainless-steel stockpot can be a great idea. But then a large cast-iron skillet could help with popping corn, frying, and searing.

It should be expanded on explaining when heating liquids in a stainless-steel pan or pot.
Stainless steel transfers heat very quickly which is OK to a point. If everyone follows the rule below that the amount of heat to a liquid depends on its thickness, I am sure the product will be a success and they will be much happier.

A good rule to follow is: The thinner the liquid the higher the heat. The thicker the liquid the lower the heat.
For example: If heating plain water one can use the highest heat possible. If heating sauce, depending on the thickness would require a lower heat setting. Also, to remember if it were a sauce that was first refrigerated as apposed to a sauce taken from a can at room temperature one would have to use a much lower heat setting for the refrigerated product.
If someone is making a gravy or sauce using a thickening agent such as a roux before introducing the roux the sauce would already have to be hot. When applying the roux, the heat would have to be reduced to prevent the sauce at the bottom of the pot closest to the heat source to burn.

The same rule would apply if someone is using just a flour and water mixture (Slurry) while stirring to prevent burning directly at the bottom of the pot closest to the heat source. It would be the same rule whether using cornstarch, arrowroot, or gel thickening agents.

Some of my students grasped the concept better when I made the example of driving a car or truck. Such as: the steeper the hill the lower the gear, the flatter the road the higher the gear.
Another note to keep in mind and one of the reasons Aluminum pots and pans are not good for cooking for heating acidic foods the acid is it extracts parts of the aluminum from the pan or pot and into the food then f course in our bodies which is unhealthy.
HMMMM? That’s maybe the reason I am have some memory loss? HA,HA.
I hope this is helpful.
Frank

3 Comments

Frank James on July 7, 2020 at 3:12 pm

Note to Judith Dryer about her tips on her blog

Hi Judith,
In regards to number 6 mentioned below.
6. Mix It Up!
Flexibility goes more than one way. By mixing and matching you increase what you can do. For example, when heating liquids, stainless steel is fantastic. This is great for cooking things like pasta, soup, and sauces, or for steaming. So, a stainless-steel stockpot can be a great idea. But then a large cast-iron skillet could help with popping corn, frying, and searing.

It should be expanded on explaining when heating liquids in a stainless-steel pan or pot.
Stainless steel transfers heat very quickly which is OK to a point. If everyone follows the rule below that the amount of heat to a liquid depends on its thickness, I am sure the product will be a success and they will be much happier.

A good rule to follow is: The thinner the liquid the higher the heat. The thicker the liquid the lower the heat.
For example: If heating plain water one can use the highest heat possible. If heating sauce, depending on the thickness would require a lower heat setting. Also, to remember if it were a sauce that was first refrigerated as apposed to a sauce taken from a can at room temperature one would have to use a much lower heat setting for the refrigerated product.
If someone is making a gravy or sauce using a thickening agent such as a roux before introducing the roux the sauce would already have to be hot. When applying the roux, the heat would have to be reduced to prevent the sauce at the bottom of the pot closest to the heat source to burn.

The same rule would apply if someone is using just a flour and water mixture (Slurry) while stirring to prevent burning directly at the bottom of the pot closest to the heat source. It would be the same rule whether using cornstarch, arrowroot, or gel thickening agents.

Some of my students grasped the concept better when I made the example of driving a car or truck. Such as: the steeper the hill the lower the gear, the flatter the road the higher the gear.
Another note to keep in mind and one of the reasons Aluminum pots and pans are not good for cooking for heating acidic foods the acid is it extracts parts of the aluminum from the pan or pot and into the food then f course in our bodies which is unhealthy.
HMMMM? That’s maybe the reason I am have some memory loss? HA,HA.
I hope this is helpful.
Frank
- Judith on July 7, 2020 at 3:24 pm
  
  Thanks, Frank for sharing your expertise with all of us. It’s appreciated and adds more info tips to Beatriz’s suggestions.
  Happy cooking.
  - Beatriz Garcia on July 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm
    
    Hi Frank,
    
    Thanks for commenting with useful information. As Judith says, a good addition to the tips. I liked your car analogy, that’s a new one to me!
    
    Kind Regards,
    
    Beatriz