Best Alternatives To Plastic Utensils, Cutting Boards, and Strainers

Silicone Spatulas And Spoons

The main case for silicone cookware is usually to avoid damaging non-stick pans. However, since we have eliminated our use of toxic non-stick teflon pans as per our guide, there is not much of a use left for utensils made of silicone.

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The reason why you don't want to use silicone products in the kitchen is because, depending on the use, these can still shed microplastic particles that cause negative health effects, such as infertility. You can find more information on the safety of silicone utensils and food-grade applications in our article on the subject.

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If you have a ceramic enameled pan that requires a gentle cooking utensil or appreciate their antibacterial properties, wood is an excellent option for your kitchen.

Fortunately wooden spatulas and spoons are incredibly cheap and easy to find anywhere. We are only going to recommend one set because of the general unimportance for ‘high quality’ wood in this use case, and the particularly low price of this set.

Best Budget Wooden Utensil Set: Riveira Bamboo Wooden Spoons for Cooking, 6-Piece - for a whopping $25 or less depending on the ongoing sale, you can get a simple set of 6 wooden utensils that will cover most of your cooking needs.

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There is one use that wood is not perfect for, and that’s for contact with high heat surfaces, such as a grill or hot cast iron when cooking and flipping burgers. That’s where a stainless steel spatula comes in.

Stainless steel is also chemically inert, won’t melt, and most importantly, won’t leach and harmful chemicals like how plastic utensils will. 

Best Stainless Steel Spatula: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Turner - for less than $15, you can buy a great stainless steel spatula with a soft handle that will last you years and beyond. I personally use this single spatula every day for cooking meats on my cast iron, and even use it as a scraper to clean the same pan after cooking.

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If grilling is a big part of your life, you could instead consider a stainless steel grilling set that includes tongs and a steak fork.

Best Stainless Steel Grilling Set: Alpha Grillers Stainless Steel Grill Tools Set - expand your stainless steel cookware into the grilling world with a set that contains not only a spatula, but a conveniently sized tong and steak fork with ring attachments to conveniently keep your utensils together.

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Plastic Cutting Boards

Another big contributor to microplastic exposure is your plastic cutting board. Not only are you literally cutting bits and pieces of plastic into your food with each dice of your knife, but you are also creating new territory for nasty bacteria growth that isn’t controlled by wood’s natural antibacterial properties.

Again, luckily, wooden cutting boards are quite inexpensive and if you are interested in high end boards, there are options for you.

Best Budget Wooden Cutting Board Set: Farberware 4-Piece Reversible Bamboo Cutting Boards - if you are trying to save a buck, you can purchase this 4-piece set of simple wooden cutting boards for under $15. The variety of sizes are perfect for covering every possible food preparation needs.

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Best Quality Wooden Cutting Board Set: ROYAL CRAFT WOOD Wooden Cutting Boards - if you can afford a more expensive set, the Royal Craft Wood cutting board set includes added features such as handles and deep juice grooves to make slicing meats and veggies less of a hassle cleanup-wise. These boards also come in two options if you want to match them with your other wooden cookware.

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Best Quality Wooden Cutting Board (Single): Allsum Bamboo Wood Cutting Board - if you are maintaining a minimalist kitchen, you might not want a set of multiple different-sized cutting boards. Instead, opt for this Allsum wooden cutting board that features a thick surface, juice grooves, and handles, again with two different options for shades of wood.

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Plastic Pasta Strainers/Colanders

The last major contributor to microplastic consumption in the kitchen is the plastic pasta strainer. Boiling hot water over a plastic surface then dumping the contents back into your pot is coating your pasta in plastic particles.

Best Budget Stainless Steel Strainer: Winco 8-Inch Strainer - there isn’t much we need to say about this ~$5 strainer. It is a perfect size for most applications and is a small price to pay for avoiding yet another microplastic source in the kitchen.

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Best Budget Stainless Steel Colander: Gulex Stainless Steel 3-Quart Colander - when you are making over a pound of pasta at a time for your next dinner party, a heavier duty colander might be needed. This colander is made of printed stainless steel and comes with useful handles for heavier contents.

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Conclusion:

When you follow these guides, you will be one step closer to a microplastic-free lifestyle that is better for you and your family's health.

If you want to learn more about ways to reduce your daily microplastic consumption for good, read on in our complete guide.

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