Over the years I’ve interviewed dozens of scientists and safety experts, and all but one warned about the many ways plastic harms our health, wildlife, ecosystems and communities near manufacturing plants. (The lone dissenter was a paid lobbyist for the plastics industry.)
Even knowing the risks, breaking up with plastic felt overwhelming and expensive. Plastics are baked into modern life — we ingest an estimated 250 grams of microplastics per person per year — and thousands of chemicals embedded in plastics leach into our food and skin. Microplastics are now found in soil, waterways and even meat and vegetables.
Recently I realized my excuses were just that: excuses. While I cannot solve the global plastics crisis alone, I can reduce plastic in my own home to protect my family’s health. So I started in the kitchen.
Below I outline what I swapped, what it cost, and how much effort it took to remove most plastics from my kitchen for under $200.
The Swaps
The kitchen felt like the most urgent place to begin because it’s where plastics most directly transfer into our bodies. I found plastic not only in obvious items like utensils and storage containers, but also in single-use coffee pods, tea bags, sponges, nonstick pans, cleaning products and even inside some canned foods.
After tackling each area, here’s what worked and what didn’t.
Pots and Pans
I had already avoided Teflon and PTFE-coated nonstick cookware, which can release micro- and nanoplastic particles and often contain PFAS (forever chemicals). Some argue nonstick pans are safe if used perfectly, but in practice they’re frequently scratched or overheated, which makes them risky.
Fortunately I already relied on cast iron, stainless steel and glass for most cooking. If you don’t own these, thrift stores and garage sales are good places to find durable pans — even well-worn cast iron can be restored quickly.
Cost: $0 (I already owned these)
Exception: I still own a couple of ceramic nonstick pans but rarely use them because coatings can degrade and become questionable over time.
What I learned: Switching to cast iron takes a short adjustment — preheating properly prevents sticking — but it cooks beautifully and feels more durable.
Spatulas
I had a metal spatula with a wooden handle for cast iron, but still kept a couple of plastic spatulas for ceramic pans: one black plastic tool (which can contain recycled electronic materials) and a gray silicone spatula. While silicone is often considered safer, it can shed microplastics and eventually contributes to landfill waste.
Solution: I switched to wooden spatulas made of teak. I first tried an old generic wooden spatula but found its edge too thick for delicate flips, so I chose slimmer teak utensils that perform better.
- Cost for wooden spatulas: $10
Exception: We still keep the gray silicone spatula because my partner prefers its wider base and thinner lip.
What I learned: Wooden spatulas feel great in hand, work well in cast iron, and look good in the kitchen.
Other Utensils
I kept a few items with plastic handles where the plastic didn’t touch food, like a potato peeler and masher, to avoid creating unnecessary waste. I already had wooden cooking and mixing spoons, but I did replace tongs and measuring cups.
What I bought: a set of walnut wooden tongs with sharpened tips for easy flipping, and stainless steel measuring cups and spoons (some models have a small plastic insert on the handle).
- Cost for tongs: $24
- Cost for measuring cups and spoons: $38
What I learned: Wooden tongs take a few uses to master but offer precision and are especially good for delicate items like mushrooms and stir-fried vegetables.
Cutting Board
I prefer wood cutting boards. The USDA says wood is safe for meat if boards are kept separate for meat and produce. Thicker boards last longer, but affordable thin boards work well if you store them upright to dry and oil them occasionally to prevent splitting.
- Cost for two cutting boards: $40
What I learned: Proper care extends a wooden board’s life: keep it dry, oil it periodically, and rotate boards used for meat and produce.
Food Storage
Swapping plastic leftover containers for glass was inexpensive and effective. I purchased a set of glass containers with BPA-free plastic lids — not perfect, but safer because the food contacts glass. For a more plastic-free option, containers with bamboo lids are available.
To replace plastic wrap and sandwich bags I tried compostable freezer bags, beeswax wraps and reusable linen produce bags. Compostable options cost more but reduce plastic waste. Often I reuse pasta sauce jars and mason jars for leftovers, which is free and convenient for soups and liquids.
- Cost for glass storage container set: $28
- Cost for plastic-free freezer bags: $14
Exceptions: I keep a small pack of Ziplock bags for convenience and haven’t switched trash bags to compostable ones yet. I also don’t always remove in-store plastic packaging like clamshell berry containers or milk jugs.
Food and Drinks
This area is the hardest. Many packaged foods and can linings contain plastic. My approach has been pragmatic: buy fewer processed foods, prefer fresh produce when available, and choose BPA-free cans. I also read tea bag labels, since many tea bags contain plastic.
Exception: We still use a pod-style coffee maker but switched to reusable mesh pods. A French press or stovetop percolator would be a more plastic-free option.
Bottled Water
I stopped buying single-use bottled water long ago and use a vacuum-insulated reusable bottle to keep drinks cold. Bottled water is often just repackaged tap water and costs more.
- Cost for a reusable water bottle: $12
If you’re concerned about tap water quality, consider a certified filter or reverse osmosis system to reduce contaminants and microplastics.
Cleaning Products
I haven’t fully replaced every plastic cleaning bottle, but I did move away from dishwasher pods (individually wrapped in plastic) to powdered detergent and bought Swedish dishcloths made from cellulose and cotton. Refillable cleaning products and bamboo brushes are good long-term goals.
- Cost for Swedish dishcloth: $7
What I learned: There’s a surprising amount of plastic stored under the sink.
The Verdict on Swapping out Kitchen Plastic
Going into the project I thought it would be simple because I already had some key items: cast iron, wooden spoons and reusable bags. The total cost for the swaps I made was $177. Researching replacements took more time than I expected, so I adopted the 80/20 approach: focus on the 20% of changes that deliver 80% of the benefits. That helped me avoid feeling overwhelmed and made the changes stick.
Most non-plastic replacements work as well or better than their plastic counterparts, and using them feels reassuring — I no longer cringe thinking about what might leach into my food. Taking these steps reduced the plastic in my kitchen and gave me a sense of agency in a world where environmental challenges can feel insurmountable.
Completing this kitchen overhaul also revealed how pervasive plastic is elsewhere: carpets, clothing, cushions and bedding all contain synthetic fibers. So my next project will be to address plastic across the rest of the house. I’ll report back on how that goes.