Low-Tox Hosting Tips

Ask Mama J, Good Things, Health, Tips and Tricks

For those of us trying to live a little healthier or if you are hosting the crunchy types in your life… These are some tips to help you out. Some tips are free and will save you money! Some are product swaps! I will add Amazon affiliate links* (THE LINKS ARE IN BLUE ) to the products that will help with this. You can always check out my Pinterest page which I continue to add to as I find new, great products for a healthy, happy home.

What are you working with?

Cutting Boards:
The use of plastic cutting boards results in you and your family consuming microplastics that you do NOT want in your body. Do yourself a favor and switch to wood/or bamboo like these:

These organic bamboo cutting boards are a fantastic deal.

Boos Block are the absolute best. One side has the groove, one side is flat. They are pricey, but worth it if you can swing it. A great gift idea.

Cookware:
Non stick cookware may contain endocrine disrupting chemicals which make the healthy food you spend time preparing another path for damage to occur in your body. Your best bet for cookware is cast iron and stainless steel like these:

Cast iron is timeless. I have two, one for sweet and one for savory. I do this so the savory flavors don’t impact the sweet things. I love these Lodge pans, they last forever and are made in America!

All-Clad is my favorite brand for the basic pots and pans needed every day. This set will take care of your needs and you will be able to pass them down as they will last forever. A great gift for housewarming or bridal shower gift. It is 49% off on Amazon as I am writing this. (11/12/23)

I usually prefer All-Clad, but their roasting pan comes with a non-stick rack, no thank you! I bought this roasting pan from Cuisinart 5 years ago and absolutely love it. I can tell it is going to last forever. I use it all the time for roasting 2 chickens at a time, of course for turkeys and the gravy can be made right in the pan. I use it to roast bones for stock, for a water bath when baking. It pays for itself over and over again.

Just for fun:

These wooden serving boards are beautiful and won’t add nasty ingredients to your appetizers.

This glass cake stand has a cover to keep little fingers out of your frosting. It is perfect for showing off that dessert you spent so much time making!

Ingredient Swaps:

Salt:
Most table salts are bleached, processed and refined. They contain anti-caking agents and other mystery ingredients that you don’t want in your food. Your best bet for salt is to get Celtic salt which contains 82 minerals and pink Himalayan salt. These are my favorite:

Celtic Sea Salt This is a great price also at $1.19/oz.

Redmond Real Salt This is also a great price at .38/oz.

Organic ingredient swaps:
This one may seem like an investment, but I promise it is worth it! Wherever you can afford it, switch to organic for all of your foods.
Grass-fed Beef, better than organic chicken and clean seafood:
Good Ranchers has been a fantastic service for our family. The beef has the best flavor on the market. We make the steaks, save all of the bones and after I have at least 2.5lb of bones I make a stock that is incredibly gelatinous, packed with collagen and makes the absolute best french onion soup!
The chicken is also the best we have had. It is never tough/overgrown like grocery store chicken and it is perfectly portioned.

Give it a try!

Cleaning Products:

At this point most people know how toxic most cleaning products are. For the simple things, I love vinegar, baking soda and lemon. You will find infinite cleaning solutions with these with a simple Google search. 

I have tried all the “natural” cleaning products and hands down, Branch Basics is the best. They send a non toxic concentrate along with mixing/use bottles that can be used as all purpose cleaner, window cleaner, bathroom spray, laundry detergent, mopping solution, hand soap…. It is fantastic and you don’t have to feel like you have to clean everything before you use it after cleaning it!

This is my referral link:

Air Purifiers:

When I brought my older kids to the allergist, her biggest suggestion for helping with their indoor/dog allergies (also great for dust and others allergens) was air purifiers. We have been using them for years, We have a large one in the family room and small ones in the bedrooms. You can definitely tell the difference!

Lots of people use scented candles, air fresheners or other methods to freshen the scent in their homes. All of those scents that you are smelling contain endocrine disruptors that can cause infertility among other health issues. Doesn’t exactly scream “Happy Holidays” when you know what it is doing to your body! When I’m not cooking something that smells amazing I love to throw a simmering scent pot on the stove and enjoy the natural ambiance. 

Simmer Pot “recipe”:
In a medium sauce pot place whatever favorite scented ingredients you have on hand and cover with water. Simmer away and enjoy the scent for hours! Just keep an eye out that the water doesn’t get too low. Some of my favorites: orange peels, apple slices, cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, cranberries, cloves… mix and match to experiment and see what combination you like best!

There are so many small ways to make you and your family healthier going forward. What are some of your favorite home health swaps that you have discovered? I’d love to make these posts regularly and give you all the props for your great ideas!

Check out my Pinterest page for LOTS more great ideas for a healthy, happy home. 

Have a great holiday season!

* I will receive a commission from Amazon if you purchase from the links here. Thank you 🙂

About Julie Parkis

About Julie Parkis

Mom, MBA, Yogi, CIA grad and food enthusiast looking to share knowledge of food/cooking and general wellness information.

I am happiest in the kitchen with people who love food as much as I do!

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