My Mom had her cherished cast iron pans and pots and used them regularly when cooking our family’s meals. I remember the skillet that was black, black, black and she used it for everything. Little did I know why until I was older and started cooking for my own family. I found out that the skillet she has was her mother’s and she has cooked with it for over 7 decades. (One pan for 70 years! And, who knows how long her mother had it before her.)
My Mom was born in 1922 and grew up in Virginia when things were slower, healthier, happier and better. The family’s garden fed them along with the chickens they raised. They pumped the water from a well and it was crystal clear, clean and drinkable. She has watched our lifestyles decline and descend into a mad dash with commercially processed food laden with chemicals and mothers not being able to stay home with their children. She laughs at the idea of “organic food.” That’s what she was raised on and now it is considered a novelty.
Well, enough of that. It’s time to get healthy and to keep our families healthy. It’s time to take a look at the things that we are doing to take stock and research so we can make improvements. Discover not what’s faster and more convenient, but what’s healthiest? What serves us better?
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Cast-iron skillets conduct heat evenly.
They can be used on the stove top or in the oven.
A well-seasoned cast iron pan can be virtually nonstick.
You avoid harmful chemicals that are used in nonstick pans. The coating that keeps food from sticking to nonstick pots and pans contains PFCs (perfluorocarbons), a chemical that’s linked to a host of illnesses for the human body. PFCs are released and inhaled from nonstick pans in the form of fumes when pans are heated on high heat. We also ingest these chemicals when cooking with them, especially if the surface of the pan gets scratched.
Not using non-stick pans? Well, aluminum is harmful to the human body and builds up in our systems over time.
Cooking in cast iron actually puts small amounts of iron in your food.
Cast iron pots and pans cost considerably less than other kinds of pots and pans.
Cast iron lasts for generations! My mom as been using a cast iron frying pan for over 70 years now. Well-treated, they get better with age and you can pass yours on to your daughter or grandchildren. A cast iron pan is a low cost lifetime investment. How many non-stick or aluminum frying pans have you during your lifetime?
Many cast iron foundries incorporate steps in the production of cast iron that greatly reduces waste and impact on the environment. Eco-friendly!! : )