A Few Kitchen Questions

[WinterSong]

Someone asked me recently about shared cooking utensils, and I feel like I've heard conflicting information lately about these materials in particular. Let's set the record straight?

Are plastic utensils okay to use for both gluten-containing foods and gluten-free foods if they are washed in between uses?

How about Tupperware? I know scratched Tupperware can retain gluten.

Plastic measuring cups and spoons without scratches?

Aluminum cookie sheets/muffin pans?

Ceramic cookware?

Also, while I'm on the subject, I tend to have a little freak out every so often. I was using my non-stick ceramic -coated pan in my boyfriend's kitchen. It was soaking in the sink, and I think that one of his roommates may have rinsed off a gluteny plate, potentially getting some particles in the soapy water. Is my beautiful pan in trouble? I just found out that it's dishwasher safe. That should do the trick, right?

[cyclinglady]

I have separate plastic ware for both gluten (stuff for my kid to use for school) and non-gluten. These are well marked. This includes Tupperware, measuring cups and spoons,etc. I kept my cookie sheets but line with parchment paper. Gluten free cookies bake better on parchment. I tossed my muffin tins, tart pans and springform pans. Too many crevices that could trap gluten.

Just clean your ceramic pan in the dishwasher after a little pre-cleaning.

[WinterSong]

Thanks for replying. I myself had gotten all new plastic everything except for my measuring cups and measuring spoons, which are now only used for gluten-free. I think I figured that they were ok because they were never heated or had scratches on them. I wonder if I should have replaced them.... Thoughts?

I actually went to a sponsored event recently where someone from a large gluten-free company said that she uses plastic spoons for cooking gluten-free and regular foods. :-/

Thoughts on ceramic in general?

[JodyM75]

Someone asked me recently about shared cooking utensils, and I feel like I've heard conflicting information lately about these materials in particular. Let's set the record straight?

Are plastic utensils okay to use for both gluten-containing foods and gluten-free foods if they are washed in between uses?

How about Tupperware? I know scratched Tupperware can retain gluten.

 

 

Rats, I hadn't thought of the tupperware....*sigh*

 

Stoneware is still on the "replace" list, right?

[cyclinglady]

Plastic is okay, as long as you clearly mark it gluten free or it is a different color (like your stuff is all pink) AND everyone in the house is instructed not to use it with gluten. Plastic can have tiny scratches and...I am no expert, but I do not think it is worth $100 (cost of kitchen basics, excluding pots) to get possibly glutened.

My kitchen is now gluten free. I spent 13 years sharing one with my husband and did fine, but after my diagnosis I gave it up. Now we are gluten free except the utensils need to make gluten-containing pasta for my daughter. She takes that to school in a dedicated thermos. She eats gluten free at home, but eats plenty of it outside the house. I only cook the gluten and I clean it up. There are some things I can not trust my 13 year old to do well.

You just have to do what works for you as everyone's situation is different.

I do not use ceramic, but I hear it does not scratch. I believe it because is used to sell tungsten carbide sandblasting nozzles and the new ceramics took over the market. If they could hold up to sand, they can resist a scratch from a pancake turner.

I still use my cast iron (re-seasoned) and my old Revereware. I do not cook gluten in those pots now as I do not want to worry about scrubbing them clean again! Reading glasses are not a good substitute for young eyes!

Tupperware? I got diagnosed during my 25th wedding anniversary. I chucked lots of stuff. We had no party, so I spent money replacing old things and felt very justified. "Happy Anniversary, Honey!" It was easy to get rid of my Tupperware because the stuff was failing apart! Forget superior plastic! It started to get tacky. Good luck trying to get replacements on your-lifetime warranty for stuff you bought 25 or 30 years ago! I am talking about things like cake carriers that you used occasionally.

Tupperware is nice, it just does not last any longer than their competitor's products.

[Serielda]

When we re-did our kitchen for me we had to pitch alot of plastic. A good friend of mine who is a chemist had showed that while it may not be scratched temperature extremes can cause for it to asorb crap.  when it came to cookie sheets we  steralized  them, but as a safety barrier we tin foil over them as well. A lot got pitched on those due to age and using the when in doubt throw it out. As for anything wooden, or bamboo trash it, due to that holding on to  gluten as well.  I know it sucks to  remove so much, but if its in good shape, and you hate throwing things out donate it to good will or to  charities who give gently used items to  homes of needy folks. Hope this helps.

Someone asked me recently about shared cooking utensils, and I feel like I've heard conflicting information lately about these materials in particular. Let's set the record straight?

Are plastic utensils okay to use for both gluten-containing foods and gluten-free foods if they are washed in between uses?

How about Tupperware? I know scratched Tupperware can retain gluten.

Plastic measuring cups and spoons without scratches?

Aluminum cookie sheets/muffin pans?

Ceramic cookware?

Also, while I'm on the subject, I tend to have a little freak out every so often. I was using my non-stick ceramic -coated pan in my boyfriend's kitchen. It was soaking in the sink, and I think that one of his roommates may have rinsed off a gluteny plate, potentially getting some particles in the soapy water. Is my beautiful pan in trouble? I just found out that it's dishwasher safe. That should do the trick, right?

[BlessedMommy]

If something is old and you don't want to donate, but feel guilty throwing it out, repurposing works as well. My old beat up gluten cookie sheet became the base for a model village that my kids made as a social studies project. It holds the plaster of paris really well and gets the job done.

[africanqueen99]

I pretty much donated my entire kitchen to my girl scout troop.  It's all in their big box for camping - still getting love, but from little girls that want to learn to cook using decent products!  Just a thought if you know of a GS troop.

[NoWhammies]

I did the same. I got rid of most of what I had (with a few exceptions), vacuumed out all the drawers, cupboards, and shelves, washed them, and then started over. I'm glad I did it that way - it made a huge difference very quickly, where I'd been limping along before in my shared kitchen. I suspect cross contamination was an issue for a long, long time at my house because it was so difficult to get the kids to keep their gluten to themselves. As soon as they went to college, I purged my kitchen.

[WinterSong]

I love all of the donation ideas!

 

We are agreed, no sharing plastic.

 

Is there a definite answer out there for ceramic? 

 

 

Side note, even though it's been three years, I've decided to change out my old plastic measuring cups/spoons. Even if they were never heated and had few scratches, I figure why not? $7 for stainless steal and peace of mind

[LauraTX]

Is there a definite answer out there for ceramic? 

 

For ceramic, I would say to just personally assess how porous it may be.  A nice intact glaze on it, you are probably okay.  Nooks and crannies or places where things can soak in and never get cleaned out well= toss.  

 

After I did my kitchen cleanout post-dx, I gave away all my nice stuff to friends, some older things to goodwill, and I still have a box of gluteny cookware in the garage somewhere... probably need to toss that.