Non-toxic Thanksgiving?

Thanks to Safer Chemicals Healthy Families

Only you can devise the right strategy for avoiding toxic family drama, but here are some quick tips for keeping the big meal chemical-free.

  • Don’t gobble antibiotics. Choose a heritage, sustainable or organic turkey instead. Factory raised turkeys are fed a steady diet of grain and supplements like antibiotics.
  • Take a can-don’t attitude with the green bean casserole. According to a recent Consumer Reports test, canned foods contain harmful amounts of the gender-bending chemical BPA. Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans were singled out for having particularly high levels of BPA. If you must make green bean casserole, consider fresh or frozen beans. That goes for the cranberries and pumpkin, too.
  • Do the mashed potato, organic style: Lighten your pesticide load by going organic with your fresh Thanksgiving produce.
  • Think inside the box. If you aren’t going to make gravy and broth from scratch (and who can blame you?), consider the boxed varieties, instead of canned.
  • Rethink the non-stick. Non-stick cookware, when heated, can release toxic particles and gasses. Cast iron, glass bakeware, and stainless steel are safer alternatives.
  • Avoid leftover exposure. When it’s time to reheat and rehash, make sure to use glass or ceramic containers in the microwave. Studies show that plastic containers can release dangerous levels of BPA when heated in the microwave.
  • Be thankful. When you are sitting around the table with your loved ones, take a moment to be grateful that, thanks to the efforts of scientists, health care providers, activists, members of Congress, and people like you, we may pass meaningful toxic chemical reform this year!