Bird-safe cookware

[sabr]

I went out today and bought an all new set of Calphalon Stainless Steel cookware - gorgeous and birdie-friendly! Its going to be a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to use it to it's maximum capabilities, but Im SUPER excited about it - I've always lusted after Calphalon.

What kinds of drastic changes did you make in your life when you made room in your homes and hearts for birds?

Comments

[kestrel_hawk]

Woo hoo, new cookware feels good!!

Initially, I stopped burning candles and incense altogether. I've since found that it's ok to burn it in closed-off rooms like a bedroom or bathroom, and if the birds are in another room which can be closed off,(depending on living situations, we've had them in a 2nd bedroom, in the living room, or in the den) I can do candles/incense in the kitchen.

Don't feel that you have to write off teflon/nonstick altogether. The danger is in burning it, because you can literally burn off the coating, which releases the dangerous fumes. We cook sparingly with nonstick, mostly just eggs for breakfast, or pancakes/crepes.

The key to safe cooking around birds is to cook consciously. You can kill a bird by burning bread in the oven, burning pasta on the stove, or burning teflon. Oh, and by using oven-cleaner chemicals. Oh, and febreeze. The important thing is to be conscious of the dangers and minimize them as reasonably as possible.

[sabr]

I live in a home with five other adults, and my bedroom is right off the kitchen. For me, it wasn't worth the risk to have Teflon around since it is odorless and colorless. Burning bread or other substances, at least it becomes immediately obvious.

We do still have candles, just burned in other areas of the house.

[amryfal]

i got stainless cookware, too...and one "green" nonstick frying pan that's PTFE-free and is supposed to be relatively bird-safe.

also, i got rid of my febreeze and all of my plug-in air fresheners, and replaced them with electric potpourri pots. i use food-grade cinnamon sticks and cloves, orange peel when i think to buy oranges, or sometimes orange spice tea bags in a pinch. we've got ferrets, too, so i'm always looking for natural ways to try and cover up ferret-smells (stinky little buggers even when the cage is clean) so if anyone has any suggestions...heh.

i do miss my candles, so it's good to know someone has had luck with candles in rooms where birdies do not get direct exposure (i keep the bedroom door shut, so maybe i could try candles in the bedroom?). i've heard that beeswax candles with cotton (no metal) wicks are safe, if one wants candlelight, but i haven't found any to try yet...has anyone had any experience with such things?

[sabr]

Yeah, we will probably get one of the PTFE-free nonstick pans for eggs, but otherwise, we're doing really well with the stainless.

I know we haven't burned any candles yet, and we'll probably cut back on burning them, but Im sure the roomies will burn some across the house with the bird closed off.