Where Toxins Could Be Lurking in Your Kitchen

You want your kitchen to be filled with warmth, the scents of delicious foods, the laughter of your family, but toxins? No thanks. Unfortunately, the average American's kitchen is home to many toxins, but you can eliminate many of them. Here are the six biggest sources of toxins in the kitchen.

1. Cookware - That Teflon coating that makes your pots easy to clean, also contains chemicals that can flake off in your food.

Solution: Invest in stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic cookware and an eco-friendly dish scrubber and dish sponge. It may require a little elbow grease to clean, but you won't be exposing yourself to toxins.

 TWIST DISH DUMPLING SCRUBBER                  TWIST NAKED SPONGE KIT

2. Plastic Dinnerware - Much of the plastic dinnerware on the market contains BPA, melamine, phthalates and other nasty chemicals that have been proven to be toxic.

Solution: Switch to certified nontoxic nontoxic plastic and stainless steel dinnerware for you and your kids. Products from thinkBaby, Green Sprouts, Green Toys and Preserve are all great solutions.

 THINKBABY BLUE FEEDING SET                  GREEN SPROUTS WARMING PLATE

3. Wooden Cookware - Many people automatically think that wooden spoons, cutting boards and other utensils and essentials are safer to use than plastic, but unfortunately, many of these products are glued together using toxic formaldehyde-based adhesives.

Solution: Replace your wood with Bambu bamboo cooking utensils that are made with nontoxic adhesives and are more sustainable than wood.

                                      BAMBU BAMBOO KITCHEN BASICS SET

4. Produce - Unless you only buy organic, the fruits and veggies that you use to cook with are major sources of toxins.

Solution: Clean your produce with Eat Cleaner wipes or sprays prior to enjoying them fresh or in recipes.

  EAT CLEANER PRODUCE WIPES           EAT CLEANER WIPES -  GRAB N' GO PACK

5. Clean Products - Chemical-based cleaning products can contain a host of toxic chemicals.

Solution: Use Microfiber green cleaning cloths that lift away bacteria and dirt with the help of just plain water.

                                 E-CLOTH GENERAL PURPOSE CLOTHS - 4 PACK

6. Food Storage - BPA and other nasty plastic additives are found in many of the Tupperware containers and similar storage solutions for food on the market.

Solution: Use tempered glass or nontoxic plastic products like Wean Green, Fit & Fresh and Green Sprouts.

    WEAN GREEN GARDEN PACK           GREEN SPROUTS FOOD STORAGE CUBES

                               FIT AND FRESH LUNCH SET - REMOVABLE ICE PACK

Toxins Can Impede Weight Loss

Got a New Year's Resolution to lose weight? Better expand your resolution to go BPA-free as well. The latest research indicates that toxins like BPA can make it more difficult to shed pounds.

Here's why:

- BPA (as well as many other toxins like pesticides and chemical food additives) is stored inside of your fat cells.

- Because the toxins are found inside of fat, they cannot be easily removed by the body. They tend to accumulate inside of stored fat slowly over the years.

- Research shows that accumulations of BPA and other toxins can interfere with leptin, an important hormone that triggers the feeling of being full. This can lead to overeating.

- BPA and other toxins can also cause the thyroid to function improperly, which slows down the metabolism.

Fortunately, your liver can filter out stored toxins, but the trick is to reduce your exposure to them, so that what is stored can be processed, according to the Victoria Advocate. This means eating more organic foods and eliminating plastic food containers, plastic dinnerware and other items that contain BPA from your household. Paperless Kitchen has an array of nontoxic BPA free dinnerware and food prep and storage items to help you go BPA-free and possibly increase your chances of weight loss.

            Dinnerware                                   Food Prep                                       Food Storage

 Bambu Veneerware Plates              Bamboo Studio Colander                 Wean Green Lunch Cube

New Green Sprouts Products Available

We have gotten some rave reviews of our Green Sprouts products and have decided to expand our inventory and carry some new products from this green, BPA-free brand for kids. Some of the new pieces you'll find in our collection include:

- Green Sprouts Aqua Bottles - Sold in 5 colors, these toddler water bottles are unbreakable and have integrated straws.

- Green Sprouts Eco-Friendly Cornstarch Dinnerware - Made from corn-based plastics, this dinnerware line includes a bowl, a divided plate and a utensil set.

- Food Storage Cubes - Stackable, freeze-able and completely nontoxic, these are great for baby food.

- Green Sprouts Garden Lunch Line - This line of matching lunch bags, snack bags and nontoxic ice packs makes lunchtime greener.

- Green Sprouts Safari Utensil Set - Ready to travel with the included carrying case, this set includes a fork, a spoon and chopsticks.

- Green Sprouts Safari Bento Box in Blue Hippo - Toddlers love the Safari bento boxes, which are shaped like animals. We're pleased to offer the hippo to join the crocodile, the monkey and the lion.

These are just a few of the new Green Sprouts products in our collection. Check out the whole product line today.

New Green Disposables from Eco Products

We have recently expanded our collection of Eco Products green disposables to give you more ways to enjoy the convenience of throwaway dinnerware without contributing to the planet's paper or plastic waste problems. Like all Eco Products products, these items are biodegradable and compostable.

Here are some of the new products:

1. Eco Products Hot Cups - Made out of PLA corn-based plastic and sugarcane, these cups come in different sizes and keep your fingers safe from hot drinks.

                                    12 ounce Hot Cups

2. Eco Products Cold Cups - These 100 percent PLA cups are ideal for all kinds of cold drinks. They come in different sizes and coordinate with domed lids for on-the-going sipping without any spills.

3. Eco Products Drinking Straws - Available in two different sizes, these straws are wrapped in sugarcane paper and are made of PLA.

4. Eco Products Soup Containers - These ultra durable bowls are extra thick for soups and stews. They are crafted out of sugarcane and lined with PLA.

Check out these new items and the rest of our Eco Products offerings here at Paperless Kitchen.

5 New Ways to Pack Your Lunch with Fit & Fresh

During back to school season, we added two Fit & Fresh products to our collection, and after getting great feedback about them from our customers, we've added some new Fit & Fresh products to the Paperless Kitchen collection. Here are 10 of the latest and greatest items you'll find right here on our site:

1. Fit & Fresh Fruit and Veggie Bowl - This handy container has a built-in ice pack, four sections for fruits and veggies and a central lidded container for dip or dressing.

2. Fit & Fresh Jaxx Shaker - Available in four colors, this handy shaker is perfect for mixing weight loss shake and protein shakes because of its unique agitator.

3. Fit & Fresh Lunch Pod - This durable hard plastic container has a built-in ice pack and plenty of room for your sandwich.

4. Fit & Fresh Lunch Set - A set of three nesting containers, this set lets you bring a sandwich and two sides while keeping everything cool with a built-in ice pack.

5. Fit & Fresh Salad Shaker - With this container, you just pour in the salad dressing, turn the knob and shake to distribute it all over your salad when it's time to eat. The design includes an ice pack.

All Fit & Fresh products are free of BPA, making them nontoxic and safe for your family. Check out the entire collection to find the best way to pack your lunch!