in the kitchen

Green Living Tip 9 {Use Cast Iron for Cooking}

Sara {Go Gingham}

Cooking with cast iron Go Gingham

Today’s green living tip: use cast iron for cooking. It may not seem intuitive at first, but cooking with cast iron pans is extremely eco-friendly. Here are three reasons cast iron for cooking is very green and why:

  1. Cast iron is sturdy and durable. Buy it once and it will last forever. Mine is inherited from my husband’s grandmother, and it’s still our everyday pan. It’s super easy to clean – just add baking soda!
  2. Cast iron is just metal. It is not treated with any harmful chemicals to create its non-stick surface. It does need to be seasoned – which is easy to do by following this tutorial.
  3. Cast iron retains heat extremely well so cooking goes quickly and less energy is needed to heat it up and keep it hot. It goes from stove top to oven, too.

There you are. Three great reasons why cast iron is good for the earth, good for your health, and good for the pocketbook.

Cooking with cast iron Go Gingham

Here’s a video on how to season cast iron – filmed in our kitchen. Enjoy!


Oh, I forgot to mention – it’s super easy to find second-hand, too.

Do you like cooking with cast iron? What’s your favorite chemical free cooking surface?

Go Gingham Earth Month:

To celebrate April as “Earth Month,” I’m sharing a tip every day this month. Find all the tips by clicking the image below.

Green Living Go GinghamYou’ll find simple and easy ideas to implement at your home – and they’ll save money as well!

Published by Sara {Go Gingham}

Sara, creator of Go Gingham, writes about real food, green living, and a healthy lifestyle - on fewer resources - {Stylishly Frugal Living}. She loves gingham - but tries to keep that in check.

9 thoughts on “Green Living Tip 9 {Use Cast Iron for Cooking}”

  1. I’ve been using my cast iron skillets to stir fry veggies and it does take less time! Trying to use them exclusively for all the reasons you stated, Sara. I’m enjoying your series!

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    1. Oh good, Vanessa! I’m afraid it’s a lot in the in box but it’s only a month 🙂
      My son just cooked dinner last night in our big ol’ skillet. It was so good and clean up was a breeze!
      Thanks for sharing, Vanessa.

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  2. I agree with you, too. I love cooking with my cast iron. It isn’t the prettiest pan but it certainly tastes the best! Someday I’ll have to splurge on pretty cast iron pans – they are just a little costly.

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  3. I have two vintage cast iron pans, and love them, but am wondering how they’re measured? My largest is 10″ from rim to rim, but only 8.5″ if I turn it over and measure the bottom. If a recipe calls for a 10″ cast iron pan, is that rim to rim on top? Thank you!

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    1. Hmmmm….good question! I’m not sure. If a recipe calls for a 10″ cast iron pan, I’d use your pan because that seems like the most logical way to measure it.
      What are you making?
      Happy cooking, MaryEllen!

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  5. I have a few pans inherited from my mom, but I have a smooth-top cooktop and I don’t think I can use them on it. Does anyone know a way to get around that?

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    1. Hi Pam!
      We have a smooth top cook top also and we just use them on there. The top is scratched but I’d rather use the pans than have a smooth cook top so that’s the trade off here. I know that’s not for everyone 🙂 If you are really careful and don’t slide the pans it helps. Since our family takes turns cooking (parents and teens), I decided to let go of the scratch free stove top in exchange for everyone cooking….
      Good luck – and good question!
      Thanks for writing in, too.

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