Nonstick pan was a game changer in the kitchen when they were introduced and today it is a common appliance in many households. They make cooking easier eggflip pancakes or omelets without mess, and make cleaning a wind. That doesn’t mean these pans are suitable for cooking at all though. If you use it to cook certain foods, you may end up with a deficient diet.

The issue comes down to heat and chemistry. Nonstick pans are designed for low to medium temperatures, so they don’t get the high heat needed for proper browning. When you try to sear a steak or chicken breast in a nonstick pan, you’ll have pale, steamed meat instead of the caramelized, flavorful crust that develops through the Maillard reaction. That golden-brown exterior isn’t just about looks — it’s where most of the flavor resides.

Beyond disappointing results, misusing nonstick pans can damage them. High heat and metal utensils gradually degrade the coating, shorten the life of the pan and potentially introduce coating particles into your food. We all love easy cleaning like the next block, but most of your baking projects will be better stainless steelcarbon steel or steel iron. These pots provide high surface heat, giving the food char, depth and flavor development. I asked a career cooking guru to compile the ultimate nonstick no-go list.

Richard LaMarita is a chef-instructor of Health-Centered Culinary Arts at Culinary Education Institute in New York City. LaMarita describes nonstick cookware, including ceramic, as “niche.”

“Scrambled or fried eggs, pancakes and fried tofu are great for cooking in nonstick pans,” LaMarita told me via email. “These sticky foods should come off completely without leaving any residue on the pan. Nonstick pans are popular, easy to clean and convenient, and I recommend that every cook has one.”

So, what foods should never be cooked in nonstick cookware? Here’s what Chef LaMarita had to say.

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1. Most meat and fish

First are the foods that need or want to be burned on the outside. If you are looking for a deep, caramelized bread with a good color, like a steak, chicken breast or a piece of salmon, you will not get the color you want from a nonstick pan. Nonstick is not made to allow the high heat required to achieve the desired crust and its surface is not aimed at developing the crust due to the coating of the pan.

2. Most vegetables

Like meat, vegetables need a little char for maximum flavor and you can’t get that with a nonstick pan. For zucchini, carrots, onions, asparagus and bok choy, reach for a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet for the best results.

3. Food you like caramelized

Do you know about passion? It’s the caramelized, crusty bits of food left in the pan after baking and it’s the key to great flavor (and happiness). The fond is used to make bread sauces. Things are cooked first, then picked, and those beautiful, tasty bits of food are incorporated into the sauce. For making fond, a nonstick pan will not do for you. There is enough heat on the surface.

4. Acidic foods

It is not a good idea to cook acidic foods in a nonstick pan. Acidic foods include a tomato sauce, or a dish with a high ratio of vinegar in the pan, such as a roasted cabbage, or if there is lemon juice in the cooking process. “Ratatouille is a dish I wouldn’t cook on a nonstick,” says LaMarita. “The acids in this recipe and others will damage the delicate nonstick surface over time.”

5. Stir-fry, soup, sauce

Along the same lines as face wear, avoid cooking foods or dishes that require a lot of stirring. A stir-fry, sauce or a dish that requires a lot of tossing and mixing can quickly become overcooked. “I find that nonstick surfaces wear out over time, even with proper use, so why speed up that process?”

For more, here how to know if your Teflon pan is safeand a complete guide to reheating each type of residue.