Remember the last time you had take-out and got some plastic one-time use cutlery with it? Or the birthday party where you bought plastic cutlery as it is convenient? I know, we all have done that and it wasn’t frowned upon till recently. But things are different now. We know that they are harming the planet, but do we really know how bad?
“Six million tons of non-durable plastics are discarded every year”
Let that sink in. This is like we are packing our earth in plastic!
And that’s not it. Plastic is everywhere today. The oceans and land are filled with it and it is harming the animals and sea creatures now.
As we grew conscious, we started looking for alternatives and I am sure all you mum’s stock a lot of wooden cutlery or are making a conscious switch towards sustainable cutlery. I started that too and that is when I stumbled upon the variety of cutleries that are available out there today
Edible cutlery for lesser landfills
Yup! You read it right.
I saw this as a feature on a knowledge channel some time back and then decided to do some research about it. Started by women entrepreneurs this was a wonderful idea that uses grains and pulses to make this cutlery. Just like the waffle cone that comes with your ice-cream, you can serve the food in this cutlery and then eat it too! As these are edible there is a shelf life to how long hot or cold food can be kept in it but it is definitely a great idea for serving food to adults and pre-teens.
Edible straws – a great snack with milk
This is on similar lines as that of edible cutlery and can come in plain and flavoured straws. As the name suggests the straw is edible and preservative-free. Such straws can be great for kids as they usually drink stuff faster and then can happily munch on the straw snack.
Apart from the edible variety, there is sustainable cutlery that is made of plant and biodegradable material. With a few tweaks there are some that come in the reusable form as well!
Coconut shell spoons
Coconut shells that usually land up in dustbins are being used to make cutlery. These shells are hard so the shelf life is really great. Wooden cutlery is back in style so this is some great variation to it though not exactly wood. These spoons and cutlery are reusable and look beautiful. The best part is they do not weigh in on your conscience.
Areca leaf cutlery
Areca leaf cutlery is another thing that is commonly available today and is mostly the preferred choice for birthday parties. Though the corona situation has ensured that there are hardly any parties, I find this cutlery a great option even when we are travelling on our road trips or just when we are lazy to do the dishes. The plates and spoons are quite sturdy, they don’t get soggy and they are easy to carry when travelling.
These are some of the sustainable cutlery that I have found and even use. The documentaries with a straw in a turtles nose or a cup stuck in a fish’s mouth was just gut-wrenching but with these alternatives, I find myself in a better position to make better decisions and helping my children know the possibilities that are out there. Had you heard about these solutions?
I am writing this post as part of Blogchatters #CauseAChatter feature.
All these kind of cutlery were used by our older generations and with humans getting evolved by every generation they just seemed lost. I remember by Grandma telling me about the coconut shell laddles that she used to make and oyster shells also being used as spoon.
Coconut shell spoons is a nostalgia for many. But are a leaf based cutlery is a new information..thank you so much for sharing this.
Banana and Sal leaf plates and cups help too.Bamboo is a great option for many things too.I liked the ideas you shared for sustainable cutlery.
I remember hunting for sustainable cutlery more than 10 years ago when we didn’t really have so many options. But now great to see so many options to choose from. And other than these of course we had the pattals which went out of use due to all the plastic and styrofoam. I really hope the make a comeback in a better form.
All these sustainable cutlery options are really great for environment. I specially like the idea of edible straw. at my place, my girls used lots of straw for drinking milk and other drinks. I will surly check out this edible straw option as this is really good for health and environment both.
These sort of sustainable cutlery options are much needed in today’s time for a better environment. I have seen edible straws and spoons.
Sustainable cutlery has been on my mind for a while now and now I know the options in hand. Thank you so much Neha for this piece.
This cutlery I remember my mom had, and we used to make fun and now it’s the need for us to use …SO wonderful writeup!!
These are such amazing alternatives. Coconut shell spoon and eatable straws are definitely great
Me and my husband are moving towards shifting to everything in glass instead of plastic at our home. From water bottles to containers to store, all is now in glass. Also we refuse the cutlery that comes with takeaway or return it back during delivery.
Even I have shifted to sustainable cutlery and we always carry our own set while traveling. I heard about the edible cutlery sometime back have not yet tried it. Also, areca leaf cutlery is new for me.
Sustainable cutlery is a good way we all can be part of making the environment green and lush again. Will look at these and order for the home.
These are some amazing suggestions. Small steps as these are definitely going to go a ling way in helping us achieve a more sustainable world.