forkandspoon.jpg
Earth First

5 Reasons to Use Edible Utensils

You ordered take-out, and the restaurant forgot to give you plastic utensils. Maybe that wasn't so terrible, considering up to 20 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans each year.

Yes, you read that right - up to 20 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans each year.1 Here are FIVE reasons you should consider switching to edible utensils:

1. They’re eco-friendly

They help limit plastic waste and are completely biodegradable. Plastic cutlery is usually made of polypropylene and polystyrene,2 which can take over 400 years to photodegrade.3 Producing just one pound of plastic cutlery can take up to 78 litres of water and release 2.5 lbs of CO2!4

W-H-O-A. I know.

Edible utensils, on the other hand, are made of safe-to-eat ingredients. For example, Bakey’s edible cutlery only uses three ingredients: rice, wheat and sorghum (an ancient grain from Africa).5 When Bakey’s produces their sorghum, one pound of sorghum only uses 4.35 litres of water and releases 0.19 lbs of CO2!6

2. They’re functional

They come in the shape of forks, spoons and chopsticks. They can last up to 18 months, and if you don’t finish eating it by the expiration date, just pour water on it or compost it - it degrades within 3 days.

3. They’re delicious

They come in three flavours: plain, sweet and savoury. But they don’t overpower the taste of your food!

4. And nutritious

They contain fibre, iron, protein and calcium. Sorghum is also naturally high in micronutrients. And, if you’re celiac, they can be made totally gluten-free. And if you need the extra energy, they are about 34.86 calories per utensil.

 

 

5. They’re SOUP-er for your soup

Edible spoons are the perfect addition to your soup. Unlike normal crackers or croutons, they won’t become soggy while you eat your soup.

Other alternatives

An equally great alternative is to just bring around your own reusable utensils. Maybe next time pack and extra fork, knife, spoon, or pair of chopsticks in your lunch bag!


Related articles

Most viewed

Earth First

Is Soy Bad for the Environment?

Molly Melvin

Is soy bad for the environment? Produced on a colossal international scale, soy has a huge…

Earth First

Can a Policy Stop Companies From Greenwashing?

Inés Oort Alonso

In 2022 the EU planned to tackle empty ‘green claims’ with new legislation. Here’s how it aims…

Earth First

Shelf Life & Food Waste | The Science & Tech Behind Shelf Life

Kelly Oakes

Whether we’re in a supermarket or digging through the contents of our own fridge to make…

Earth First

Probiotics: The Science Behind Good Bacteria

Carolina Moyano

Probiotics are often found in fermented foods, but not all fermented foods contain probiotics.…

Earth First

Creating Healthy Soils | Could Apps be The Answer?

Lina Dilly

Soil is one of our most valuable resources. In agriculture, soil quality does not only determine…

Earth First

How Forgotten Crops Help Combat Climate Change

Luke Cridland

Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, with 18.4% of global greenhouse…

Earth First

Farming For Gender Equality | Agroecology in Practice

Emily Payne

Small-scale farming communities across the world are using agroecology to simultaneously tackle food…

Earth First

Health Claims | The Asterisk: Friend or Foe?

Dr Chris Ryder

The humble asterisk (*) has many uses, one of which is to redirect readers to another part of a text…

Earth First

Oat Milk | How It’s Made

Inés Oort Alonso

If you have ever had a go at making oat milk at home, you might have found some stark differences…

Earth First

Seafood Fraud in The Supply Chain

Silvia Lazzaris

It might be easy to recognise a chicken from a pigeon, but it’s not that easy when it comes to…

Human Stories

How A Pig Farmer Became An Organic Farmer | Portrait in Germany

Ute von der Lieth,Michael Reber

Until the end of 2019, 12.9% of all agricultural businesses in Germany had farmed their land…

Earth First

What Does ‘Organic’ Really Mean?

Dr Blain Murphy

What does organic mean? How do we know that the food we eat is truly organic? Organic food is a…

Keep updated with the latest news about your food with our newsletter

Follow Us