Bamboo Utensils Review from Sonja
Like many people, I’ve used plastic
utensils for years at fast food restaurants and never thought much about it.
However, the more I learn about plastic and its detrimental effects on human
health and on the health of the planet, I am hit with a twinge of guilt each time I
use plastic ware. I am very much a creature of convenience, but because I also
value using products that won’t harm me, my family, or the environment, I was
thrilled to be asked to review two kinds of bamboo cutlery that were designed
to be used by people on the go.
The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils
fit nicely into an attractive carrying case with a small carabiner that easily
attaches to the handle of my purse to make taking the utensils everywhere with
me a no-brainer. My carrying case
is agave, but the cases, made with recycled PET, also come in a variety of
other understated colors. While
the Bambu Sporks did not come with their own holder, I kept them in a
LunchSkins bag and was able to pack them in my preschooler’s lunch box. We have each used the utensils almost
daily for three weeks in a variety of foods, including green chili burritos,
sushi with soy sauce and wasabi, and numerous tomato-based dishes, and the
bamboo did not stain nor did it absorb the strong flavors of the foods. The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensil
Set and Bambu Sporks are easy to clean with warm water and dish soap and have
held up beautifully after repeated washings.
At first, I thought I would use the
utensils only for lunches while at work, but having them in them in my purse
made it convenient to use them in a variety of other circumstances, as
well. For example, when my family
was on the road to visit family for Thanksgiving, we didn’t have time to stop so
that I could nurse our infant daughter, so I had to make a bottle of formula in
the car to calm her cries. I give her formula so infrequently that although I
remembered the bottle, the formula, and the water, I completely forgot about
bringing something to stir the formula. Shaking it would cause too many air
bubbles, so I was in bind until I remembered the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo
chopsticks. Perfect! I pulled one out, stirred the formula,
wiped the chopstick with a baby wipe, and put it back in the carrying case to
be fully washed later. Additionally,
I found myself using them at the Costco food court, at restaurants when I
forgot a spoon for the baby’s food, at work when we had special treats, and in
the car after grocery shopping when my daughter just had to have her yogurt. I
felt comfortable using both the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils and the Bambu
Sporks with my young children because the bamboo comes from safe sources and is
finished with natural, vegan, food-grade oils.
The To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo Utensils
and Bambu Sporks were a hit with me and with my preschooler, but I was curious
to see what my pre-teen students thought of them. Reviewing the utensils came at a perfect time in my 6th
grade lesson planning as we were in the middle of a unit on writing about
natural resources and how people use them. My students were impressed with the
strength of both the Bambu Sporks and the To-Go Ware RePEat Bamboo
Utensils. Although bamboo is
technically a grass, products made from it are incredibly durable, which makes
bamboo products a great alternative to easily-broken plastic ware. One 12-year-old boy even tested the
strength of the Bambu Spork by attempting (unsuccessfully) to snap it in
half. Additionally, the To-Go Ware
RePEat Bamboo Utensils and Bambu Sporks have an even, smooth texture. We’ve
become a culture that is so accustomed to plastic ware on the go that using any
other material seemed strange to my students when I first told them about
bamboo. They were concerned that
bamboo would cause splinters, making it an unreasonable choice as an eating
utensil, but they were shocked to feel just how smooth each piece was. Given the choice between
the two different sets, however, most of my students said they liked how “cute”
the Bambu Sporks were.
While I prefered the To-Go Ware RePEat
Bamboo Utensil set for myself, the Bambu Sporks were definitely the more
popular choice for the children.
With the holidays upon us, I can’t help but think that these useful,
environmentally friendly utensils would make a great stocking stuffer for just
about anyone.
~ Sonja