Modern Organic Cutting Boards & Eco Friendly Serving Trays
discover artisan charcuterie boards + bold appetizer platters for friendly feasts
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What are Natural Cutting Boards & Eco Friendly Serveware?
Sustainable cutting and serving tools for the kitchen can include any number of items, from a natural wood cutting board to a natural bamboo cheese board & cutlery set. Every piece of kitchenware should be natural and completely nontoxic (if it’s ecofriendly or biodegradable, that’s a big plus too).
These items come in a variety of options, and you often have your choice of material, color, composition, etc., but the most important part is that every product featured on Healthier Homes is carefully chosen by our team. You can feel confident shopping and knowing what you put in your home is made using minimal industrial processing, so it won’t off-gas or leach harmful chemicals into your body or your house.
The Benefits of Sustainably Sourced Serving Trays & Natural Cutting Boards
Whether you’re looking for an organic cheese board or eco friendly serving platters, the benefits of going nontoxic are numerous. First, consider the substances introduced into your food whenever it touches a new surface. In the old days, kitchen products were often made using harmful chemicals, including “forever chemicals” like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFAOs) and certain plastics that leach, which can cause tons of health issues, especially in vulnerable groups like children.
No one wants those chemicals touching the food they serve to their family and friends, which is why newer, healthier options for nontoxic, organic cutting boards and biodegradable serving trays are becoming more readily available.
Tips for Choosing Eco-Friendly Cutting Boards & Organic Serving Trays
Consider this: the materials and chemicals used to make your serving trays and cutting boards also enter the foods that touch them. Choosing a natural wood chopping board or eco friendly serving platter might seem like an inconsequential choice, but those small choices add up to a big difference. When shopping, keep an eye out for items labeled natural, nontoxic, organic, eco friendly and sustainable and remember that biodegradable and sustainable materials like natural finished wood are a wonderful healthy home option.
What to Avoid When Buying an Organic Cutting Board
The substances used to make your cutting boards and serving platters can sully the food you and your family eat. As such, you should always avoid items with nonstick coatings, which often contain nasty PFAOs and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Aluminum foil and copper or plastic trays and boards can also leach into food, so stay away from those, along with anything that contains toxic adhesives or mineral oil, all of which can contain toxins. Sometimes even glass and stainless steel are problematic, depending on how they’re manufactured. Remember that sticking to natural materials like wood, stone and glass are the healthiest options when choosing sustainable cutting boards. A great resource for more information on what materials to look for in the kitchen for cooking, cleaning, baking, eating and more can be found in the Healthy Kitchens e-Guide.
Health-Conscious Tips for Preparing + Presenting Food
Dinner Prep Tips for Using Your Eco-Friendly Cutting Board Safely
Whether you’re planning a get together at home or just trying to organize a family dinner, it’s important to consider various factors to ensure your meals stay healthy and food prep is safe. Here’s how to make the most of your non toxic cutting boards or natural wood serving platters: … Ditch a subpar cutting board. If your plastic cutting boards or wood chopping blocks have small scratches and dents from use over time, these can be breading grounds for bacteria. To keep food prep sanitary, retire the old boards and invest in a set of new ones. Repurpose your wood cutting boards as potted plant stands outside. … Do your food prep in an area with adequate lighting. Just as important as avoiding a dull knife, chopping veggies could turn into a disaster without enough light to see what you’re cutting. To avoid sliced fingers, use an area with task lighting, such as a kitchen island. Check out our lighting blog post to learn more about using different types of lighting in your home here. … Use task lighting. Pendant lights are an excellent solution for creating task lighting in the kitchen for cutting board prep areas. Pendants add style and ambiance to your kitchen kingdom and come in a range of styles to match your cutting board style, from industrial modern to cottage farmhouse to boho coastal.
Serving Platters for Presenting the Perfect Meal
Planning a gourmet meal and cooking for family and friends is a great way to express your kitchen creativity and nourish the ones you love. And food presentation is a big part of the main event! Make an amazingly beautiful feast come to life by mixing and matching different styles of serveware, such as using natural wood cutting boards to serve charcuterie boards and warm appetizers. Chill your natural stone cheese board prior to displaying fresh veggies and cubed cheese to keep them cold. Long ceramic platters are non toxic and fabulous for serving meats and grilled vegetables family style at the tabletop. Your dinner event will be a smashing success with a little planning ahead for your food presentation needs! And don’t forget the large vessels to prepare and toss your noodles or salad, like a large ceramic bowls that can double as oven safe bakeware.
Be Mindful of Food Allergies & Dietary Restrictions
When you’re hosting a dinner party, it's important to consider your guests and their needs / dietary restrictions. Imagine how special they’ll feel when you make plans to accommodate a friend with a gluten sensitivity or nut allergy. Take time to find healthy alternatives beforehand and be careful to avoid intermingling ingredients. Be mindful to avoid cutting nuts or anything with wheat on the same cutting board as other ingredients. Using a separate cutting board would be advised. Also using an organic cutting board conditioner and cleaner after chopping the nuts is also a good idea to makes sure no food residue is left behind.
Serveware Cleaning and Cutting Board Maintenance Tips
Remember to avoid using olive oil (extra virgin), flax oil, and any other oil that can go rancid on your natural wood cutting boards as conditioners. Rancid oils can impart unpleasant tastes and smells. Instead, clean these surfaces using baking soda to deal with stubborn stains; just sprinkle it on and then rub it with a damp brush or sponge and a little hot water. You can also use lemon juice to help with removing any food smells. Fun pro tip! Eco friendly organic walnut oil is a great cutting board conditioner! Walnut oil has a low carbon footprint compared to other oils, and the nut’s protective hulls are naturally pest resistant (no need for the farmer to apply pesticides). Remember to always spot test first, as it may or may not slightly darken the wood on a natural cutting board’s surface. For lots more tips and tricks, check out the cutting board blog post.