Disposable Eating Utensils

Dispose of costs and concerns with disposable utensils
By Lisa Maloney Disposable eating utensils are often the easiest and cheapest way of meeting your business's culinary needs. Whether you're stocking a break room or catering a grand affair, disposable utensils make set up faster, clean up easier, and eliminate worries about cleaning, keeping track of or replacing expensive flatware.

While disposable eating utensils do come in the plain white plastic we see in fast food restaurants, they're also available in a wide variety of styles, colors, and materials. A little thought about exactly what you need--and perhaps collecting opinions and estimates from valued employees or consultants--will help you find your way through the wide variety of options.

1. How many, and what kind, of disposable utensils do you need?

2. Are you willing to pay extra for stylish patterns and materials?

3. How are you going to dispose of your single use utensils?

Estimate your need for disposable eating utensils

Whether you're using fancy plastic eating utensils or the plain white kind, having enough eating utensils available is vital. But buying too many also costs you money and complicates matters when it's time for disposal. You can cut down on waste by planning ahead.
Try:  Consult with valued employees or experts to estimate how many guests you'll have, then add a few extras in case of lost, dropped or broken utensils. You can buy plastic eating utensils from Craft Hobby Wholesale, Inc., in bulk quantities beginning at just 12 each. ReStockIt offers a wide variety of disposable cutlery kits from light- to heavy-weight at discounted wholesale prices at quantities from 160 to 1000.

Stock up on fancy disposable eating supplies

Using fancy, distinctive patterns and materials is an easy way to make a lasting, favorable impression at your next catered event.
Try:  Avoid seasonal patterns unless you're prepared to make use of or donate leftover utensils once the season has passed. Zuberts offers disposable plastic utensils in a wide variety of eye catching colors, while The Find offers a wide variety of disposable plastic utensils in silver to look more like traditional flatware.

Wrestle with your conscience when purchasing disposable eating products

Disposable bamboo utensils and single use eating utensils made from "bioplastics" give you peace of mind when it comes to disposal; under the right conditions, they will biodegrade. Using these products is an easy way to make a clear value statement to your employees and guests. On a side note, many biodegradable utensils are edible, which leads a number of guests to chew on them just to test that fact.
Try:  Bambu offers a full line of single use bamboo utensils called Veneerware. World Centric provides a full line of biodegradable "bioplastic" utensils made from corn starch.

• Most bioplastics require the high heat of commercial composting in order to fully degrade. In some cities, they are allowed into the green waste stream and will be commercially composted there, which makes disposal very easy for you.