Did you know according to some historians, spring cleaning originated as an ancient Jewish tradition? Later, it became a practice necessary for cleaning all the soot inside after long winters of fires and burning oil lamps.
We’ve come a long way since the origins of spring cleaning with millions of search results for spring cleaning tips and home organisation.
But why is organising and spring cleaning so popular its even going viral on Tik Tok? Because it feels good to deep clean and organise the parts of your home that have been ignored such as your pantry.
Everyone knows spring cleaning can be a fresh start, a motivating opportunity to act on how you can declutter and get organised.
However, one thing stands out in all the home organising storage solutions is how much plastic is used. But many of these plastic trays and containers can be replaced with a more eco-friendly, wooden alternative.
Organise your pantry with wooden trays
Buying the best storage to make your pantry functional as well as stylish is a big task. But the easiest spring-cleaning tip for organising your pantry is to start by sorting your food into categories before buying storage containers, jars, and trays.
Categories for organising your pantry could include:
- Kids’ lunchbox snacks
- Stuff for baking (including any specific baking utensils like piping bags and cookie cutters)
- Nuts, seeds and dried fruit
- Breakfast foods (including spreads that don’t belong in the fridge)
- Vegetables that need to be stored in cool, dark, dry conditions (potatoes, onions, garlic)
- Spices & stock
- Dinner foods such as pasta, rice, pulses and lentils
Once you have categorised your pantry, you’ll have a better picture of what high quality wooden trays, glass jars and containers you need to invest in. Don’t forget to buy enough storage for when your pantry is full. It’s better to overestimate what you need rather than find yourself with a half-organised pantry.
Using wooden storage crates or trays in your pantry as a quick fix to tidying up loose packets and utensils. Not only does it make your pantry tidier, but it also ensures you are using the entire depth of the shelf while making your food easier to access.
Our medium rustic crate is the perfect size for organising lunchbox snacks or individually packaged food as its shallow design keeps loose packets tidy while also allowing you to see the contents. Plus, the handles let you to easily lift or pull out the crate just like a drawer.
The oil and vinegar or salt and pepper crates are perfect for storing oil, sauce bottles or salt and pepper in one place either on the bench or hidden in the pantry. Having a crate for your condiments prevents spills or crumbs from scattering over your benchtop or pantry shelves. Plus, these crates also feature handles so you can conveniently bring condiments from pantry to table.
The best part of organising your pantry and kitchen is finding as many purposes for the same item as possible. For example, the oil and vinegar tray is also the perfect size for small generic jars of herbs and spices because you can still see the label. And with the handles, it’s easy to bring your spices out of storage and onto your bench while you cook!
Decorate your living room with a wooden tray
One of the biggest interior design trends of 2021 is decorating with natural materials such as wood. It has become appealing not only for inviting nature indoors but as a way of becoming more eco-friendly. On top of this, interior design and decorating that is multifunctional is one of the key trends coming out of spending more time at home during the pandemic.
So, what is an easy way to organise your living room while also making it multifunctional? Simply by adding a tray on top of your ottoman or coffee table.
An ottoman tray is useful for homes or apartments with small living spaces where multipurpose furniture is an advantage. Your storage ottoman or footrest doubles as a table when you use a tray, plus it protects the fabric.
Or you can ditch the pile of coasters and opt for a tray on your coffee table. It’ll protect the surface from ring marks without compromising on style or convenience. Not to mention that it’s also an easy-to-remember spot for all your remote controls that go missing.
The stylish and sturdy design of our large wooden tray (link) makes it a perfect ottoman or coffee table tray. Not only that, but it can be styled with a vase, indoor plant, pile of books or candle to add warmth and texture to your living room.
Declutter your home with a wooden document tray
Anyone who has a family will tell that every busy home has a pile of unsorted papers sitting around. It’s grows daily with school notices, bills and junk mail just waiting to be sorted.
The fastest way to tidy up a pile of paper is to buy a document tray. But often these are made of plastic which means they don’t last the test of time for quality or style.
Replacing a dated plastic document tray with one of our large rustic trays is a quick and easy way of tidying up unsorted paper on your desk or countertop. It fits documents up to approximately A3 size. So, you’ll have peace of mind knowing everything from your kids’ artworks to your bills will fit and clutter will look instantly neater.
Using a wooden paper tray will not only make your home office look tidier but it won’t look cheap or out of place if you use it as a document tray on your kitchen countertop.
It’s a fact of life that we ignore the job of sorting out the pile of papers for as long as we can. But at least with a wooden document tray you can rest easy knowing that the pile looks neat in the meantime.
As someone who loves to cook at home, you’re not just a cook. You’re a ‘home chef.’ You take pride in not just the result but also in the meal preparation. As such, it’s important that you use high-quality equipment to make the preparation task easier. So you need items like cookware, kitchen knives, utensils, as well as benchtop chopping boards.
What’s a kitchen without a quality benchtop? And after installing that beautiful new benchtop, how do you protect it and still, have a way of showing the benchtop off? These concerns have led to an increase in the demand for large-sized chopping boards.
Well, Wild Wood benchtop boards are here to meet those demands. Our wide range of benchtop cutting boards is made of Acacia wood, a hardwood with a full-grain finish that is warm and environmentally friendly.
This hardwood has a high-end look due to its rich, vivid hues, which sets it apart from traditional boards. It is also resilient to water and has antibacterial properties.
Still not sold on the idea of big chopping boards? Then, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of having a large benchtop cutting board and what you can do to maintain them.
Benchtop Cutting Boards are the best Large Chopping Boards
Benchtop cutting boards offer many more advantages since they can do almost everything a small cutting board can.
The only issue would be that they take up more counter space. But, apart from this, big chopping boards are great!
Here are some uses of a big chopping board:
1. Butcher Block
Butcher blocks are large thick benchtop cutting boards made primarily for butchery. These boards are built to take the beating that comes with cutting heavy meat into pieces. As such, they tend to be quite thick to enable them to withstand the weight placed on them.
Furthermore, their large size gives you enough room to work with, preventing the meat from falling off at the sides.
With a big chopping board, you don’t need a butcher block. It can function well as a butcher block.
Take a look at our Franklin Large Thick End Grain Cutting, Chopping and Carving Board. This benchtop cutting board is very effective in handling heavy-duty cutting.
Our Murray XLarge Thick End Grain ‘Butcher’s Block style’ Cutting, Chopping and Carving Board with juice lane is also perfect for carving juicy roasts.
2. Serving Board
A large cutting board can also serve as a great serving board. For example, you could use it to present cheese, a roast, cake or bread. It’s perfect for a classy food presentation.
If you want a great serving board, you should check out our Avoca Large End Grain Cutting, Chopping and Carving Board.
3. Photo backdrop
For those who love taking photos of their dishes, big chopping boards can provide an incredible photo backdrop. They can create an aesthetically pleasing view of the meal.
Yass Large Long Grain Cutting and Carving Board is one of our best-selling boards. This board is well crafted to display elegance and style. You can expect this board to complement the picture of your food, making it appear tastier.
And if you want something similar to this big chopping board but larger, you can get the Yass XLarge Long Grain Cutting and Chopping Board.
4. Cutting veggies
If you are cutting a large number of veggies, a large benchtop chopping board can be of great help. A big chopping board helps you to cut a large number of greens in a short time without the vegetables falling off.
Our Mogo Chop Cutting, Carving and Chopping Board comes in quite handy for this purpose. And if you desire an even bigger size, we have The XLarge Mogo Chop Cutting, Carving and Chopping Board.
How To Clean Large Cutting Boards
Properly cleaning your large benchtop cutting boards is crucial for maintaining them if you want them to last longer. Here are some steps to follow to properly keep your big chopping boards:
- First, wash with warm soapy water using a non-abrasive sponge.
- Then, rinse the boards after cleaning them.
- Wipe the surface and place the board upright to air-dry. You can do this by putting the board in a dish rack.
- Oil regularly to ensure that it continues to remain water-resistant. However, you should make sure that the board is completely dry before applying the food-safe oil.
Things to avoid doing when cleaning your big chopping boards:
- Submerging it. Submerging your board can cause it to take in too much water resulting in warping.
- Using a dishwasher. It can cause the benchtop chopping board to crack and warp.
Choose a Countertop Butcher Block for Cutting
If you want an eco-friendly kitchen space, the countertop butcher block may be exactly what you need for cutting. These countertop butcher blocks provide a smooth surface that allows for the easy preparation of food.
However, using countertop butcher blocks comes with its upsides and downsides. Some of the pros of using our countertop butcher blocks for cutting include:
- They last longer than many other materials.
- They have properties that make them antibacterial.
- They come at various prices, making it easy to go for the one you can afford.
- Comes in various styles that allow it to easily blend with many home interior designs.
On the other hand, here are some of the cons of using countertop butcher blocks for cutting:
- After a long period, they can accumulate dents and scratches.
- They require regular maintenance to ensure they remain in top condition.
Choose a Countertop Butcher Block for Cutting
The longevity and attractiveness of your butcher block depend on how much care you give to it. Here are some guidelines for proper handling of your butcher block:
- First, clean the surface of your butcher block with mild soap and water.
- Follow the advice of the manufacturer.
- Try as much as possible not to allow wood tops to soak with water or any other liquid.
- Avoid trying to sanitise your block with bleach.
- Try not to use vegetable oil, canola, or olive oil for maintenance since they can get spoilt.
- Do not use abrasive cleaning tools on your block.
- Avoid using a serrated-edged knife to cut anything on the block.
Contact Wild Wood for Big Chopping Boards
Big chopping boards have become a must-have in every kitchen. They’re efficient and aesthetically pleasing, so long as you get the right ones.
At Wild Wood, we provide nothing but the best quality wooden chopping boards. Our wooden benchtop cutting boards are carefully handcrafted to be practical, durable and make your kitchen look warm and inviting.
Our boards are designed to be used all day, every day, and when maintained properly, will last a long time. So go ahead and check out our different wooden benchtop chopping boards.
It goes without saying that 2020 was a tough year for everyone. But one silver-lining is that because we stayed home, we looked around and wondered ‘how can I make my home more comfortable and practical?’. Whether you’re setting up your kitchen for the first time or you’re looking to give it a makeover, we’re sharing one of our favourite kitchen must-haves, so that you can improve your kitchen.
Early research shows the number of home renovations was the highest it had been in over 20 years! And a big focus of home renovations is still the kitchen. In fact, more money is spent on renovating kitchens than other rooms.
Anyone who has renovated their kitchen will tell you that stone kitchen benchtops and stylish cabinets are just the beginning. You’ve got to have the right tools in your kitchen to take your entertaining and cookery skills to the next level.
So, maybe your kitchen is newly renovated and you’re at the stage of thinking about the best kitchen tools to buy to make your house a home. Or perhaps you’re on a mission to improve your current kitchen to make it as functional and stylish as possible. There is one must-have kitchen tool that every home chef and entertainer needs: a large benchtop cutting board.
3 reasons to add a large wooden benchtop cutting board to your list of ‘what to buy for your kitchen’:
It’s the most versatile and long-lasting kitchen tool you’ll own
There aren’t many kitchen tools that are as versatile, high quality, long lasting and timelessly attractive as a large wooden cutting board like the extra-large Mogo chopping board. This benchtop board is aesthetically designed to live out on your bench as a key feature of your kitchen while still showing off your benchtop.
Not only can you use this wooden benchtop board for the obvious purposes of chopping, cutting, and carving. But it is also perfect as cheese board and serving board.
Plus, our chopping boards are made to be resilient to water and have natural anti-bacterial properties. And it gets even better: the acacia wood Wild Wood uses can handle everyday use with sharp knives and utensils but won’t dull your knife the way a plastic or glass cutting board will!
The popularity of open plan homes and kitchens that flow into dining and living areas has increased the importance of making sure the utensils sitting on your bench top not only work well but look great even with everyday use. This has led to an increase in the demand for larger chopping boards because they are both practical and attractive. Not to mention the fact that it makes a perfect gift for Father’s Day!
The versatility and longevity of these boards are among some of the reasons why these are a kitchen must-have. And believe it or not, when you know how to look after your Wild Wood chopping board, it will last a lifetime!
It will protect your bench tops
When you walk into a kitchen what are the first features you notice? The kitchen benchtops, the stove, and the oven. We notice these features of a kitchen because they are the most prominent and expensive aspects.
In fact, the kitchen bench is the most common part to be upgraded in a renovation according to consumer research. Not only that, but your kitchen bench can require the most maintenance if it is made from natural stone or oiled timber.
Natural stone is a timeless and luxurious benchtop material. But because it is porous, citrus, wine, tea, and coffee can easily stain the surface. A quick fix to protect your stone benchtop is to get your hands on a large wooden benchtop board like our Murray Butcher’s block.
The Murray Butcher’s block is carefully crafted to not only be an attractive key feature of your kitchen, but also practical. Designed with a juice lane, it is an effective and aesthetic way of preventing liquids from your food preparation spilling and staining your benchtop. A feature that most plastic and glass chopping boards don’t offer.
On top of this, you’ll also benefit from using a benchtop board as a heat mat to protect your bench from hot oven dishes and cookware.
It will increase your bench space in a small kitchen
The most common problem with a small kitchen is the limited amount of bench space.
If you’ve ever lived in an apartment or a small home, there is no doubt you understand how tricky it is to prepare a meal or entertain when you haven’t got enough room for food preparation. The constant shifting and moving just to have enough space for your chopping board amongst your appliances is like trying to do a puzzle with pieces that don’t fit together.
But there is a solution to limited bench space in a small kitchen. Getting your hands on a large wooden cutting board to position over your sink can make your small kitchen more functional.
The average size of a kitchen sink is about 55x70cm which means our Yass extra-large long grain cutting board will fit length-ways over most kitchen sinks. Now you’ve just bought yourself about 2000cm2 of bench space! This is a huge amount when you consider the average amount of bench space for a 1 to 2 person kitchen is 1.9m.
However, if you want a chopping board that isn’t as large, but still want the additional food preparation space, then get a board to sit over your cooktop burners when you’re not using them.
A large wooden chopping board sitting over your sink or stove top is an easy way to make a small kitchen more functional. Now you’ll be able to take your home chef skills and entertaining to the next level in a small kitchen too!
But don’t just take our word for it. Get your hands on one of our large wooden benchtop boards and it will speak for itself.
Plastic Free July has started. But it’s never too late to get on board and act more intentionally about our plastic consumption.
So, if you are wondering how to live a plastic free life this July, here are 3 easy steps that you might not have thought of.
1. Replace the plastic in your home
We’ve all heard the mantra ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’. We roll out the recycling bins every fortnight and reuse where we can. Maybe you’re even collecting water bottles for the ten-cent return.
But have you thought about replacing the plastic in your home? It’s no secret that plastic is not only hazardous to the environment but also to our health, living plastic free is a must.
Now, the easiest place to start reducing the plastic in your home is in the kitchen where most plastic is used. Plus, it’s the gateway for every plastic item ending up eventually in the trash or worse, down the drain and into the ocean.
Have a look around your kitchen. What are the first plastic items that come to mind?
Food containers, Ziplock bags, cling wrap, plastic bottles.
The number and list of plastic in your kitchen is long. We come across it every day. Did you know the average Australian uses 130 kilograms of plastic in one year? On top of this, a mere 9% of plastic waste was recycled in 2019. And even worse: households are a larger contributor to plastic waste than manufacturing!
But there is one plastic item that seems to have an unnecessarily enduring place in the kitchen.
The item? The chopping board.
Your plastic chopping board is probably made out of polypropylene or PP. PP is heat resistant and won’t leach chemicals into your food. But even though it’s durable it has some serious pitfalls. Have you thought about what happens each time you score and scrape the surface?
Not only will you dull your knife, but you’re creating tiny bits of plastic called microplastics which are an environmental and health disaster.
And we haven’t even mentioned how each groove in a plastic cutting board harbors millions of bacteria even after you’ve washed it!
It’s a common misconception that a plastic chopping board is more hygienic than a wooden one. But the truth of the matter is that a high-quality wooden chopping board is not only naturally anti-bacterial, it’s also more durable and attractive than a plastic one. All these reasons contribute to why wooden chopping boards are a better kitchen companion than plastic. So why not get a head start on getting rid of plastic in your home with a Wild Wood wooden chopping board?
2. Environmentally friendly plastic free gift
Do you ever struggle to think of what to buy for a wedding or birthday? We’ve all been in that situation where you want to buy something meaningful but don’t want to blow the budget.
Make your choice a lot simpler by gifting environmentally friendly products starting this Plastic Free July.
You can’t lose when you’re buying something that is meaningful on so many levels: considerate to the environment, thoughtful for the recipient. On top of this, buying environmentally friendly and plastic free gifts often means you’re buying from a local business selling high-quality and ethically sourced goods.
What better way to ensure that alternatives to plastic products are shared than with an environmentally friendly product?
3. Buy products that are ethically sourced and high quality
Anyone who has heard of Plastic Free July knows it’s about finding lasting solutions to reducing and eliminating our reliance on plastic. One way to do this is to buy ethically sourced and high-quality items.
But what is ethical sourcing?
Ethical sourcing is the process of ensuring the products being sourced are obtained in a responsible and sustainable way. It also means that environmental and social impacts are taken into consideration during the sourcing process.
You don’t have to search for long to find out the harm that manufacturing and consuming plastic has on the environment. On top of this, did you know that most plastic can only be recycled once or twice before it loses its structural integrity?
So, even if you buy a product made from 100% recycled plastic – an ethically sourced material – you’re still buying plastic that overtime won’t break down once you stop using it. It will merely break apart into fine plastic particles called mermaid tears.
The truth of the matter is that we need to reduce the demand for plastic in the first place. But how can we do that? By purchasing not only ethically sourced goods but also high-quality.
High-quality items last the wear and tear of everyday use which means they’re less likely to end up being thrown away.
How do you know if an item is ethically sourced?
The simplest way to think about whether an item is ethically sourced and high-quality is to ask these questions: Who made this? What materials are used? How was it made?
Today more than ever, it’s easier to find out the story behind what you purchase. This is because businesses are responding to the increasing demand to know where our goods come from.
Basically, it is a good measure of an ethically sourced and high-quality item if you’re able to easily and clearly find the story behind the product. At Wild Wood, our chopping boards and other wooden products are all ethically sourced.
With all of this in mind, here are some of our favourite ethically sourced and high-quality products.
– Replace your scratched and stained plastic chopping board with a Wild Wood cutting board that’ll last for as long as you love it
– Ditch your cling wrap for a Charles Viancin silicone lid
– Avoid plastic takeaway cutlery with a Carry your cutlery kit. It even includes a straw!
– Get rid of your smelly plastic scourer and sponge for a coconut husk scrub pad or a Dream Cloth
– Say goodbye to collecting used coffee pods for recycling with Podstar’s reusable stainless steel ones
– An easy go-to gift that everyone needs is sunscreen. Check out Sea Shepherd’s plastic-free and reef safe sunscreen
Now you can get a head start on replacing the plastic in your home and buying environmentally friendly gifts just in time for Plastic Free July. Use all these tips and tricks to help you and others understand how to live plastic free not only this July but all year round.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a cheese board, is there? Believe it or not, whipping up one that’s both mouth-watering and gorgeous is as simple as following five easy steps. In this post, we’re going to teach you how to make the perfect cheese board every time. One that’s sure to impress your friends!
Selecting Your Cheeses
The first thing to decide upon when building your cheese board is what kind of cheese you’ll include. A good rule of thumb is to have two to three cheeses to place on the board.
How much you use of each depends on how many people you’re serving. It will also depend on whether the cheese board will be served as an appetiser or the primary food source at your gathering.
You also don’t want to pick all of the same kinds of cheese. It’s nice to have a little variety, which you can do by mixing different textures and flavours.
For instance, you can create a mix of textures by opting for a soft cheese (like brie or camembert), a cheddar cheese (like a Club style), and a blue cheese (such as a Danish-style blue).
Or you might prefer to try different strengths by combining mild and strong cheeses on the same platter. This gives your guests options depending on what suits their personal preferences.
You can even choose various colours and shapes of cheeses to create a more visually attractive cheese board. After all, presentation is essential when making the perfect cheese board.
What to Put on a Cheese Board (Besides Cheese)
While cheese is certainly the star of the show, what makes an amazing cheese board is the other complementary elements you choose to add. Here are a few cheese board essentials to consider:
Preserved Products & Dried Meats: Prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni are meats that pair nicely with various cheeses. You can also add olives (black, green, or stuffed), pickles, and even marinated artichoke hearts.
Preserved Products & Dried Meats:
Prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni are meats that pair nicely with various cheeses. You can also add olives (black, green, or stuffed), pickles, and even marinated artichoke hearts.
Fruit & Veggies:
It’s smart to add a healthy element, making fruits and veggies a great choice. Try adding grapes, apple slices, or some berries. You might also like blanched veggies like asparagus or broccoli. Tomatoes and peppers can be a nice addition as well.
Sweet Treats:
Satisfy a sweet tooth by adding chocolates, chocolate or yoghurt-covered nuts, or even some dried mango. This is perfect if the cheese board will be served after dinner in place of a traditional dessert.
Biscuits:
Some sort of biscuit is a must, as they provide a base to hold meat and cheese when needed. Your cheese board can have wheat or rice crackers, breadsticks, or even pita bread slices. Just make sure to keep the flavours simple so they crackers don’t overpower the delicious cheese.
Garnishes:
And finally, you’ll want to add a few garnishes to spruce up the overall presentation of your cheese board. Rosemary sprigs, mint, or coriander are all great options here.
The ideas are endless when making the best cheese board, as these suggestions are only the beginning. For many cheese board enthusiasts, condiments like jam and honey are also a must. You can pair your cheese board with some of our wooden accessories like a honey dipper or a mustard spoon. Just remember, there’s nothing worse than an overcrowded board. Keep it simple as not to overwhelm your guests with options.
How to Assemble the Perfect Cheese Board
Once you’ve stocked up on all the cheese board essentials, the next step is to assemble everything. After all, it’s not just about the flavours!
The presentation of a cheese board is a huge part of the experience. Here at Wild Wood, we like our platter to look organised and smart, not too messy.
These five steps will teach you how to make the perfect cheese board every time:
1. Place Your Cheese on the Platter
When assembling a cheese board, you always want to start with your two to three chosen kinds of cheese. There are two ways you can go about cheese placement.
You can opt to group them all together in a bunch on one side or corner of the board or spread them out. Once you’ve done this, the next few steps will be a breeze.
As you’re placing the cheeses, don’t pre-slice anything. We recommend providing knives and allowing guests to serve themselves.
They can choose how much or how little of a particular cheese they’d like to take this way. Plus, it looks more appealing this way.
Don’t you think a whole wedge or wheel of cheese looks much more beautiful when presented on a wooden platter?
2. Add Your Salty Elements
Next, you can start adding things like meats and other salty items. As mentioned, prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni are great options for a cheese board.
All you need to do is add neat piles surrounding your cheese. Olives and nuts can be added during this step as well. If you’d like, you can use bowls to keep everything (like those olives) in place, so things stay tidy.
3. Incorporate Your Sweets
A variety of flavour profiles is part of what makes a successful cheese board. That’s why sweets provide a nice change of pace.
Add some fresh or dried fruit and even some chocolate-covered nuts to give your guests something to snack on between bites of cheese and salty meats. Create a few piles of sweet treats across your cheese board.
4. Stack on Some Crackers
Now, wherever you see empty space on your board, you can begin stacking your preferred crackers. Nestled in between cheeses, meats, and other foods, the crackers will sit perfectly in place and will be accessible to anyone reaching for a snack.
5. And Finally, Garnish the Board
Adding a few garnishes is really what will take your cheese board to the next level. A few sprigs of fresh rosemary can make a huge difference, as they not only look smart, but they smell amazing too.
Sometimes we’ll even use a small, leafed vine straight from the garden because it looks great while also adding a little something unique.
Try Our Wooden Cheese Boards for a Better Presentation
If you want to create an Instagram-worthy cheese board, it all starts with the base. A gorgeous wooden cheese board makes a huge difference when it comes to the overall styling and presentation.
And here at Wild Wood, we have some beautiful options for you to choose from.
Check out our best wooden cheese boards to find one that suits your style.
Plastic cutting boards have been around for a long time now. Many people choose to use them in both personal and professional kitchens. A huge factor in their popularity is because it was (falsely) believed plastic cutting boards were the more hygienic option. Since it’s a non-porous surface, people thought it would be less likely to absorb liquids, therefore decreasing the risk of cross-contamination when cooking. But is that true?
Now, we’re settling this age-old kitchen debate of wood cutting board vs. plastic cutting board. We’re sharing everything you need to know about each option, including which one is the best (and safest) option when preparing a meal.
Wooden Chopping Board vs. Plastic Chopping Board
In the world of cutting and chopping boards, there are so many options to choose from. It can be rather overwhelming! However, when it comes to wood vs. plastic, there’s really only one answer.
To help you make an educated decision when purchasing essentials for your kitchen, we’re breaking down everything you need to know. Here are the facts about each one:
What You Should Know About Plastic Cutting Boards
People choose plastic cutting boards for a variety of reasons. Because plastic can come in any colour, some choose plastic cutting boards to match their kitchen decor and dishes. Others choose to colour-code their cutting boards as a way to prevent cross-contamination. For instance, they’ll use one board for handling meats and another for fruits and veggies. And since they’re also dishwasher safe, it makes for easier clean-up. While all of that may sound great, there are some downsides to using a plastic cutting board.
Some Boards Can Dull Your Knife:
Acrylic cutting boards can dull the blade of your knife over time. This will require it to be sharpened more frequently to perform at its best.
Others Are Easy to Cut Into:
Polyethylene or polypropylene boards are common, but they’re easier for a knife to cut into. This can create small cuts in the surface, ultimately becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
A Knife-Scarred Board is Difficult to Clean:
When your board is covered in cuts from the blade of your knife, it can be trickier to ensure it is sanitized and free from bacteria. Plus, mould can grow underneath the surface of the board. This can, unknowingly, make you and your family sick.
If you have any scarred cutting boards in your kitchen, it’s best to toss them in the bin. And let’s face it, that creates more waste that our planet doesn’t need.
What Makes Wood Cutting Boards the Better Choice?
Now, let’s talk about wood cutting boards. Many of the reasons people opt for plastic over wood simply aren’t true. Wood cutting boards provide plenty of benefits and are easy to care for.
Here are some great reasons to use a wood cutting board instead:
It’ll Retain the Sharpness of Your Knife:
Whereas plastic can often dull the blades of your knives, a wood cutting board does the opposite. That’s going to help prolong the life of your knives.
Wood is Less Likely to Get Damaged:
Since wood is harder, it’s less likely to be severely dented or scratched from use, meaning it’ll last longer.
It’s Pretty Easy to Clean:
Even if you were to get cuts on your wood board, it is still easier to clean than plastic and you can feel confident knowing it’s sanitised.
A 1993 study from the University of Wisconsin found that bacteria multiples more readily on plastic, as opposed to a wood surface. When tested, their results revealed that bacteria didn’t survive on the wood board, but multiplied (and even thrived) on the plastic boards.
Wood is long-lasting and will be a staple in your kitchen for years to come. And did we mention that a wood cutting board just looks gorgeous?
How to Sanitise a Wood Cutting Board
The main reason people are hesitant to use a wood cutting board is that they wonder, “Are wood cutting boards sanitary?” They’re worried about germs and bacteria collecting, which leads them to choose plastic instead. However, plastic can be more hazardous! As long as you’re taking proper care of your wood cutting board, you won’t have to worry about if it is safe for food. To prolong the life of your wood cutting board and ensure it is sanitary, keep these tips in mind:
Wash in Warm, Soapy Water:
Don’t leave your cutting board sitting around with food particles (especially things like raw meat). Give it a thorough wash shortly after use. Use warm or hot soapy water and don’t forget to wipe down the edges and any crevices the board may have.
Always Pat Dry After Washing:
Take a clean, dry tea towel or a disposable paper towel and pat it dry. This minimizes the time in which bacteria have the opportunity to multiply. Another good rule of thumb is to never stack wet or damp boards together, as that can create a breeding ground for bacteria. Always give your boards proper space to finish drying.
Make Sure They’re Dry Before Storing:
Before you put your wood cutting board back into storage, ensure it’s completely dry. This is another essential step in preventing the growth of bacteria.
No more wood cutting board vs. plastic cutting board debates! With these simple steps, you can ensure a wooden board is perfectly safe to use when preparing meals for you and your family. While they do require a little extra care when compared to a plastic cutting board, it’s truly worth it in the long run.
Upgrade Your Kitchen With a Wood Cutting Board
Here at Wild Wood, all of our gorgeous cutting and chopping boards are made with Acacia wood. It’s a hardwood with rich hues that help to set it apart from other woods. Not only that, but it’s also resilient to water and has antibacterial properties. That’s a major plus!
Even better? We have a variety of wood cutting board styles to suit your needs. They look so stunning that you’ll want to keep them out on your kitchen counter for everyone to admire.
Check out our selection of Acacia wood cutting boards and order yours today!
We are doing Plastic Free July this year. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, Plastic Free July is a global initiative whereby participants commit to going plastic-free for a month. But we think you can use some of these Plastic Free July activities all year round to better look after our planet.
As the name implies, Plastic Free July is all about reducing the use of plastics. You are encouraged to stop using single-use plastic items including water bottles, coffee cups, plastic cutlery, takeaway containers, plastic chopping boards and more. The challenge is not just about the reduction of plastic on a personal level, but also raising awareness for others, as well as encouraging companies to make sustainable changes.
We all use plastic, that’s just how it is today. However, how much you use and the way you use it is an individual thing and you have a responsibility to the environment to try and ‘do the right thing’. Your choice could be to switch to biodegradable, recyclable or reusable materials. If enough of us made these switches, we would eventually bring about real change.
The challenge is to be more conscious of your use of plastic and to try your best to use reusable or biodegradable alternatives as much as you can.
Plastic Free July Tips
So here are some of our Plastic Free July top tips on how to minimise your use of plastic:
- Buy your own reusable water bottle and refill it from work or a public water tap / fountain.
- Buy a reusable coffee cup and keep it in your bag or in the car, so you can use it every day and avoid using the takeaway coffee cups.
- Support your local market day by bringing your own shopping bags, or even your own trolley to transport your shopping home. It’s cheaper, you use less energy, and you can buy more local produce. Now that’s a win-win!
- Soap – who would have thought something as simple as soap can cause so many plastic issues in our world. Stop using single-use plastic-packaged bathroom supplies such as liquid soap in pump packs and shower gel. Instead, swap them for bars of soap. How do you do this?
- Making the switch from liquid soap and shower gel to bars of soap is an easy way to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics. Bar soaps are now readily available in supermarkets, chemists and online, and come in a variety of blends to suit body washing, face washing, shampooing and shaving. Make your line-up of bottles become a line-up of soap bars!
- You can even go an extra step and check the ingredients of the soap to ensure they don’t contain palm oil, which contributes to deforestation. But that’s a story for another time!
- Bars of soap can often be purchased without packaging, especially in bulk food, health, and organic stores. Alternatively, many soap brands use cardboard to package their soap which can be thrown in the compost bin once you arrive home.
- Make your own soap. It’s easy to do, and is a rewarding way to avoid waste. There are lots of recipes online, and once you’ve done it a few times, and gained the hang of it, you can start experimenting with different scents and ingredients.
Alternative Products to Assist With Your Plastic Free July
Use Wooden Chopping Boards – Many people believe plastic cutting boards are a healthy alternative, and this gives them an excuse to use a plastic board. However, this belief is false, in fact, wooden boards have been scientifically proven to be hygienically safer than plastic. Every time you use a plastic board you are cutting small pieces out of the board called micro-plastics, and these micro-plastics are polluting our waterways and oceans causing immeasurable damage to our sea life. Ditch your plastic cutting board and purchase a beautiful wooden board. They are attractive, environmentally friendly and easy to care for. Plus wooden chopping boards last a lot longer than plastic boards.
Wooden Kitchen Utensils – Get rid of those plastic kitchen utensils and make the switch to the long lasting wooden ones, not just for Plastic Free July but forever. Remember those wonderful wood spoons your Mum or Nan used when cooking up all those delicious meals in their kitchen back in the day? Well they used wooden spoons and other wooden utensils for a reason. They are the best tools to use as they are ideal for multiple tasks, last a long time, are warm and comfortable in your hand, and are an eco-friendly alternative to using plastic.
Avoid cling wrap – there are many fantastic alternatives to plastic cling wrap that you can use to help reduce plastic pollution. We use over 700 million metres of cling wrap in Australia every year! Enough to go around the Australian coastline more than 11 times. Now that is pretty frightening. How do you avoid using cling wrap?
- Storing and packing food in reusable glass containers is a great start.
- Stocking up on reusable silicone lids, such as the famous range of fun Charles Viancin silicone lids which you can use to cover food in almost any type of bowl, or saucepan. They are 100% airtight and keep food fresh for longer. You can also use them in the microwave and oven.
- With a reusable cloth cover or beeswax wrap. There are lots of beeswax alternatives on the market, many with cute designs which are far more attractive than a piece of cling wrap.
- Don’t use cling wrap for sandwiches, instead use wax wraps or containers, which make a great, reusable alternative for wrapping sandwiches.
The Result of Our Plastic Free July Ideas
The results of following our Plastic Free July activities, tips and ideas is super beneficial:
- Enjoy a simpler bathroom routine that makes you feel good.
- Reduce plastic waste, and the use of our natural resources which goes into creating it.
- Protect our wildlife, especially those in the oceans, who often mistake plastic for food.
- Reduce plastic waste and the use of our natural resources which goes into creating it.
- Prevent the chance of lightweight cling wrap blowing out of rubbish dumps into our natural surroundings, where it will stay forever, or at least hundreds of years.
Do This July Plastic Free
Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers millions of people to choose a future with cleaner communities and oceans through refusing single-use plastics. It is a great opportunity to get thinking and talking about plastic pollution, as well as the alternatives and solutions you must seek and support in the future.
Tens of thousands of marine animals are killed every year from plastic bag litter when they mistake plastic bags for food such as jellyfish. Plastic is linked to cancers, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and many other ailments. So do your bit this July and make it a Plastic Free July by following some of our Plastic Free July activities!
Check out our selection of wooden spoons and gadgets and order yours today!
In this article, we look to answer the question “which cutting board is best for meat?” We’ll discuss the different sizes, materials, thicknesses and features that make for an outstanding wooden carving board when working with meat.
Few tools in the kitchen are as useful and versatile as the wooden cutting board. It is one of the things that you reach for every time you prepare a meal. Naturally, its durable surface allows you to prepare food without damaging or scratching your countertop. And wooden carving boards are more hygienic and easier to clean than other kitchen surfaces. But they also create a physical barrier between hot dishes and timber, protecting your table from heat. Plus, they look stylish when serving cheeses, tapas, platters, pizzas and cakes. You might even use your board as a plate when you’re feeling lazy!
But choosing the right board for needs can be tricky, so here is our guide on what kind of cutting boards are best for meat.
Benefits of a WOOD Cutting Board When Carving Meat
There are several reasons why using a wooden cutting board is best when carving meat – as opposed to plastic or glass boards.
Durability
Firstly, wood carving boards are renowned for their durability and long life expectancy. They are designed to be able to withstand heavy daily use. If you treat your wooden carving board with a little bit of attention, it can last you for years. This makes it a wise financial investment.
Easy Care
Maintaining and cleaning a wooden cutting board is easy. They can simply be scrubbed or brushed in warm soapy water after use and then left to dry. Because they’re so easy to clean, wooden carving boards are unlikely to easily contaminate or harbour harmful bacteria from meat. If homeowners want to ensure they get the most out of their board, they can season it occasionally with vegetable oil.
Safety
The sturdy and slightly gripped texture of a wood chopping board also makes it a safe tool to work with. Wooden boards are less likely to slip. They provide greater stability and decrease your chances of injury in the kitchen.
Aesthetics
Many homeowners like to choose a board that aligns with the style of their home and design preferences. When a wooden cutting board is displayed in the kitchen, it can make for an eye-catching display. Quality hardwood boards have rich hues that add a touch of warmth and style.
At Wild Wood, we have carefully designed every aspect of our wooden cutting boards to ensure that they are of the highest quality. Our wooden carving boards are best for cutting meat as they are made of heavy-duty hardwood timber and can handle substantial chopping action. The acacia wood is stylish with its rich grain and vivid hues. But it is also naturally resistant to water and has antibacterial qualities.
The Best Features of our Wild Wood Carving Boards
Perhaps the best thing about timber is the wide range of options and features that you can choose from. At Wild Wood, we’ve designed our wood carving boards with your needs in mind. We added extra features that make them the best wood carving boards on the market for meat. These features include:
Drip Tray
Some Wild Wood carving boards are designed to include channels that run the border of the board. This acts as a drip tray and catches any juices running from your meat. This helps to ensure that your table stays clean. And, it means that you can easily pour all the tasty meat juices once carving is done.
Carving Spikes
Another unique feature to Wild Wood is the field of mini pyramids that we carve into the centre of the cutting board. These act as wooden spikes and hold your roast in place so that it doesn’t move around while carving.
Large Sizing
Our wood carving boards are designed and made to be extra-large. This makes them suitable for cooking meats of any size, including roast lamb, beef, pork, chicken and also slow-cooked dishes. No longer do you have to worry about the meat touching your bench or your knife damaging your countertop.
Thickness
If you want a board that is going to take a beating and still last a lifetime, Wild Wood also designs some of our wood carving boards to be extra thick. This allows you to use full force cutting action, as you might with a meat cleaver, without worrying about damaging your board or benchtop. They are similar in style to the “butcher’s blocks” used by local butchers in the 1900s. And they look superb!
Conclusion: What is the best cutting board for meat?
The best cutting board for meat is one that is:
- made of quality hardwood
- water-resistant with antibacterial qualities
- large enough for any type of meat or roast
- includes features like drip channels and wooden spikes
- designed to last a long time
- easily washable in soapy water
- looks aesthetically pleasing with rich grains
All of our Wild Wood carving boards are designed with these features in mind. We have a great range that provides options for any homeowner. But two boards stand out in particular as being the best wood carving boards for meat:
Mudgee Carving Board
If you are looking for a wood cutting board filled with features, you cannot look past the Mudgee Carving Board. This wood carving board has been purposely designed to be a meat lovers’ best friend. It includes the field of carving spikes to hold your roast in place while you carve. Plus, the wide channel around the board captures all the juices from your meat. If you want to carve and clean up with ease, the Mudgee Carving Board is an outstanding option that will last for many years.
Franklin Large Thick End Grain Cutting, Chopping and Carving Board
All of our Wild Wood boards are designed for longevity. However if you also want a wood carving board that’s going to take a beating and last a lifetime, you can’t beat the Franklin butchers block style. It is designed to be extra thick and is a great option for people using heavy implements like cleavers. The Franklin was designed after the “butcher’s blocks” used by local butchers in the 1900s. It is a thing of beauty.
In direct regard to cutting and serving food on wooden boards, the following questions have been answered with facts that have been scientifically proven.
Is it safe to use food on wood surfaces?
The Australia New Zealand Food Authority, the USDA and FDA all allow and recommend wooden boards made of hardwood, to be used in food preparation and serving. Therefore food can be prepared and presented safely on wood surfaces, whilst plastic cutting surfaces have been scientifically found to have disadvantages.
What is the most food safe wood to use for a chopping board?
Cutting boards made of close grained hardwood (such as Acacia wood which is used to manufacture Wild Wood boards) and are the best boards to use. Bacteria found on these wooden boards do not multiply, and gradually die making it safe for kitchen use. Plastic & glass boards are inferior in this respect as they allow bacteria to remain and spread.
Diving deeper into food virology with Professor Dean O. Cliver
In the 1990’s research specifically relating to wooden boards and their health or otherwise was conducted by Professor Dean O. Cliver, a world-renowned expert in food virology. Cliver held a Master of Science and a PhD, was a professor at the University of Wisconsin for 28 years before joining the University of California (Davis) as professor emeritus of food safety for a further twelve years. He served on numerous US national and international committees, and was head of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Food Virology. Over his life he carried out ground breaking studies of pathogens and bacterial agents. Cliver was a respected and widely published member of the worldwide scientific community and had a unique gift to make science understandable to non-scientists. For this he was widely sought after by the media.
A study on food safety & wooden cutting boards
Cliver had broad interests and was involved in other areas of study during his career, one of which included a study of wood cutting boards and food safety, which led to surprising findings that garnered considerable attention. His findings can be found in a paper he wrote which ensured the USDA and FDA authorities permitted the use of wooden cutting boards for preparation and serving of food.
Broadly speaking, and in summary, Professor Clive’s scientific findings were as follows:
- Wooden cutting boards ‘seemed to pull’ the bacteria down beneath the surface of the cutting board, where they didn’t multiply and eventually died off. The bacteria never reappeared on the surface, even after it had been sliced with a sharp blade.
- Disease bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied. Used wooden boards acted the same as new boards, even though they were knife-scarred.
- Use of wooden cutting boards in home kitchens were less than HALF as likely to contract Salmonella as plastic or glass cutting boards.
- Wooden cutting boards ARE NOT a hazard to human health, but plastic cutting boards may be…
- Manual cleaning of the wooden boards was used in all the experiments. Where the boards were cleaned with a sponge, hot tap water and liquid detergent.
It is clear that wooden boards are quite safe to use in any environment, and are acceptable to the Australian Health Authorities.
High-quality cutting, chopping & serving boards handcrafted using sustainable acacia and reclaimed wood. Designed and developed by us here in Australia.
