By Tn Lifestyle Desk

Copyright timesnownews

What if your spoon could double as a dessert or your straw as a crunchy snack? That is the promise of edible cutlery, an eco-friendly innovation blending sustainability with taste. Edible cutlery is revolutionising the way we think about single-use utensils. These are made from natural ingredients and are planet-friendly alternatives that are biodegradable and surprisingly tasty! And with rising concerns over plastic waste, this might just be the thing we need. Spoons, Forks, and Knives The most common edible cutlery comes in the form of spoons, forks, and even knives. They are made from flours like wheat, jowar, rice, and they are surprisingly sturdy. Spoons can handle soup, forks can twirl spaghetti, and knives, while not sharp enough to cut steak, can easily slice through some cake. To make it fun, many of these utensils are flavoured with herbs, spices, or even made of chocolate, turning your cutlery into a snack once you’re done with your meal. Straws, Cups, and Bowls Plastic straws and cups are among the biggest environmental culprits, and edible versions of the same are stepping in as clever alternatives. Straws are made of rice, pasta, or flavoured sugar, making them last long enough in a drink before becoming a crunchy treat. Edible coffee cups are often made of cookies or chocolates, hold hot liquids without leaking, like a built-in dessert with your iced latte. Bowls are made from multigrain or millet, and they add crunch and nutrition to your food, whether you are eating chaat or khichdi. Plates & The Bigger Picture Edible plates, usually made of bran, rice, or millets, are already making an appearance at eco-friendly and eco-conscious weddings and festivals all over the world. They are sturdy enough to serve a full meal and either get eaten or composted later, unlike plastic, which is thrown away and sticks around for centuries before it is decomposed. While edible cutlery is still a bit more expensive than disposable plastic ones, its environmental payoff is huge. As awareness about the environment grows, these sustainable and planet-friendly inventions might soon become mainstream and honestly? They deserve to. After all, what better way to reduce waste than to eat it?