Why You Should Add a Chopping Bowl to your Kitchenware

Outfitting a kitchen with the right equipment and appliances is an investment. Look for the equipment you want and shop around for quality and price before making your choice. 

If you love your salads and getting all the different fruits and vegetables nicely chopped up, a chopping bowl will be a necessary piece of equipment in your kitchen.  You need to add a chopping bowl, and if you love salads you want to be sure you have such a bowl in your kitchen. 

Make Sure Your Chopping Bowl is Large Enough

Making a salad requires you combining several ingredients together and then a good salad bowl should be large enough to comfortably accommodate all these salad additions and for you to also work within the wooden bowl, cutting and chopping onions, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, carrots, garlic, and cheese. 

All Recipes that ask for Diced Foods

Chopping up your salad pieces is important if you want it to look nice, and of course, it makes it that much easier to eat as well. It pays to have a decent chopping bowl because there is always going to be a recipe that is going to ask for diced or julienned carrots, potatoes or something else. 

If you’re thinking that a chopping bowl makes it awkward to cut up salad ingredients, then don’t despair, because a seesaw knife or mezzaluna, a half-moon-shaped knife is ideal, ensuring you have room in the bowl to cut your salad with ease. 

Sweet Cherries in a Cherry Salad Bowl

The blades are super sharp too and you can make quick work with chopping up salad ingredients, cheese, and meat. With seesaw knives, you can chop or dice as you like. There are some fruits and vegetables that just look more appealing in a wooden bowl and it’s cherries. 

Of course, when it’s cherry season, you have to know what to do with all those cherries, and there are lots of cherry salads and other recipes to use the small red berries. 

You’ll love a fresh cherry salad and a cherry salad bowl in different sizes will complement the salad further. 

Handmade Wood Bowls Beautiful and Functional

There are people who make handmade wooden bowls and there is a huge demand for them. People who make these wooden mixing bowls know that they have to be good to look at but also functional.  They even make hand-carved wood salad servers to go with them, and the combo makes great gifts. 

The people who make these wooden bowls and fancy wooden cutting boards can take orders for you if you find them at a flea market for instance, and they can make personalized wood bowls for you. They make them in different shapes and sizes, knowing exactly which woods to use to ensure longevity. These people take wood from trees that are damaged and dying and make use of the wood to turn it into a functional item in the kitchen. 

All-Size Wooden Bowls

If you’re a large family you may want one of the bigger wooden chopping bowls. You’ll find that you can choose a 6” wooden chopping bowl or a 20” one and lots of different sizes in between. 

Wooden bowl experts say that the 15-inch wood chopping bowl is the most popular of them all. There are many excellent wooden bowls for cutting fruits and vegetables for instance and they are always made of the highest quality wood and then steamed to prevent them from cracking and splitting. 

Many people have looked after their particular wooden chopping bowls over the decades and have maintained them well, adhering to all the rules for hygiene and longevity. These antique wooden chopping bowls are then passed down to the next generation where the trend is continued. But are they a healthy or hygienic type of cutting bowl? Isn’t there a better material to use than wood? 

Are wooden chopping bowls microwaveable?

No, it’s not a good idea. It’s a bit of a pity because everyone knows how fast a microwave can cook, saving you a lot of time. Then again, these wooden bowls can spare you a lot of doubt over health issues. Even though just about every home has a microwave oven in it and the fact that people say they are safe, many people aren’t so sure and they have lingering doubt as to their safety, believing they take all the nutrients out of your food. So these wooden bowls can spare you that anxiety as they aren’t suited to microwave cooking. 

You no doubt bought your wooden chopping bowl because it looks so darn good. It works well and the bonus part is that it’s a kitchen item that is versatile. Putting it into the microwave however will just put it on the road to looking shabby, to warping and to showing signs of cracking. 

Any wooden bowl requires seasoning if you want to be able to use it for a long time. Seasoning a wooden chopping bowl provides it with a protective layer that keeps moisture and heat at bay. There are wooden bowl conditioners that work to preserve your chopping bowl.

Not only are these wooden bowls not microwave safe, they aren’t dishwasher safe either. Yes, you can put the bowl into the dishwasher but you have to be prepared for your bowl to warp. The hot water and detergents are designed to sterilize and remove all hard food remains off plates and bowls and this will just contribute to your wooden bowl’s demise. 

The best way is to wash it gently with warm, soapy water and to dry it off thoroughly.  The truth is, wooden bowls don’t fare well with heat 

What is the best salad bowl?

If you’ve set your heart on wooden salad bowls, they’re a good choice – good to look at and robust. There are many kinds of wooden salad bowls but you want one that is safe and that has the right staining processes. 

You may love your varnished wooden salad bowl to use for some occasions. These wooden salad bowls might be pre-finished which means it is varnished all over. This makes the bowl waterproof and it keeps the bowl looking good and more hygienic. You can season the bowl further by rubbing in oils such as mineral oil or walnut oil into the wood to stop it from cracking as it dries out from general wear and tear. A good bowl can last indefinitely – if it’s well cared for and maintained regularly. 

Manufacturers make wooden bowls today to last a long time and the materials and techniques used in the manufacturing of these wooden salad bowls contribute to the durability of the product. 

The salad bowls are made from a single piece of wood or made out of wood segments which are then glued together in layers. The best wooden bowls are made from hardwoods that come from broad-leafed trees. 

Maple Wood a Good Choice for Wooden Bowls

You can always type in the words ‘best wooden salad bowls for 2019’ and a whole lot of wooden salad bowls will come up for you to review and help you towards making a decision. 

A maple bowl is a good choice, and in fact, there are quite a few good types of wood to use for wood bowl manufacturing. Each of the different woods is unique and they come with different textures and colors. 

When you start shopping for wooden chopping bowls you’ll see a variety of wood bowls in different colors and these are showing off the different tree-types and their wood. Apart from maple, other woods are oak, walnut, cherry, and beech. There are some woods that are totally unsuitable for kitchenware. There are some manufacturers that are so confident with the robustness of their wooden bowls, they’ll offer a lifetime warranty on them. 

Plastic

Plastic salad bowls are very attractive in all their color varieties and they last long. They don’t have to oiled like the wood ones and they are also safe to use in the dishwasher or microwave.  You get the clear plastic bowls with lids that look like glass and they are elegant and attractive to use for any kind of event.

Stainless Steel

Other people prefer their stainless steel salad bowls. When you do research, you see that you can get an entire chopping bowl set in stainless steel.  They’re also a good choice as the bowls are light in weight and durable. They’re strong and you’ll have your bowl for years to come. They’re elegant, but while they’re super to use in the kitchen, many people don’t like to take them to a ‘bring and barbecue’ because they look similar to dog bowls these days.

However, they’re multi-purpose and hygienic as they require no special treatment except a good wash in hot, soapy water after use. However, one drawback is that they’re not good for microwave usage as stainless steel isn’t the best conductor of heat. 

How do you care for a wooden chopping bowl?

You may have used your wooden chopping bowl for years and even added in salad dressings while your salad was still in the bowl. Now you’re wondering how to care for it and maybe get it back to looking like new. Salad bowls can deteriorate with all the different oils and juices but there are ways to diminish the look of old age with your wooden bowls.

Your wooden chopping bowls need to be kept clean and then a good scrub with some warm, soapy water will do the trick. You don’t want to soak your wooden bowls but to quickly wash them and dry them off. Soaking for a long time causes them to warp and crack.

There are some people who use a weak bleach solution to clean their boards after they’ve used them for cutting up raw meat and chicken. They’re afraid of bacterial contamination. If you’re constantly working with raw meat, you will be washing your wooden bowls and boards more often, so it becomes important to oil your wooden cutting bowls to prevent them from drying out and cracking and warping.

You can take a paper towel and apply the appropriate oil, leaving it to stand like that with the oil for about 15 minutes. Wipe off any excess oil and wash gently in warm water with soap.

What is the Best Oil for wooden bowls?

There are quite a few oils which are looked upon as fine for using on your wooden bowls. Some of these oils are coconut oil and mineral oil. Apart from these oils, carnauba and beeswax can also be used.

Mineral Oil

Mineral Oil or liquid paraffin is non-toxic and its properties prevent water absorption. This is a popular oil choice for wooden bowls. It’s the white mineral oil that is considered safe as they have been somewhat refined. You need to regularly apply this mineral oil if you want to prevent your cutting boards from becoming dry and brittle.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is also a popular choice. Some coconut oils are refined or steam distilled.  During the distillation process, the soil is separated so that the long-chain triglycerides are removed and the medium-chain triglycerides remain. This pure coconut oil doesn’t apparently go rancid and is superior to most other oils for treating salad bowls and cutting boards.

Can you eat out of a wooden bowl?

Some people say you can’t eat out of a wooden bowl but when you ask them why they don’t seem to have an answer. We all know that some of the first eating utensils ever made were made out of wood. People have been eating out of wooden bowels for centuries, and there are still countries where the tradition is continued.

Look at Tibet for instance. The country is known for their old cultures, and even though they are now using more porcelain bowls, their Tibetan wooden bowls still play an important role in their culture and way of life. The wooden bowls have an integral role in ceremonies and cultural events and are still used to drink buttered tea from.

If you visit Tibet you will be amazed and enthralled with the different kinds of wooden bowls there are. Some wooden bowls are small, used for drinking and eating and carrying around but there are others that are large and deep and in a host of wonderful ethnic colors.

Raw Wood is Now Treated

Of course, in these modern times, the raw wood is treated with a food-safe sealer.  But then again, even if you don’t seal your wooden bowl you can still use them the way you like. The wooden bowls for sale can be bought at any homeware stores or they can be bought online.

Are wooden plates/bowls hygienic?

If you wash your wooden bowls thoroughly in warm water and soap, they should be ok. You just have to bear in mind that wood is naturally permeable because of its porous nature. Bacterial can move into the very grain of the wood and there is a bit of a health safety issue. 

In the food industry, good hygiene is imperative so as to prevent food poisoning. We’ve already suggested that some woods are fine for food preparation, and sophisticated countries such as Denmark use wood in their commercial kitchens.  Denmark’s food safety authority – Fødevarestyrelsen – allows for the use of wooden products made from beech, ash, oak, and pine without risk. 

They just want to know that the surfaces that come into contact with food must be smooth and washable. Woodwork must be of a satisfactory hygienic standard and cleaned and disinfected regularly. 

You will notice when you do research, that different studies arrive at different answers when answering the question as to whether wooden bowls are hygienic. A lot of research has been done on this issue, and there appears to be no easy answer. Wash wood thoroughly after use is the only way to ensure hygiene practices. 

Some wooden bowl experts say that to sanitize wooden bowls, you need to control bacteria growth with some white vinegar. They say you simply mix 1 part white vinegar with 5 parts water, wet the wooden bowl and then allow the solution to work for several minutes. You can then rinse the bowl with warm water, pat it dry and then allow it to air dry.

Can you put hot food in wooden bowls?

Yes, wooden bowls, more so those ones that have been treated, aren’t just for salads. You can serve anything you want to. The bowls look good and they’re good for all kinds of usage. 

For many people, eating is one of life’s great pleasures, and more so when the food is well presented. It is important to not only serve the best looking cuisine possible but to ensure it looks- and is healthy, flavorful and attractive. These wooden bowls certainly enhance the way food is presented. This wooden kitchenware will serve you for all kinds of cooking and for all kinds of occasions. 

Even with a Thanksgiving table where roasted turkey or chicken is inevitable, these wooden bowls can serve up your hot potatoes.

Can you serve food on wood?

When you do research on the serving of food on wood, you find that there are conflicting opinions. It’s all about hygiene and cleanliness because glass can cause problems too if not washed properly in a restaurant kitchen. 

In recent years, many of the best restaurants around the world use wood to serve some of their food choices. In the United Kingdom, according to the Food Standards Agency, there is no strong evidence that stipulates that wooden boards or bowls aren’t as hygienic as other kinds of serveware if they are properly cleaned. 

As with any food-venue, high standards of food safety must be adhered to because heavy fines are waiting for restaurants where people complain of becoming sick after a meal to later discover the restaurant didn’t comply with food-safety standards.

Huge fines for Unhygienic Practices

In fact, fairly recently, the Ibrahim’s Grill and Steak House in Birmingham was fined and amount of £50,000 for breaches of food hygiene regulations. An Environmental Health Officer visited the premises to discover that is wasn’t just wooden equipment but that the premises were dirty and that in all likelihood the food was being served on wooden plates that hadn’t been properly cleaned. 

The owners have also been warned about food hygiene regulations which isn’t about wooden plates essentially but about dirty surroundings and equipment in general. 

Jeopardizing the health of customers means any restaurant facing a huge fine and their eatery receiving bad reviews from customers for breaching food standards. 

Serving food on wood is an attractive way to present food, especially for those restaurants that want to provide their customers with a more rustic, traditional appeal. 

If the wooden boards or bowls are cleaned correctly, there should never be a problem. Wooden boards, serving platters, and bowls should be smooth and without grooves which allow bacteria to accumulate. Cracked and damaged wooden equipment should be immediately replaced. 

Can you cut meat in a wood chopping bowl?

Yes, you can – on wooden boards and wooden chopping bowls where the wood is treated and is smooth. Wood has been used for centuries and has always had direct contact with food. 

The first people made their first cooking equipment from wood and farmers use wood to pack their fruit and vegetables. Also, in the winemaking industry, wooden boards and even barrels have been indispensable with the production of wine. 

In fact, when you do research, you see that there are many many examples where wood is used. There are objections to the use of wood when it comes in direct contact with food because it’s looked upon as being less hygienic than other kinds of materials. And yet there is no evidence to suggest that food-borne disease comes from the use of wood. It’s all about hygienic standards with food.

It’s Not Wood that’s the Issue – It’s the Unhygienic Practices

There have been many scientific studies to investigate the impact of food and wood and it always comes down to the fact that people aren’t vigilant about the potential for cross-contamination of foods as a consequence of not cleaning wooden equipment properly. 

Then again, food can be contaminated in different ways and even pose a health risk when cut and prepared on other equipment such as plastic and glass that hasn’t been washed properly. 

There have been many studies and tests conducted on wooden kitchenware and it is found in the long run that wood is suitable for direct food contact. 

In the 21^st century, with people wanting to experience some of the wonderful aspects of the past, wood represents ecological ideas that are attractive to consumers. Wood, in fact, contributes to the quality and safety of many food products. Even the Meat and Poultry Hotline says that consumers can use wooden bowls and cutting boards for cutting raw meat and poultry. 

They suggest that you use one cutting board for fresh produce and another separate one for raw meat so as to prevent bacteria on the cutting boards. You don’t for instance, want to cut up raw chicken, and then use the same cutting board to slice a piece of cheese or tomato on the same board. 

That is when you run the risk of cross-contamination – with bacteria from the chicken being transferred to your cheese and tomato. 

All wood equipment, just as with glass or plastic kitchenware, must be washed thoroughly in warm, soapy water and then patted dry immediately. Both wooden and plastic cutting boards can be sanitized with a solution of vinegar and water, as previously mentioned. Just remember that vegetarians don’t get off without a warning too and this is because fruits and vegetables also carry pathogens that are transferred to cutting boards. As you can see it is ALL about cleanliness around food preparation and cutting boards.

How hygienic are wooden chopping bowls?

Most wooden boards and wooden chopping bowls aren’t dishwasher safe, so that means you’ve got to wash them yourself and make a thorough job of it. It is of crucial importance to ensure good hygiene practices with wooden chopping bowls and any other bowls for that matter. 

The issue here isn’t the wood as such, but hygienic practices when working with food and kitchen utensils. Wooden salad bowls and wooden kitchenware are the most popular choice and becoming even more popular because they come with so many advantages. 

For starters, they always look immensely stylish and they also don’t blunt your knives as you would get with ceramic boards.

Caring for these wooden boards in the right way ensures good hygienic practices, and increases the bowl’s lifespan too. These wooden chopping bowls are so attractive and robust that they are perfectly safe for chopping salads and for serving salads too or any other food for that matter. 

When using wooden chopping bowls, you need to wash them in warm water, but at some time they require oiling to ensure their longevity. Avoid excess oil that can be absorbed into the wood and avoid allowing raw chicken or red meat to lie in blood for too long in the bowl. These bowls are best used when you get down to the job swiftly, wash them out and allow to dry. 

Continue the good Reputation of Wooden Bowls

Hygiene risks only occur when wooden chopping bowls or boards aren’t washed properly, whether using them at home or in commercial kitchens. Wood is capable of having an excellent reputation when it is looked after and washed in accordance with health and safety regulations.  Certainly, when a wooden bowl has served its time and is showing signs of cracking, then it is time to replace it, to ensure the continued good reputation of wooden bowls and boards. 

Wooden Bowls are Hygienic

Yes, wooden chopping bowls are hygienic and antibacterial. Wood is from nature – it is an organic material. The natural cellulose found in wood destroys bacteria on the surface of the bowl but also the bacteria which might have become embedded within its fibers. 

People who know hardwoods well will tell you that beautiful woods such as birch, beech, and ash, for instance, resist micro-organisms and they have the ability to clean themselves too. That by no means indicates that you don’t have to still be very careful with your wooden kitchen items. They need to be maintained and thoroughly cleaned to get the best use from them. 

Summing Up:

You can see that wooden chopping bowls and boards are as popular as ever and hygienic to use in your kitchen and in restaurants. Restaurants may well have to pay fines, but it’s not because they’re making use of wooden products, it’s because they failed to comply with the cleanliness requirements so critically important when working with food. Glass, plastic, and steel can all cause people to become sick if they too aren’t washed properly.

Following all the recommended steps for washing your wooden bowl and maintaining it will ensure you have your wooden bowl for a long time, and sometimes even for life.

If you have a beautiful wooden bowl, you’ll want to re-season it from time to time as this can help to preserve your bowl and keep it looking good year after year. The point of having a wooden chopping bowl isn’t to be concerned about it being hygienic any more than other materials. Whenever you work with food, whether you have a wooden bowl or a plastic one, the secret lies not in the material but the way you practice cleanliness and hygiene in your kitchen.