This is by far the most common question I get. People may have a wooden spoon at home but wooden kitchen utensils like ladles, spatulas, cups, not so much. So they are curious about how you can use them, and if it is safe to use them.

The simple answer is YES, you can definitely cook with wooden utensils. Actually they are often far safer to cook with than other types of utensils. Wooden utensils don't blister or crack like plastic or as hard as metal so they don't scratch non stick pans or cast iron pots. So if you are using one of our wooden spatulas it is safe in your pots and pans.

But is it safe re bacteria and germs? Yes, wooden utensils are safe, especially Teak wood, which is a very hard and dense wood with strong anti bacterial properties. Washing after use gets rid of any surface bacteria, and the anti bacterial properties kill anything that may go into the wood. But oiling your wooden utensil is important, it helps prevent the utensil drying out and cracking which does cause problems.

Wooden utensils are also heat safe, they do not transmit heat so if you leave your wooden spoon or wooden spatula in a hot dish, no heat travels up the handle and burns your hand.

Wooden kitchen utensils are not for everything in your kitchen, but they are definitely safe to use and yes, you can cook with them. Like some friends of mine who work with women who are victims of domestic violence, teaching them to cook and make chutneys and other condiments. They use our large wooden spurtles time after time after time.