A common question I am asked at different xpos and shows I attend is, should I oil my wooden utensils and if yes, what oil should I use?

Definitely yes, you should oil your wooden utensils. How often depends a little on what you are cooking and how often you are using the wooden spatula or spoon or bowl. But if you are using it regularly, then I would look to oil it at least once a month.

For spoons and spatulas, I put oil on a cloth and rub it in to the utensil. I want to cover the whole of the utensil, especially the areas that are going into hot pans or pots. I don’t need a large amount of oil, I am looking to give it a light coating so that the surface of the wood has that extra layer of protection.

If it is a chopping board or bowl I use more, I will pour a little onto the board or in the bowl and then use a cloth to ensure that all the board or bowl has a good covering. Where there are cuts on the board, then I am looking to have the oil soak into the cuts to protect it.

What kind of oil should you use.

I will begin with what kind of oils you should avoid. The oils listed are ones you should avoid

• Grapeseed
• Olive Oil
• Coconut
• Avocado
• Peanut
• Macadamia nut

These oils are slow to harden, and are rich in fats that will eventually oxidize and go rancid after prolonged exposure to light and air. Or if you put them in a drawer for storage

Also be careful of oils made from nuts, walnut oil is a really good oil, but you will need to think about people with allergies to different nuts who may be affected or harmed by nut oils on the utensils.

My recommendation for oiling your wooden utensils is food safe mineral oil. I personally use this product

https://www.purenature.co.nz/products/mineral-oil-food-grade?_pos=1&_sid=a0d4af257&_ss=r

It is reasonably priced and is an excellent protective cover for the full range of wooden utensils.

Another place that sells food safe mineral oil is

https://www.carbatec.co.nz/product/38917-food-safe-plus-oil-250ml

Pure Nature also sell other  oils that you could use

https://www.purenature.co.nz/products/new-zealand-organic-cold-pressed-flaxseed-oil-culinary-nutritional

This is a linseed oil, which is a great oil for wooden utensils but you need to ensure that it is raw linseed or flaxseed oil. Avoid boiled linseed. The manufacturing process in creating boiled linseed oil renders it toxic for food contact surfaces and should not be used on your wooden utensils.

This site also sells raw linseed oil https://unclejohns.co.nz/shop/ and there are other places in NZ that do also, you can find them with a google search

The other oil I would recommend would be Fractionated Coconut Oil. Regular coconut oil will go rancid but Fractionated Coconut Oil  is virgin coconut oil that has been distilled, allowing long-chain fatty acids to separate and solidify for removal. What remains is an ultralight, odourless coconut oil that will not become rancid.

There are a range of places in NZ that sell this oil.

https://mynaturalhealth.co.nz/products/now-coconut-oil-liquid-pure-fractionated?variant=48827094597923&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=NZ+Feed&utm_content=NOW+%7C+Coconut+Oil+Liquid+Pure+Fractionated&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=All_Products&keyword=&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22035232932&gbraid=0AAAAAD2r1FFhjnrD7Peqz1hPna51xBnkc&gclid=CjwKCAjwqKzEBhANEiwAeQaPVQPSVLlfK9Y_74afd5rd8tTiqQ1Ozwqovq0pdTpGdJ3Y5xw55YfnxhoC7eAQAvD_BwE

Pure Nature also sell this oil.

https://www.purenature.co.nz/products/fractionated-coconut-oil-palm-free?srsltid=AfmBOoq6ts2nYP9XGnJuAwVLe7_iaYUI7Ez-9PLbBPAKr8dsBbBo9wl5

Hopefully this helps with choosing an oil to keep your wooden utensils in good condition.