Oh, the guilt of doing a tasting in the supermarket. I’m not talking about the calories. I’m talking about the little plastic cup and the little plastic spoon. They spend two seconds in your hands and then go straight into the garbage can to spend an eternity in the landfill.

 

One company, EcoTensil Inc., is looking to help put an end to what it’s calling “one-taste waste.” EcoTensil manufacturers compact disposable tasting spoons made from sturdy, slick, paperboard. The spoons are 100 percent recyclable, biodegradable and sustainable.

 

I was sent samples of the full size EcoTensil and the smaller EcoTaster to try out. I used them on applesauce, oatmeal, yogurt and vegetarian chili. As one-time-use spoons, they work just fine for foods that are not solid. They would also work well for bite-sized foods that have already been cut up and placed on the spoon for a tasting.

 

The aim of EcoTensil Inc. is to reduce the waste of billions of plastic spoons each year. According to the research they sent me, 14 to 18 billion plastic spoons are created every year. They aren’t recyclable and are rarely reused. They end up in landfills, beaches, and oceans releasing toxins into the ground and our food chain.