A Luxury We Enjoy Three Times a Day
As I’ve studied homemaking over the years, this instruction has come up repeatedly: buy the highest-quality mattress and bed sheets you can afford, because you spend a third of your life in bed. A good mattress and well-made sheets will offer you comfort and support every single day of your life.
I have come to realize the same holds true for our eating utensils. Generally speaking, we use flatware THREE TIMES A DAY! We touch it with our hands, bring it to our lips, offer it as a part of our hospitality to family and guests, three times daily. It supports our daily experience of eating and enjoying mealtimes, even if we don’t pay much attention to it. While it may at first seem trivial to be discussing such things as teaspoons and dinner forks, it’s for this reason of constant use that we homemakers should take a few moments to give the quality of our flatware some serious consideration.
It may surprise you, but the first thing we must address is health. Not all flatware metals and finishes are safe to use on a daily basis. Flatware can release toxins when metal ions dissolve and move into the food or liquid with which they come into contact. Factors such as acidity of food, temperature, length of contact, and type of metal all come into play. Some metals are essential to our health in small amounts. However, many are toxic in even low concentrations, and others can accumulate unnoticed in the body over chronic exposure, leading to long-term health effects such as fatigue, muscle cramping, and neurological issues.
Recent reading on this subject made me take an honest look at my own utensil drawer. Jonathan and I started our marriage with mostly hand-me-down kitchen items from parents and grandparents, flatware included. Several years into our marriage, I was thrilled to find an affordable set of vintage SILVERWARE at a flea market, which we polished and proceeded to use daily, enjoying the soft glow of the patina.
The next “upgrade” was a set of vintage gold flatware I was thrilled to find at an antique store on my birthday. I’ve loved the gold accent on our table, but recently noticed that the gold plating over the stainless steel has been wearing off (even with nearly always washing by hand). Aside from the silver show-through detracting from the appearance, I was concerned about what toxins might be ending up in our bodies, meal after meal.
Especially as I’ve been trying to heal some long-term health issues, I realized it was time to make a change – more intentionally than finding pretty flatware secondhand. I began to look online for flatware made of high-quality, toxin-free stainless steel – something that my family of eight could use daily for years, perhaps even a lifetime.
The second aspect to consider is the design of the flatware – its durability, its aesthetic, and the sensory experience of using it. These elements matter! As I’ve been considering this subject, my awareness of holding a utensil has been more heightened than usual. Eating at restaurants and a rental house on a recent family trip, I noticed that many of the utensils I encountered felt cheaply made of lightweight metal, had somewhat sharp edges, and were even marred with tiny rough spots. I was acutely aware that it was NOT a pleasure to hold and use that flatware. I was determined that the set of flatware I’d purchase next would be well-made, feel good in our hands, as well as look appealing on our table.
I’m pleased to report that my research led me to a company that features transparent quality of materials AND beautiful patterns from which to choose. I was grateful to learn that we could order sample dinner forks in patterns that we’d like to consider, so we can feel the weight and texture and see the size in person. Wanting to make sure we purchase wisely, my husband and I ordered NINE different pattern samples! We’ve been using them and comparing our opinions, so I plan to follow this post soon with a review for those who may be curious.
In the meantime, I encourage you to take a moment and evaluate your daily-use flatware. Are you comfortable with the metal composition coming into contact with your food? Is the design pleasant to your eye AND pleasant to your touch? As we homemakers cultivate healthful lifestyles and lovely homes, the details make a difference. Our flatware can be a luxury we enjoy three times a day.
