Edible plates and utensils?

[Icepack]

Came across a website advertising plates and things made from cornstarch and other organic materials. Has anyone used these things? I don't have prices yet, but am just wondering if this is a cool way to go or a waste of time and money.

[bushonk]

I dunno about cornstarch... it'd probably work fine as long as you're not using them for soups and booze... I've used pasta forks before, which were great. And if you ever get really poor, the store didn't seem to mind if you grabbed enough to have fork alfredo...

[precipitate]

I remember seeing a link to those before last year's event, I believe. But
they weren't available retail.

Sure, they're gonna be way better than plastic in terms of disposal and
environmental friendliness. Better than bringing non-disposable utensils
and washing them, though? Probably not. But more convenient.

I think they're just biodegradable though, not edible. You wouldn't want to
eat those new packing peanuts made of cornstarch and I'm pretty sure
this is close to the same substance.

[Alexiis]

But,could you burn 'em as a way of disposal?
<This is assuming you don't want to A.wash dishes or B. are just plain lazy>

[Icepack]

But,could you burn 'em as a way of disposal?
<This is assuming you don't want to A.wash dishes or B. are just plain lazy>

I was thinking that too.. burning them with the rest of the burnable trash. Washing dishes uses water, and water is scarce when you don't have a large vehicle. When you are driving from the east coast, you have to think about gas mileage and miles being put on the vehicle so we're not driving a U=Haul out there. So something that could be burned or consumed would be better than something that needs to be packed away and brought to the transfer station or carried all the way back home.

[precipitate]

Yeah, you could burn them.

I'm reluctant to suggest burning as a disposal mechanism to people
because, since the advent of the community burn platform with spiffy
elevation-from-playa features, I see lots of folks on Sunday and Monday
dumping massive amounts of minimally-sorted garbage onto a slowly
smoldering pile.

But burning them in a nice hot fire, and taking home the ashes, should be
just fine.

[robotland]

Save those stale tortillas! And don't forget the original edible container, pita bread......A failed experiment of mine involved making a biodegradeable cafeteria tray by pressing corn tortilla mixture between two army-surplus compartmented steel mess trays- I'm inclined to believe that the failure was in the recipe, and will try again eventually......(maybe adding thin celery strands- voila, Fibercorn! Alert patent office, please.....)

[diane o'thirst]

Yeah, what the man said

Tortillas (made fresh daily — bring a 5# sack of flour and make 'em onsite — takes 15-20 minutes start to finish, no yeast required and you can make 'em in a frying pan), slightly thicker tortillas called "trenchers," pita bread, naan, those all work great. Sourdough bread bowls if you want to get really adventurous (and decadent).

Eat Ethiopian style, single common dish and everyone dips into it with flatbread pieces.

[Bob]

Came across a website advertising plates and things made from cornstarch and other organic materials. ....

ITYM "toast".

Take one loaf of "bread".

Distribute on car hood.

Flip until done.

[theCryptofishist]

We got a whole bunch of those at the office which opened all sorts of questions for me.
Apperently, they do make something tough enough for a soup spoon, cause we got those as well as the ones that will dissolve in hot water.
Okay, okay this is San Francisco, so we do have compost pick ups by the local trash company (we don't have bins in our office yet though) but I gotta wonder. Most of the functions I've attended are heavy on sugar, fat and meat--stuff I wouldn't throw in my heap.
We also have cornstarch ball point pens. I'm waiting for one to run out of ink so I can test it in my compost heap. Good novelty value though.

[dragonfly Jafe]

I think they're just biodegradable though, not edible. You wouldn't want to eat those new packing peanuts made of cornstarch and I'm pretty sure this is close to the same substance.

Hey - speak for yourself! I used to have a bowl of those things on my desk for when I wanted to gross people out. I've eaten several dozen with no obvious ill effects. They taste like crap, but the price is right!

But then again, I'm a professional! Don't try this at home... regards, Jafe