Plastic cutting boards are extremely popular because of their cost. But with all things, when there is a substantial cost savings there is usually a compromise we make in the product.
Plastic Cutting Boards
Cutting boards are no different. Plastic cutting boards may be affordable up front but you will actually end up spending more in the long run. Heres how-
With plastic cutting boards you need several different ones to accommodate all types of food. Vegetables and raw meats cannot be combined on the same board. Cross contamination of bacterias from raw meat is major health hazard in any cooking environment- commercialized kitchens and even home kitchens.
Plastic cutting boards require the use of harsh chemicals to sanitize and disinfect. No one wants to eat vegetables off a board that had bleach on it!
Additionally, plastic cutting boards do not last as long compared to their wooden cutting board counterparts. Plastic boards will chip and break down over time under normal use. Faster with heavier use. Did you know that plastic can chip out and even get into your food?! Crazy!
So, why are wood cutting boards a better choice? And how do they perform better than a non porous surface like plastic?
All great questions! Lets cover some of the benefits to a wood cutting board.
Benefits of Wood Cutting Boards
Wood cutting boards will naturally repel liquids as the wood tries to maintain a more natural state. Once your board is “acclimated” to your home, otherwise known as a “seasoned” board, it will do its best to repel humidity, liquid, and moisture. Some woods like teak and spruce even have anti-microbial properties that can eliminate food-borne bacterias. BAM!
When a wood cutting board is saturated and seasoned with proper oiling techniques and procedures, the oil will help push the water and liquids from the food prepping out. All on its own. The key here is proper maintenance of your wood cutting board. If your board begins to dry out it will try to pull in liquids from your food prep. This can still be taken care of- don’t throw your wood cutting board to the fire yet!
After a period of time and with routine maintenance, you will actually start to notice that your board has a waxy feel to it and you will see the wood cutting board bead up and roll water right off. We have even performed various tests on different boards and have seen wood cutting boards able to repel stains from strawberries! How cool is that?
Wood cutting boards are self healing, unlike manufactured plastics or resin materials. End grain boards or “butcher blocks” will naturally heal themselves after each and every use as the natural properties of oil try and “swell” the wood back to normal.
Granted, if your board is dry or if you clean it under water often, you will see your board soak in the liquids from whatever you’re cutting on it. Not good! We will cover how to properly keep and maintain your cutting board for it to maintain all of these great qualities in another article.
Lets recap:
Plastic Cutting Boards
- Warp and break down over time
- Chip small pieces of plastic into your food
- Need multiple boards for various food prepping
- Need harsh chemicals for disinfecting
Wood Cutting Boards
- Naturally repel liquids from various food prepping tasks
- Maintain flatness with proper care and routine maintenance
- Are self healing, especially the butcher block style cutting boards
- Will “warm up” and gain character with each use
- Do not chip pieces into your food
Oh and also, Jackie Chan didn’t use plastic cutting boards to chop through, he knew the coolest ninjas used wood cutting boards. So be like Jackie Chan and only use a wooden cutting board! Your food and your kitchen knives will thank you for it!