This summer our family got to test drive palm leaf plates courtesy of Marx Foods. Handsome, natural serving vessels,
“these environmentally friendly rectangular palm plates are made from a natural, renewable, and biodegradable raw material. Naturally discarded sheaths of the leaves of the Adaka palm tree, which in the course of its biological life cycle, dry, fall and regenerate, are collected. No trees are cut down. The palm sheaths are then cleaned in fresh spring water and molded into bowls.
Palm leaf plates are leak proof and able to withstand hot and cold temperatures without getting soggy or flimsy.”
I was amazed when I read about how these are made. I never would have thought to do it, but it’s like Robinson Crusoe goes Food Network. They are nice to look at and claim to be more eco-friendly than standard paper serving ware.
We used these for a picnic this summer, complete with macaroni salad and bbq sauce. I was impressed that these plates really did hold up to the task. The area where I placed the BBQ sauce was softer than elsewhere on the plate, but it didn’t disintegrate. A regular paper plate probably would not have fared so well.
The size I chose, however, was not ideal. Though I liked the rectangular shape, the plate just wasn’t as big as I would have liked. We also tried some small round ones, but they were more of a dessert size. The smaller size might have been good for kid lunches, but not the best choice for a buffet picnic where you want some room for a little of everything.
The price is a little steep. Though these are an eco-friendly product, they aren’t too kind to the wallet. However, for a special outdoor occasion when you want a disposable product, but want to step it up a bit, these are a nice choice.
Have you ever tried palm leaf plates? What did you think?
