We've all been there — you've been starving all day and finally get a minute to eat your takeout on the go, only to find that the restaurant didn't give you utensils to eat your pasta.
One Redditor has solved the problem entirely by getting a mini cutlery set to keep in the car. The simple set contains a fork, knife, and spoon with a cloth napkin.
"Love this idea … why have I never thought of it," asked one Redditor.
You can find plenty of similar sets — like this one made by Hydroflask, or if you're looking for something more budget-friendly, this bamboo set from Walmart is a great option, too.
There are even sets with chopsticks that you can take on the go!
Having silverware on hand instead of counting on disposable cutlery is convenient and more practical. Sometimes restaurants run out of plastic utensils, forget to add them, or in some places, restaurants aren't allowed to just hand them out anymore.
Los Angeles banned single-use utensils for takeout orders unless specifically requested by the customer.
Though it may be an adjustment at first, having your own cutlery on hand ensures that you'll never again have to eat spaghetti with your hands. Plus, you'll look nicer on your picnic, and you'll have a knife that can actually cut through your food.
Cutting down on plastic utensil use can help the environment immensely.
About 40 million tons of plastic are thrown away in the U.S. each year, and this plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose.
In the meantime, smaller plastic items like cutlery end up in bodies of water or left in nature — in particular, a big problem is plastic utensils left behind at campsites. These items are easily mistaken by animals and marine life as edible, and once ingested they can be fatal.
All in all, it's probably easier for you to have your own travel set of cutlery — who wants to deal with plastic utensils for the whole family on your camping trip?
Commenters on the post shared their own strategies for carrying around their reusable cutlery — "I use an old pencil box!" said one, while another wrote, "Love this idea! I have a small box of various utensils at work."
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