Quality Kitchen Knives (how to buy and use them)

To cook your own simple recipes from scratch is peaceful politics in action (so you are not slave to the ready-made meal industry!) So you’ll need a few good knives, and know how to keep them sharp.

Joseph Joseph offers good knife sets. They cost around £100 a set, but should last for life, as they include easy-to-use sharpening tools. Many have weighted handles and tool rests (to prevent the knife heads touching surfaces, so they stay sharper for longer). And they include safety blocks.

Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets (many foods are unsafe near animal friends). Bin allium scraps (onion, leeks, garlic, shallots, chives) and citrus/tomato/rhubarb scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures. It’s okay to put them in food waste bins (made into biogas).

For tinned foods, fully remove lids (put inside) or pop ring-pulls back over holes (and pinch top opening closed) before recycling, to avoid wildlife getting trapped.

You only really need three basic knives, for plant-based cooking:

• A chef’s knife for chopping hard vegetables
• A paring knife for peeling vegetables
• A serrated knife for cutting bread, tomatoes & peppers

Safety Tips for Using Kitchen Knives

• Keep knives away from children and pets.
• Choose brands with forged handles (and covers, or use a knife block).
• Keep knives sharp (never try to catch a falling knife).
• Don’t carry knives in pockets (or play with knives).
• Keep blades pointed away when washing knives (don’t put in the dishwasher). If you need to soak them, do so in a clear vase.
• Carry knives, with blades pointing downward (don’t leave on counters).
• Chop cantaloupe melon on a separate board (and store like meat, due to slight risk of salmonella poisoning).

The range from Joseph Joseph includes:

• Knife sets (with silicone heat-resistant spoons) in storage trays.
• Locked knife blocks require adult-sized hands to operate the release button (you can’t just ‘pull knives out’ as it increases grip). This blocks also have smooth rubber insides, to protect the blades.
• Knives with chopping boards (different colours for different food) for an all-in-one chopping station. With knife-friendly textured surfaces.
• Knives with integrated ceramic sharpeners, to sharpen just before use. There are also knife sharpeners, that collapse to store in drawers.

Other Good Quality Kitchen Knives

• Ocean Plastic Chef & Paring Knives have handles made from naturally-coloured recycled broken fishing boxes, recovered on Isle of Skye, created by a deep-sea salvage diver.
• Easi-Grip knives are designed for people with arthritis, with angled handles less likely to twist when wet. They have non-slip grips, so you don’t need to close your hand as much.
• Foost Knife is for child chefs, made from stainless steel and a food-grade coating. It has a bright yellow blade to cut foot, not fingers of little helpers. Sold in two age ranges.

Allday Goods (knives with plastic waste handles)

Allday Goods is a unique company that makes quality kitchen knives, with the handles made from waste plastic, to use up litter. Made from quality carbon steel, there are age restrictions for buying knives online. Sold at affordable prices, each knife has a care guide inside the box (you can buy sharpening stones on the site, please don’t buy the leather straps, as they come from animals).

These are quality knives created by a chef (not just ‘sticking a plastic handle’ on a blade, they need to be properly forged). Buy individual knives, or whole knife sets. You only really need three basic knives, for plant-based cooking:

• A chef’s knife for chopping hard vegetables
• A paring knife for peeling vegetables
• A serrated knife for cutting bread, tomatoes & peppers

Butter knives made from plastic waste too!

Smidge (a chopping board from salvaged paper)

Smidge is a chopping board made from salvaged paper (and 5% food-grade resin) combining the anti-bacterial properties of wood and plastic, but easy to clean and won’t blunt your knives. The draining grooves prevent countertop mess. Sold in three sizes.

After use, wash in warm soapy water, rinse and well air-dry in an upright position. Use a biodegradable sanitiser spray if wished.