The Chop-Pick

I assume that your office is somewhat similar to mine at lunch time: if you need some accoutrement, like a packet of mustard or a spoon, you can never find what you need, but there are 7,000 other things like knives or packets of Taco Bell sauce.

In my office, it's forks. We have spoons and straws and mustard and toothpicks and small paper plates and soy sauce... but no forks. I tried using straws as chop sticks, but they are weak and slippery. I would sometimes use a toothpick to stab my lunch, but that doesn't work for noodles and I get food all over my fingers.

So the other day, I developed the Chop-Pick. Here's what you'll need:

Two straws and a toothpick with a square center


Squeeze down one end of the straw


Insert the squished end of the straw into the second straw and tamp it down until it is completley in the second straw


Poke the toothpick into the straw at a slight angle... I'm guessing this is about 15 degrees off plumb.


Shove it through 33% of the length


It's great for picking up both small and large chunks of food. The double straw gives amazing strength to the handle.



I assume it is good with noodles as you can twirl the straw and wrap them around the two tines.

And after you are done, it's great for picking the food out of those hard to reach places in your mouth!