Did you know those weird-looking cutlery in the takeaway(takeout) pack were cutlery hybrids? There’s more to cutlery than the standard eating utensils; fork, spoon, and knife. It’s most likely you may have come across them every now and then, without realizing what they’re called. That makes you “today’s years old” by discovering the proper name and it’s okay—we learn every day.

Yes, it’s true, those weird-shaped things we use to eat finger foods, in airplane meals, and seen in the packs of food from high-end catering restaurants in Lagos actually have a name. Who would have thought? Here are the four cutlery hybrids you should know.

Spork
As the name suggests, this is a hybrid of a spoon and fork. I came across the official name when I saw the movie Law Abiding Citizen many years ago and never forgot. According to history books, they have been on the scene since the late 19th century. They are mostly used in restaurants, school meals, airplane meals, people who go hiking/camping as well as in the US military and in prisons.

 

Knork
This is a hybrid of a knife and fork. The fork typically has three lines and a serrated edge which acts as the knife. These are more sturdy than a spork seeing that more pressure will be applied in using the side that has the knife.

 

Spife
Spoon plus knife equals Spife. The design of a Spife has the blade of the knife used as the handle of the spoon. This one has a weird shape compared to the rest. If you’re a fan of Food Network, you’ll probably have come across this tool. It’s one of the most used tools for cutting Kiwi fruit.

 

Splayd
This is a three-in-one utensil that functions as a spoon, knife, and fork. According to Google, the name came from the verb “to splay” which means to slope, slant, or spread outwards. Over 5 million splads have been sold over the years around the world.