This story originally appeared at Do You Remember by Lauren Stewart.

Do you have a pull-out cutting board at home? Do you love it because you can store it easily and pull it out when you need extra cutting space? It actually isn’t meant to be used as a cutting board. The real reason might surprise you! Can you guess what the purpose was actually for?

Those pull-out cutting boards are actually meant for breadmaking. Years ago, when many people actually baked their own bread at home, these were used as a breadboard.

It would give you more room for kneading dough and then slicing the homemade bread. As time went on, not that many people make fresh bread at home. So, instead of getting rid of this product entirely, it took on a new purpose.

How to Care for Your Cutting Board

If you have one of these in your kitchen, it is important to know how to take care of it. If you have had your cutting boards for a while and they are looking a little rough, sprinkle them with baking soda or kosher salt. Then rub them down with a cut piece of lemon. Lastly, wipe the cutting board down with cutting board oil. It will help preserve your cutting boards for many years and keep it free of warps and cracks.

Reconsider using an old wooden cutting board for slicing meat. It is much more sanitary to cut meat on a separate plastic cutting board that is more easily wash and sanitized. If you do use your wooden cutting board for meat or use it often, wash it and then let dry completely before closing it back up. Dampness on wooden cutting boards can not only cause bacteria to grow but it can warp the original wood.

The Best Kind to Get

However, if you are lucky enough to score a pull-out cutting board that is made of maple, those are actually anti-microbial and resistant to knife scarring naturally. So, if you need a new cutting board and love these wooden ones, look for a maple version.

Did you know that pull-out wooden cutting boards were originally for breadmaking? What do you use yours for? Do you have one that you use or do you like the plastic versions better?

If you want to learn how to make bread now, check out the video below for some tips and a recipe! It might be fun to use your pull-out cutting board for its original use from back in the day.

If you enjoyed this article, please SHARE with your friends who still have these cool pull-out cutting boards!

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