NESTABLE AND STACKABLE SET OF TABLE UTENSILS

Nestable, stackable cutlery is shown according to the teachings of the present invention in the form of spoons (12), forks (14), and knives (16). The cutlery (10) includes handle portions (18s, 18f, 18k), of generally identical construction, and food operational and engagement portions (20, 40, 42). The handle portions (18s, 18f, 18k) in the preferred embodiment have a U-shaped cross section allowing the outside surface of a first piece (12) of cutlery (10) to be received within the inside surface of a second piece (14) of cutlery (10). The cutlery further includes nesting and stacking lugs (30) for supporting the handle portion (18f) of the second piece (14) of cutlery (10) along its entire length on the handle portion (18s) of the first piece (12) of cutlery (10). In their most preferred form, the lugs (30) include an inverse tapered inner surface for holding onto a punch of an injection mold during fabrication. In the preferred embodiment, the food operational and engagement portions (20, 40, 42) of the cutlery (10) have unique constructions allowing the food operational and engagement portions to lie within a single overall outline, and in the most preferred form, to lie generally within the outline of the bowl portion (20) of the spoon (12) when a spoon (12), a fork (14), and a knife (16) are stacked and nested together.