Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) an eating utensil.

1927		P.A. Rollins Jinglebob 180: Also we stocks up with grub, eatin’ tools, cookin’ ware, an’ blankets [HDAS].
1956		(con. 1940s) J. Resko Reprieve 76: The hacks don’t wan nobody sneakin the eatin tools outa the mess hall.
1966		in DARE.