I was just sitting here enjoying a cup of green tea (with a TBS of coconut oil and a TBS of honey) and thinking about disposable cups, and plates, and silverware. I was thinking about how we don't use disposables. I have a stack of pretty plates I bought from the Pickens awhile back and a bunch of coffee cups and miscellaneous silverware for our everyday needs.
Nothing matches perfectly but I have plenty of it. With 9 people at home we need lots of dishes. We would go through a ton of paper products. It is sometimes a hassle to do the dishes for this crowd. And I do use child labor to get it done, so I occasionally feel bad for the dish doer when the dishwasher is on the fritz but not bad enough to use 27 disposable plates, bowls, cups and sets of silverware each day.
When we entertain (unless it is outside in the barn, by the pond) we use real dishes. It is what I have them for. I often will use my china. CHINA?? Yes china. But don't worry, remember how frugal I am? My china is white and so whenever I see a pretty plate at a garage sale or the Pickens I buy it. I have bought over the years enough china to serve 60 or so people. Nothing cost much but it is pretty and with a nice tablecloth and some flowers for decor it looks great.
I also rarely use plastic silverware when we entertain either - I have many many miscellaneous pieces of silverware that we use. It is different than my good stuff - it is disposable if it is accidentally pitched.
It is a small way to not only be frugal but also crunchy because as I explain to my kids "we are saving the world, one plate at a time".
I am linking to the brand new blog hop Simple Lives Thursday hosted by 4 wonderful bloggers!
I am also linking to Life as Mom's Frugal Friday.
Stop back on Tuesday and Link up to Two for Tuesdays Blog Hop - a hop about Real Food!
I am constantly amazed at how many of my friends use plastic dish and silverware in their homes because they are too lazy to wash dishes...um, hello? Use real dishware, PLEASE! Great post...thank you ;)
ReplyDeleteWinnie - it is like so many things, it isn't so hard once you get into the swing of it! I love eating off real dishes - it makes everything more special. Thanks for stopping!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder Christy! I to use real dishes even when my ginormous family is eating at my home. To be honest, I can't stand paying for paper when it's just going to be thrown out, lol!! Have a great weekend and thanks for submitting this to the Simple Lives Thursday Blog Hop ;D
ReplyDeleteDiana, I don't know which came first - the unwillingness to shell out the $$ or my unwillingness use disposables because I wanted to be more "green". Ginormous families are fun!!
ReplyDeleteI really love this idea to use real dishes no matter what. I think it feels that much more home-cooked and special when even picnics are on "real" plates. I want to do what you've done and pick up dishes here and there and not be too picky about whether they match, so that I never have to be forlorn if one's broken or lost. Great tips, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful Christy...and you know what?? I actually PREFER mismatched plates, silver, cups, etc!! I love finding that one pretty dish and adding it to my stack. It shows personality, charm and yeah...you don't have to fret if one of your "set" gets broken (which is easy with kiddos around, right?)! Great post =)...makes me want to head to Goodwill today...
ReplyDeleteLauren, I so agree that everything tastes better with real dishes!
ReplyDeleteHeather - mismatched is so wonderful - I love the look too! The Goodwill is a treasure trove of beautiful cast offs!
love china cups
ReplyDeleteThanks Rebecca - I love china cups too. I have quite a collection of them. We just don't use them as we should!
ReplyDeletechristy! we are SOOO alike! I love to use china! I also collect great looking plates and especially glasses from the goodwill and I love that NOTHING matches...
ReplyDeleteI am actually thinking about selling my "good" china...it is discontinued and I have 6 full settings it is a very rare and very expensive Minton china pattern and I picked it because it was pretty and everyone told me to get it! lol--full of cobalt and gold, I have used it 2 times in 24 years!
I went to an auction for an environmentally friendly cause in a church hall--and they had REAL plates and cups and silverware for all the treats! my heart jumped for JOY! :)
Great article christy! thanks for sharing--will be tweeting this one~! HUGS! alex
Alex,
ReplyDeletebefore you sell it you should use your china a couple times. ;o)
I agree - the Goodwill is so much fun - I have found some great pieces there!
I am loving finding out how much we all have in common! It makes our differences that much more wonderful.
I love mixing and matching dinnerware from little sidewalk fairs and garage sales...so cheap and also adds a lot of variety to my collection for taking blog photos! I am so against disposable plates and such as well...drives me crazy.
ReplyDeleteJoanne,
ReplyDeletemost of my stuff is white and black - I am going to start branching out on the color spectrum for my dishes.
What great food. Have enjoyed your blog and added `Two for Tuesdays' to my site's blog party list.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a community garden at your church. I brought it up as an idea for my church but it is on hold at present. The garden to which I belong is run by its members but the local and state government helped set it up.
3 Researches REVEAL Why Coconut Oil Kills Belly Fat.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning of this is that you actually kill fat by eating coconut fats (including coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).
These 3 studies from major medicinal journals are sure to turn the conventional nutrition world around!