Do you regularly use disposable plates?

[tar heel]

Yes, running the dishwasher takes a lot fewer resources than making paper. Although I use paper towels some, it also takes fewer resources to wash cloth ones.

But I don't get the people who say they run their dishwasher multiple times a day. I do that maybe twice a year. The rest of the time, it's four-five times a week. I ran it Saturday and Sunday and will not run it today. It will run tomorrow, probably not Wednesday, will run Thursday, etc. And I'm always feeding four people and sometimes five or six.

I must live under a rock b/c I don't know many people who use paper plates most of the time. I don't know anyone who does any significant amount of cooking who does.

 

[C.Ann]

If it's not one thing, it's another!

Of all of the things we've discussed/argued about lately, this one takes the cake! (But what kind if plate is the cake being served on...)

LOL!

WHO CARES!

Have the paper napkins already been duked out? I haven't been around the DIS that much lately, so I may have missed it..

 

[luvsJack]

Some meals can be a pretty big deal around here too. Any meal when the whole family is here and especially summertime cookouts. All about great food and fun with the family. NOT about what we are eating off of or washing dishes--so I use disposable plates. I would much rather be joining the game of horseshoes or watching the kids play softball than washing a bunch of dishes. I do buy nice plastic ones though!

 

[AKL_Megs]

Have the paper napkins already been duked out? I haven't been around the DIS that much lately, so I may have missed it..

No, I don't think so. Shall we argue Solo vs. glassware? Dixie bathroom cups vs. fancy glass bathroom cups?

 

[smilingmouse]

They are great for a quick meal, but I don't use them very often

 

[dawnn12]

We use paper plates everyday for everything we even use disposable bowls, cups, forks, spoons and knives. We do have some real dishes but I hate using them heck I have the foil pans also

 

[aprilgail2]

We use them all the time unless we are having something like baked ziti or messy like that. I run the dishwasher once or twice a week-we have paper and plastic cups.. and get ready.....we even use PLASTIC FORKS---oh the horror!!!!! If I can avoid wasting my time doing dishes/loading and unloading the dishwasher I am going to do it!

 

[mhsjax]

Yes, running the dishwasher takes a lot fewer resources than making paper. Although I use paper towels some, it also takes fewer resources to wash cloth ones.

But I don't get the people who say they run their dishwasher multiple times a day. I do that maybe twice a year. The rest of the time, it's four-five times a week. I ran it Saturday and Sunday and will not run it today. It will run tomorrow, probably not Wednesday, will run Thursday, etc. And I'm always feeding four people and sometimes five or six.

I must live under a rock b/c I don't know many people who use paper plates most of the time. I don't know anyone who does any significant amount of cooking who does.

Can you please explain to me, how yu can feed 4 to 5 people several times a day, including glasses, silver wear, cooking pots and pans, and run your dishwasher only maybe every other day? Exactly what kind of dishwasher do you have? Or do you do some dishes by hand. Because that many plates, pots and pans, glasses for than many people 2-3 times a day, would need a HUGE dishwasher.

And I don't use them when I cook, but you better belive that I don't think a PB&J or a hot dog is worthy of dirtying up a plate. IMHO

 

[MushyMushy]

Yes, running the dishwasher takes a lot fewer resources than making paper. Although I use paper towels some, it also takes fewer resources to wash cloth ones.

But I don't get the people who say they run their dishwasher multiple times a day. I do that maybe twice a year. The rest of the time, it's four-five times a week. I ran it Saturday and Sunday and will not run it today. It will run tomorrow, probably not Wednesday, will run Thursday, etc. And I'm always feeding four people and sometimes five or six.

I must live under a rock b/c I don't know many people who use paper plates most of the time. I don't know anyone who does any significant amount of cooking who does.

How would you know? I doubt any of my friends are aware of what we use on a daily basis. When we have guests, we usually use the real thing. It's embarrassing that nothing matches, but my friends don't mind.

 

[h2oophelia]

I voted for only bbq's and picnics but sheesh, is there anything people won't argue about?!?

It never really occurred to me to use them at home on a daily basis. But it's only myself and DD so I only have run the dishwasher every other day or so.

 

[mhsjax]

We use them all the time unless we are having something like baked ziti or messy like that. I run the dishwasher once or twice a week-we have paper and plastic cups.. and get ready.....we even use PLASTIC FORKS---oh the horror!!!!! If I can avoid wasting my time doing dishes/loading and unloading the dishwasher I am going to do it!

WEll you just aren't worthy of anything, Plastic forks, what is the world coming to.

PS I use plastic bowls and spoons on the weekdays when the kids are eating cereal for breakfast. We had a huge party and purchased a ton of plastic utensils, so I will use them and not waste them or my money. Somehow my kids survive. And I haven't even been kicked out of my slightly upper middles class neighborhood. Can you imagine.

 

[FireDancer]

When every meal results in a sink full of dishes, pots, utensils, not to mention putting condiments away, spraying and wiping the table and counters, wiping up the stove, cleaning up the floor v short cuts are a blessing. After cooking for seven, getting everything plated, finally getting to eat myself, getting the tabled cleared, loading the dishwasher, washing pots and pans, getting the kitchen back in order... dinner is a 2 plus hour ordeal. When I had my twins, I learned the phrase" whatever works" - never used paper except for bbq's until we had #4 and #5.

Ok, I really don't care. You don't have to convince me. As I said, to each their own and I'm not getting all up in arms about it. I couldn't care less if you eat off of cardboard boxes or antique china.

 

[tar heel]

I usually wash pots and pans by hand. Other than that, I'm a wizard at loading the dishwasher. I can always get one more thing in.

Since we're at work and school, I'm not feeding people several times a day on weekdays, and I said I usually run it both Saturday and Sunday. But I can easily get eight big plates and eight little ones and four bowls in the bottom and all the glasses in the top with room for some plastic containers, some extra bowls or the coffee pot in the top.

I have no idea why I got involved in this thread. I'm a pretty low key person except for things I'm passionate about and I'm not passionate about this. Apparently, I've offended some of you. Please accept my apologies and go get yourself a snack -- on a paper plate, of course.

 

[tonilea]

Almost, but not quite, never. I sent some paper plates to work w/DH when I made a co-worker of his a birthday cake. I think I have used one here at the house this year, but I can't quite remember what for.

But, like another poster, we used cloth diapers, rarely use paper towels, use cloth napkins, cloth dish towels - it is just how we operate.

 

[Mrs. Darcy]

I only use paper plates when we're having a picnic and I don't want to lug regular plates. If we barbeque at home, i use regular. I'm not comfortable serving food on paper plates even if it's with family and friends. I'm a stickler for "presentation" when I serve food.

 

[epcotprincess]

I generally do not buy things that are disposable, with the exception of the obvious things like toilet paper. I run my dishwasher about 4 times a week, but the baby hardly uses any dishes and I do hand-wash a lot of things to save water or because it can sometimes be faster (depending.)

It's hard to figure out which is ultimately the greater impact. I went through the same questions when I decided to cloth diaper our child-- which is worse? Everyone sort of has to do their own research, draw their own conclusions, and make their own choices about things like that.

In the grand scheme of all that's happening in our world, it hardly seems like it's worth fighting over, right?

 

[Stephanie218]

I must live under a rock b/c I don't know many people who use paper plates most of the time.

I don't either - I really didn't know people used them regularly. The only time we use paper plates is when we are moving, and our dishes are packed. If my mom managed to rarely use paper plates with 6 kids in the house, I don't need to with only me & my husband. It just seems like a waste to throw out a plate rather than just wash it.

 

[DeniseinNS]

We only use paper plates when we have larger groups here for BBQ, parties or playdates, they really come in handy then. I personally would feel lazy using paper plates on a regular basis for our family of 4, not to mention making much more unnessessary garbage.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I don't either - I really didn't know people used them regularly. The only time we use paper plates is when we are moving, and our dishes are packed. If my mom managed to rarely use paper plates with 6 kids in the house, I don't need to with only me & my husband. It just seems like a waste to throw out a plate rather than just wash it.

I had no idea either. We only buy them for birthday parties--and as often as not not even then. The environmental impact of so many people using them as a primary item must be enormous.

 

[Pixiedust34]

I used to use paper plates more often, but now we mainly use them for picnics, parties, etc. It's rare for me to use a paper plate for a regular meal at home. Even for pizza or sandwiches we'll use real plates if it's just the 4 of us.

I bought some cute plastic Disney themed plates and it's fun to use those for lunch.