Alternatives to china & plastic plates?

daska

Now, I will come clean and admit that I use plastic plates/bowls and acrylic tumblers at home. I have ME, DS1 is dyspraxic, DSD is just plain thoughtless and DS2 is still only 2 so that just leaves the husband capable of not breaking things and as he doesn't live here any more he doesn't count at present .

There are some wonderful picnic sets available now which can go in the microwave and it's a long time since they started doing ones that could be put in a dishwasher.

But in the OPs position I think I'd be scouring the charity shops for a couple of unusual attractive pieces that don't cost the earth. She doesn't need a huge number of pieces - unless expectations have changed from my student days when it wasn't unusual to take your own plate if you were going to eat as a group LOL

babyshoes

I agree with the charity shop suggestion - it's not like you need them to match, and if they get broken, well they cost pennies so no real harm done!

Rachel83

Get really ugly plates.... Guarenteed that they won't break..... I had a really nice set and broke them all in the space of about 2 years..... I have a really nasty set now but wont replace till I have to and havent broken a single peice in 3 years.... Not impressed! haha

ailuro2

BBQ section of the supermarket will be have plenty a couple of months from now. I have no problems dishwashing or microwaving melamine plates that are leftover from when DD was small.

Indie_Kid

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'm thinking that the OP has some problems with physical dexterity etc so is more likely to drop and break plates than some of us. Either that or she's hammering the student bar.

It's the former. I have never broke a plate in my life - my favourite is (my) mugs to break.

She doesn't need a huge number of pieces - unless expectations have changed from my student days when it wasn't unusual to take your own plate if you were going to eat as a group LOL

Mum said the same thing. I have 2 mugs, cups, tumblers and side plates. That is enough for me - but does mean more washing up.

BitterAndTwisted

Rachel83 wrote: »

Get really ugly plates.... Guaranteed that they won't break..... I had a really nice set and broke them all in the space of about 2 years..... I have a really nasty set now but won't replace till I have to and haven't broken a single piece in 3 years.... Not impressed! Haha

Hehe, I know exactly what you mean Rachel83. When I moved into my first unfurnished flat my sister gave me a huge, complete dinner-service which was a wedding-present from her first marriage to "tide me over". It's as ugly as sin and in the thirty years I've been using it I have only broken one single side-plate/tea-plate. Trouble is, I've become quite emotionally attached to it now plus I really can't justify the expense of replacing all of those handy bowls and serving dishes, never mind the dinner-plates and whatnot.

If I was the OP I'd be down to the local charity-shops or car-boot sales to find some treasures. It's amazing what people will get shot of for pennies when they get tired of things.

Savvy_Sue

sh1305 wrote: »

Mum said the same thing. I have 2 mugs, cups, tumblers and side plates. That is enough for me - but does mean more washing up.

Think of it as 'more frequent' washing up rather than 'more' washing up. Little and often, as it were, which I think would work better in our house if I could only implement it! :rotfl:

Indie_Kid

I ended up going to Ikea and got some plates. Unfortunately, there was only one set that I could get. Being clumsy really does suck.

JBD

The 99p shop had enamel plates, bowls and mugs in today. I think they were suitable for camping but they looked ok.

Savvy_Sue

Enamel is good for 'real' camping because you can use them to fan the flames of your cooking fire, and if you use plastic or melamine to do that they tend to melt.

And you can use the deep ones as pie dishes.

But I don't think they are that great for normal domestic use - they chip if you drop them; the sound of cutlery on them is vile; AND from the OP's point of view they could be a bit of a hazard, because they will transfer heat very quickly.

So you dish your dinner up and go to carry it through, and drop it because your plate gets hot!