Serving meals, plated? serving bowls?

MadDogWoman_2

2 adults and a 3 year old, 99% of meals are plated.

If we are having a carpet picnic it's help yourself, dishes on the floor, but it's all finger food anyway.

Christmas lunch, meat is on the plate everything else is in serving bowls.

lil_me

I find plated works well so we don't eat excessively, serving bowls we eat a good 1/3 more. Left overs if any are in the kitchen for seconds if needed. I ask everyone how hungry prior to cooking and if one is not so they're asked to be in the kitchen when serving to 'say when' so any left overs are untouched. I want to make sure everyones getting a balance of foods. Christmas dinner I don't skimp/be as careful but the veg is plated to make sure the kids have some, they can have as much meats, roasts etc as they want as long as they eat the veg or they end up with upset tummies on boxing day, learned by mistakes. Exception is buffet nights which is help yourself from the kitchen.

babyshoes

We normally plate up but it is just for the 2 of us, and dish up spares into a lunch box for the next day - as it is a 'dished up portion' it is less tempting to nibble at afterwards! Any extra is for seconds, but is seldom needed.

Pitlanepiglet

Thanks all, it's really useful to hear what others do. I think where I've cooked for multiple days I'll only put out what we need for that meal (even though it might mean more washing up!).

Hermia

I put the expensive food (e.g. meat or fish, which I only have limited amounts of) on the plates and then put dishes of veggies/rice/whatever on the table.