bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,623
Oct 11, 2014 3:17:29 GMT
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Post by bethany102399 on May 17, 2022 13:31:06 GMT
I know i have seen this suggested here as a good thing to bring someone. Nice to hear your perspective. The intention is good, and honestly had it been my MIL who regularly uses paper plates when the whole family is over (17 people if EVERYONE is there) then it would have been well received. Mom was just old school, no paper plates for anything aside from picnics or pot luck gatherings outside.
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 17, 2022 14:44:05 GMT
My mom was almost 84 when she passed away over 10 years ago now, and she was a rabid recycler! As a child of the Depression, she was raised to reuse things until they literally had no life left in them. Clothing and other fabrics were recycled into quilts, hot pads, doll clothes and other smaller sewn items. Food containers like ice cream buckets or margarine tubs were reused for leftovers. Once curbside recycling became a thing, anything that could be kept out of a landfill was kept out of a landfill. Oh yeah.. didn't even think about those things...her mom, my grandma now would be like that... reusing anything she got. When they cleaned out her house when she moved into a 'home' her entire attic was filled with bread wrappers, tin foil, wax type paper, containers... anything like that. Filled two entire large dumpsters. She used to use tin foil and make stars out of them.. those were found all over her house. lol. Now my mom while she will reuse containers and items like that, she isn't a hoarder of those items. She almost makes it a point that she isn't due to the stuff found at her mom's house. When I think about it more, I remember that my grandma had a container full of buttons that had been cut off of old clothing. Even though the clothes had worn out, the buttons were still good so they cut them off to later sew onto other handmade clothes!
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Dalai Mama
Drama Llama
La Pea Boheme
Posts: 6,985
Jun 26, 2014 0:31:31 GMT
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Post by Dalai Mama on May 17, 2022 15:17:43 GMT
I don't. That being said, paper plates are green bin compostable here. Plastic utensils are a hard no for us, though.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on May 17, 2022 15:22:48 GMT
I buy and use paper plates on a regular basis. I reuse them if it's dry food, like toast or a sandwich, but I like the convenience of them and not having to clean anything if it's a messy meal. I used to have a stock of plastic cutlery when my DDs were in school, but I don't keep or use those any more since they're adults. I also use paper napkins and paper towels on a daily basis.
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Post by Zee on May 17, 2022 15:31:44 GMT
Almost never--just for camping or large cookouts. The same pack in my pantry has lasted me over 4 years now.
I only use paper towels for small spills or something disgusting like cat vom and to clean the toilets. The rest I use microfiber towels for.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on May 17, 2022 16:14:31 GMT
I only use paper towels for small spills or something disgusting like cat vom and to clean the toilets. The rest I use microfiber towels for. do you have a brand / source for these that you like? we end up using a lot of paper towels, and I'd like to find something re-usable / washable to replace at least some of them. (although with 5 pets, we end up with a lot of cat/dog vomit and cat pee messes... blech.)
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Post by Zee on May 17, 2022 16:23:17 GMT
I only use paper towels for small spills or something disgusting like cat vom and to clean the toilets. The rest I use microfiber towels for. do you have a brand / source for these that you like? we end up using a lot of paper towels, and I'd like to find something re-usable / washable to replace at least some of them. (although with 5 pets, we end up with a lot of cat/dog vomit and cat pee messes... blech.) I can't remember what brand they are but they're blue with like a pattern/texture of squares, in the cleaning section at Home Depot.
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Post by MichyM on May 17, 2022 16:38:58 GMT
I only use paper towels for small spills or something disgusting like cat vom and to clean the toilets. The rest I use microfiber towels for. do you have a brand / source for these that you like? we end up using a lot of paper towels, and I'd like to find something re-usable / washable to replace at least some of them. (although with 5 pets, we end up with a lot of cat/dog vomit and cat pee messes... blech.) Not who you asked, but I gave up paper towels about 8 months ago. I replaced them with swedish dishcloths. Best decision ever. I still keep a roll of PT around because CATS, but it takes me months to go through one roll.
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Post by SnoopyFan on May 17, 2022 19:59:43 GMT
When my boys were growing up I kept a supply of various sizes of paper plates and bowls in the cupboard. They were used all the time for snacks, toast, sandwiches, pizza, whatever. Anything dry basically. I also had a good supply of disposable utensils for them to take in their lunches.
Now that I live alone, I still keep paper plates available and use them frequently. I only use disposable spoons when I'm giving my cat wet cat food.
I think my boyfriend used paper plates exclusively before he and I met. After eating at his house a few times I started asking if we could use real plates for the heartier meals. Not everything is easy to eat off of paper. LOL!!
We use paper exclusively when we camp.
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,899
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
Aug 2, 2014 13:03:45 GMT
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on May 17, 2022 21:47:01 GMT
I think I used paper plates once for a big party many years ago.
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on May 18, 2022 3:12:38 GMT
We use paper plates often especially during the school year and dh's busy season. It's one less thing for me to do when I'm exhausted. We use the french fry things for snacks. I do not use plastic cutlery at home, but I keep it in my classroom to use for lunch along with plates.
We use too many paper towels. I haven't found a good system for using something else.
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Post by chaosisapony on May 18, 2022 3:41:22 GMT
Disposable plates, cutlery and cups aren't something I use regularly. I dislike how wasteful it is and beyond that, why would I want to buy something over and over when I could just wash what I already own? For my lifestyle, disposable stuff holds very little appeal.
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Post by gar on May 18, 2022 8:21:38 GMT
I replaced them with swedish dishcloths. I'm working on reducing my use of paper towel - what are Swedish dishcloths? Please
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Post by imkat on May 18, 2022 12:47:51 GMT
I grew up with paper plates and plastic cups. My mom worked, and our dishwasher was never in working condition. Once I was on my own and had a dishwasher, I never used them. The only rare exception is birthday cake or appetizers for a large crowd, and only when my regular plates are being used for the main course.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 3:29:24 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2022 13:06:06 GMT
I replaced them with swedish dishcloths. I'm working on reducing my use of paper towel - what are Swedish dishcloths? Please They're similar to the microfibre cloths but not quite, they absorb far more than the micro's though and have a slightly different texture. My sister uses them. I think she gets them from Amazon. I have to plead guilty as I haven't used them yet.
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Post by gar on May 18, 2022 13:08:15 GMT
I'm working on reducing my use of paper towel - what are Swedish dishcloths? Please They're similar to the microfibre cloths but not quite, they absorb far more than the micro's though and have a slightly different texture. My sister uses them. I think she gets them from Amazon. I have to plead guilty as I haven't used them yet. Ah ok, thanks, I'll have a look
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Post by MichyM on May 18, 2022 14:28:14 GMT
They're similar to the microfibre cloths but not quite, they absorb far more than the micro's though and have a slightly different texture. My sister uses them. I think she gets them from Amazon. I have to plead guilty as I haven't used them yet. Ah ok, thanks, I'll have a look Also, do a quick Google to learn about them. They last for months, and when finally trashed, are fully compostable.
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bklyngal62
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,227
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:11 GMT
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Post by bklyngal62 on May 18, 2022 15:17:27 GMT
I use paper plates and cups all the time. When hubby started having problems with his hands and dropping things I had no choice but to do paper. Although he is doing better now we still use paper because he does have his bad days and don't want him to feel bad when he drops something and breaks.
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Post by hopechest on May 18, 2022 15:26:26 GMT
I buy themed ones for holiday and birthday parties for apps and dessert. Then, we end up eating snacks and sandwiches on easter plates well into the summer LOL.
Other than that, I use them when camping and I also will put a pack of plates and silverware in a care/food package if I'm delivering food for illness or funeral, etc.
We used paper pretty regularly when my kiddo was a newborn. I just couldn't with the dishes. In day to day life though I MUCH prefer regular dishes and silverware.
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Post by birukitty on May 18, 2022 17:35:39 GMT
Practically never. I can't remember the last time I used them and I haven't bought any in years and years.
I grew up with "real" plates, silverware and glasses made of glass (no plastic). To this day I hate drinking out of a plastic cup and will avoid it at all costs-I don't like the texture against my lips. I'm the cook in the family and we use our dishes for every meal and snack.
I'm still guilty of using paper towels for napkins though, and I'd love to stop that habit and get some cloth napkins. What's a good source? And I'm definitely looking into the Swedish dishcloths too.
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Post by jeremysgirl on May 18, 2022 17:39:11 GMT
Practically never. I can't remember the last time I used them and I haven't bought any in years and years. I grew up with "real" plates, silverware and glasses made of glass (no plastic). To this day I hate drinking out of a plastic cup and will avoid it at all costs-I don't like the texture against my lips. I'm the cook in the family and we use our dishes for every meal and snack. I'm still guilty of using paper towels for napkins though, and I'd love to stop that habit and get some cloth napkins. What's a good source? And I'm definitely looking into the Swedish dishcloths too. I like the cloth napkins at world market. They have a variety of solid colors in a rainbow of shades that go well with my fiestaware. And they are reasonably priced.
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Post by lisae on May 18, 2022 21:23:00 GMT
I'd love to stop that habit and get some cloth napkins. What's a good source? Try HomeGoods. I've collected cloth napkins for years from a variety of sources. It takes a little trial and error to see what kinds you like, what doesn't wrinkle so much. Generally, look for ones with a little denser fabric. Flimsy fabric usually equals wrinkles.
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camcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,112
Jun 26, 2014 3:41:19 GMT
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Post by camcas on May 18, 2022 23:31:53 GMT
Disposable plates, cutlery and cups aren't something I use regularly. I dislike how wasteful it is and beyond that, why would I want to buy something over and over when I could just wash what I already own? For my lifestyle, disposable stuff holds very little appeal. Exactly this!- especially the single use plastic plates and cutlery Straight to landfill I also think that the paper ones with a shiny colourful coating are not readily compostable either because the coating is plastic
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Post by gar on May 19, 2022 8:09:49 GMT
Disposable plates, cutlery and cups aren't something I use regularly. I dislike how wasteful it is and beyond that, why would I want to buy something over and over when I could just wash what I already own? For my lifestyle, disposable stuff holds very little appeal. Exactly this!- especially the single use plastic plates and cutlery Straight to landfill I also think that the paper ones with a shiny colourful coating are not readily compostable either because the coating is plastic Spot on, I agree with both of you
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Post by gramasue on May 19, 2022 12:10:33 GMT
I keep a few paper plates on hand for people to take home leftovers. My DGD is a cake maker and she always makes a HUGE cake for every occasion. There is always a lot left over for those who can't eat a piece of cake after a big meal, so I give them a slice to take home.
But to use paper plates and/or plastic utensils for a meal? Never. I have lots of plates, lots of utensils, lots of granddaughters, a sink and a dishwasher. One way or another, the dishes get done. It's actually kind of fun to watch them all talking about who will wash, who will load, who will dry, etc. It gets them engaging with one another and there's not a cell phone in sight.
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Post by smasonnc on May 19, 2022 12:37:49 GMT
I don’t even I use paper plates at the beach and the only time I use plastic cutlery is at a picnic or a casual restaurant. Someone gave me a picnic set years ago and it’s not that hard to wash stuff. I’m head of a nonprofit that has a monthly luncheon and when I took over, we started using real silverware instead of plastic and paper instead of styrofoam. I never liked paper plates, but seeing mounds of trash on the world’s most beautiful beaches made me sick.
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Post by ajsweetpea on May 19, 2022 13:09:05 GMT
The only time I really buy/use them is for a child’s birthday party. I also used them when my dishwasher broke (while waiting for a new dishwasher to be delivered) because otherwise doing dishes would have taken forever! I don’t like the extra waste that paper plates/plastic utensils bring.
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