Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't use paper/plastic plates. You can get plain white or glass plates rather inexpensively, or rent them.

+1 the whole point of the day is the dinner. You should provide the best you can. If this was any other holiday, I'd say it's a little bit more acceptable, but not thanksgiving.

Fwiw - our thanksgiving guests always exceed 25 people. And everyone chips in on clean up.

Um, the whole point is togetherness and giving thanks, not whether the thing your food sits on gets thrown out afterward.

Some of us think a key feature is the food, as well.

There are high-quality disposables made out of plastic instead of paper that will support your stuffing and gravy quite well, and really are not worse than getting cheap IKEA plates. And then your host will thank you when they don't have to wash and store dinner and dessert plates for 25 all year long.

Keep in mind that you need at least two plates for each person unless you plan to wash them before serving dessert. I couldn't imagine spending $100+ on 50 plates and then washing and storing them. Everyone I know who has a meal that size uses the plastic disposables. Nobody even blinks at it. It's expected.

Will there be a significant number of kids? Use disposable for kids and real plates for adults?

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't, because it is a festive holiday and because Thanksgiving food doesn't lend itself to disposable plates IMO. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy on a paper plate? No thank you.

I would buy cheap plates at IKEA or a thrift store. Or borrow some from family.

Most disposable plates are plastic these days. No leaking and I suppose you could even wash and reuse them but that's the not point.

I have done the nice disposable plastic plates and they are fine. I borrowed silverware, linens and extra serving pieces from my sister; we share back and forth depending on who's hosting!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't use paper/plastic plates. You can get plain white or glass plates rather inexpensively, or rent them.

+1 the whole point of the day is the dinner. You should provide the best you can. If this was any other holiday, I'd say it's a little bit more acceptable, but not thanksgiving.

Fwiw - our thanksgiving guests always exceed 25 people. And everyone chips in on clean up.

Um, the whole point is togetherness and giving thanks, not whether the thing your food sits on gets thrown out afterward.

Some of us think a key feature is the food, as well.

I wouldn't, because it is a festive holiday and because Thanksgiving food doesn't lend itself to disposable plates IMO. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy on a paper plate? No thank you.

I would buy cheap plates at IKEA or a thrift store. Or borrow some from family.

Anonymous wrote:The whole event got so big and fraught and exhausting that our family goes to the beach instead. The cost is about the same, but the stress is zero!

What does this have to do with OP asking whether she should use disposable plates?

The whole event got so big and fraught and exhausting that our family goes to the beach instead. The cost is about the same, but the stress is zero!

Anonymous wrote:I was getting worn out by the early Halloween posts, and now Thanksgiving? Maybe we should talk about Christmas, now, too!

Geez, yesterday was the first day of fall. Let's be in the moment for a minute!

Actually, I've already seen/heard radio and TV ads for Christmas and it's sickening!

Do you think this will be a regular thing, and do you have room to store them? If you answered yes to both, get some real plates. If no, go with disposable.

Go with nice disposable stuff -- it's fine. It's 25 people and clean up will be a headache if you go with china. Don't make things more difficult for yourself.

Can you borrow from good neighbors/good friends? If so, do. Some extra clean-up, yes, but it is a special day. Holidays deserve a bit of extra time and effort. (But if it will really stress you out, use "nice" disposable.)

Costco has got some great looking disposable stuff. Grab some and enjoy your holiday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't use paper/plastic plates. You can get plain white or glass plates rather inexpensively, or rent them.

+1 the whole point of the day is the dinner. You should provide the best you can. If this was any other holiday, I'd say it's a little bit more acceptable, but not thanksgiving.

Fwiw - our thanksgiving guests always exceed 25 people. And everyone chips in on clean up.

Um, the whole point is togetherness and giving thanks, not whether the thing your food sits on gets thrown out afterward.