We are hosting a lot of our extended family for Thanksgiving this year, and there are going to be 18 adults plus a few young kids. I don't have enough plates and silverware for everyone, because I've never hosted that many people before. Do you think it would be okay if I use nice plastic plates/silverware for the dinner? It would also be a lot less for me to clean up at the end of the day, but I don't want to do it if it will look bad. I'm already going to have to use some plastic folding chairs and a card table, because my table isn't big enough. Does anyone have any tips for me on hosting a large crowd?
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@cat620: yes of course!! We use heavy duty thanksgiving themed ones - makes it SO much easier!
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I think you can.
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Absolutely use plastic!
When we hosted a large group for Thanksgiving, I found the trickiest thing was managing oven space, so I had to carefully plan when to cook and reheat dishes including the 2 evenings before.
We had a kids coloring tablecloth with markers and turkey stickers, and that was actually great for the adults too.
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YES. If you're worried, get ones with turkeys or "Thankful" on them. Then you're festive.
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Definitely use plastic! It will be so much easier!
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@shabang: That's a great idea about the kids tablecloth! I'm going to look for one
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My aunt always uses holiday plastic ones + plastic silver colored silverware for Xmas
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We've never been super fancy so anything goes
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Would it be possible to get heavy duty paper plates instead? That’s a lot of plastic to use once and then throw away. I don’t think you have an etiquette problem but it does seem a bit like an environmental problem.
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YES! They make really nice silver/gold plates now that look real.
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@erinbaderin: Seconded. Single-use plastics make me feel horribly guilty. A single day of eating but in the ground forever.
Other tips for a crowd: Prep as much as possible the day before, including setting up the tables and such. This makes our hosting go so much smoother!
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Are you going to be hosting an event this size in the future? We have these and they are super easy to clean and store and they don't break. I'm not a fan of eating hot food on plastic and cutting meat with a plastic knive is challenging. You can totally use disposable if you think you're crowd is okay with it, but my husband's family wouldn't be. They'd be more okay with paper.
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@Pollywog: Similar to this recommendation, IKEA has glass plates for $0.79 each on sale. But again, use what works for you!
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YES! you will have to wash a lot anyway so this will help immensely. Just do a nice tablescape if you're worried it won't look fancy enough, and you can always buy the heavy plastic ones from amazon which look like real plates.
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@cat620: I ordered one of these kids' tablecloths from Oriental Trading yesterday, but in my search I found Target had them as well.
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I wouldn't be able to fit 18 placesettings in my dishwasher and there is no way I would hand wash all of that anyway...plus you need separate plates for dessert....I would do paper. I would probably be okay with plastic too, I don't see why you can't get ones that are recyclable and rinse them first.
I would also do paper cups.
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@cat620: 1000%! Thanksgiving is not about the place settings or the type of table/chairs!
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Paper / disposable all the way! No way am I washing and drying 18 place settings. Lol.
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I can barely fit my 16 place setting in my cabinets, there is no way anyone should expect you to have enough place settings for that many people! Hell yes you can use paper, plastic, disposable silverware! If someone has something to say they can bring their own plate
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Absolutely. I also feel guilty about disposable stuff and get these compostable plates and utensils that are basically wood colored so kind of look appropriate. We are horrible at maintaining our compost (we literally just pile stuff in and never turn it) and the plates and utensils have worked in there! 18 is a lot of people for a mom with young kids so I also think anything goes. We usually go to my husbands grandmas and they have 30+ people some years and are just normal people (not loaded) so obviously use paper!
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We use disposable very often when we host big groups. Moving away from it a little, but we used to have very little space for extra dishes, and old habits are hard to break.
No one's really objected, except BIL, who seems to think being served food on paper plates is a personal insult
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I have the same dilemma this year --
My question is, do you :
A. ALL use plastic plates,
B. use some regular dining plates mix with plastic or
C. I actually have enough ceramic dining plates for everyone, but they are not the same design Do I use all of them (different styles) instead of plastic? -
@irene: for eating I’d use all paper or all plastic. For serving I’d use the ceramic. Salad plates and tea cup saucers are great for putting serving utensils on.
I personally prefer heavy weight paper disposable plates.
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@Mama Bird: Ha! that's my brother so we all get paper and he gets a regular dinner plate...oh and he has to wash it!
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@irene: when we use ceramic and there's not enough of the same design, I just alternate different designs while setting the table.
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@cat620: costco has some nice heavy duty plastic plates that would work well
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@irene: I would do all of a single kind..you've probably decided by now, though, haha!
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I like palm leaf/sugarcane plates (like these: https://smile.amazon.com/Leafware-Natural-Palm-Plates-Count/dp/B00BJPYW5E ) when I want to be fancy but disposable.
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@looch: hahaha yes - DH said we'll use all the dishes we have. Men.
It is his family, and he is cooking (!!!) so whatever he decides. He is now at the airport picking some people up - there is a 1+ hour gap in between two flights so he said he'll go to IKEA, which is close by. Who knows what is he going to drag back -- I have a feeling he may buy more dishes.@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @Mama Bird: Thank you! Alternate design is a great idea
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Super late to the party but I had to laugh....at our Thanksgiving at my grandma's, we used paper plates but also brought out the good silver!
It is his family, and he is cooking (!!!) so whatever he decides. He is now at the airport picking some people up - there is a 1+ hour gap in between two flights so he said he'll go to IKEA, which is close by. Who knows what is he going to drag back -- I have a feeling he may buy more dishes.Reply
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30 comments