Opinions on plastic silverware, paper plates/bowls, etc?

[LadyDestani]

We use a mixture of regular utensils, paper plates, and plastic forks depending on the situation.

We never cook at home so most of our food is fast food, frozen dinners, or handheld foods that don't require much in the way of utensils. We don't need any plates for the majority of that either but I keep paper plates around in case we want to microwave something. I have very few regular plates and I don't know if they're microwave safe.

We use regular bowls and spoons for cereal or soup. We also use regular knives if we need them. We do use plastic forks, though, out of a combination of laziness and the fact that I struggle with washing them. I get nauseous at the sight of caked on food and forks are the worst for that. I can't touch a used fork, even my own, without gagging so we've just given up on them.

I would love to use fewer wasteful products, but as it stands right now I'm doing the best I can. And I try to make up for it in other ways by using reusable shopping bags and so forth.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

They are such a waste and they should be banned TBH. At least the plastic ones anyway

 

[Xeleron]

Contrary to some people here, I actually hate washing dishes with a passion, I'd rather mow the lawn than wash dishes .-. but with that said, I'd rather wash the dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher (I feel like that is way more wasteful)... I'd also rather use actual utensils than disposable ones... (I hate plastic waste so much more than I hate having to wash dishes). Paper plates are controversial imo lol I don't think their impact is as big as plastic, but I've been thinking about getting bamboo plates instead of paper plates because bamboo plates don't have a plastic lining and are much easier to compost, plus bamboo is more renewable.

Before the virus, I had bought a little utensil travel kit to use at food joints or on campus, but I haven't had the chance to use it in public .-.

Spoiler: Outerly

Spoiler: Edible spoons

If it weren't for the individual wrapping these would be perfect

 

[mayortiffany]

For something like a party when there are going to be lots of people coming and eating, I think using disposable silverware and plates makes sense. Of course, the waste can be combatted by asking people to bring their own reusable containers and such, but I feel a bit weird as a host making that kind of request to people I don't know. It seems kind of un-host like, if that makes sense at all.

That being said, I feel that discussions of zero-waste can sometimes be ableist. Disposable silverware and and plates can be very useful for some people, even though it is rather wasteful. Take my grandmother, for example, She is in her early 90s, and suffers from chronic pain. Even lifting a ceramic mug can be difficult for her. So, all of her tableware needs to be light enough that she can easily lift it without pain in order to eat! We bought some reusable cutlery and plates for her to use, but especially when she is in a lot of pain, disposable items are really useful for her, because they're typically very light. We also sometimes ask for disposable cutlery when we take her out to eat because the real stuff is sometimes too difficult for her to use.

 

[Xara]

i very solemnly use them - the only times i can remember using them are at school events which in that case, disposable plates/cutlery are understandable imo. but if you’re at home and have access to actual dishes and cutlery, just use them. sure, washing dishes can be a pain sometimes but just use your actual dishes instead of wasting plastic ;;

 

[Alienfish]

As long as people throw them in the bin which is like 80% not of the cases sadly I don't mind them I suppose. I think it's more people being dumb and throwing them in the water, forest etc. that's the problem... they will basically exist until someone makes lightweight porcelain more or less that doesn't weigh a ton and that you can carry wherever...

I do agree paper mugs can be pretty icky though so I try to avoid those for texture reasons.

Also I agree it's a bit sad to see how resources is a waste on them, but yeah unless someone like put up rent plates/cutlery at popular places (unless you have a car to carry them in which is not much better for environment either lol) it will be used.

Post automatically merged: Jul 25, 2020

That being said, I feel that discussions of zero-waste can sometimes be ableist. Disposable silverware and and plates can be very useful for some people, even though it is rather wasteful. Take my grandmother, for example, She is in her early 90s, and suffers from chronic pain. Even lifting a ceramic mug can be difficult for her. So, all of her tableware needs to be light enough that she can easily lift it without pain in order to eat! We bought some reusable cutlery and plates for her to use, but especially when she is in a lot of pain, disposable items are really useful for her, because they're typically very light. We also sometimes ask for disposable cutlery when we take her out to eat because the real stuff is sometimes too difficult for her to use.

Oh yes, thank you. Also not all old/disabled etc. people can eg. drink from metal or paper straws so they need some kind of plastic to be able to and feel comfortable doing it.

 

[Chris]

I had never considered that some people would prefer to go disposable over using proper plates and cutlery. It's not something I realised people used in their own homes outside of parties, barbecues, etc.

Other than hating the feel of polystyrene cups, disposable alternatives don't bother me, but I've always seen them as something with a specific purpose in mind - e.g. takeout. I wouldn't want to use them in the house.

 

[Manah]

Paper plates are occasionally acceptable for food I don't have to cut, but I hate plastic silverware with a passion. That stuff is way too flimsy for my motoric issues.

 

[Pintuition]

I only ever use plastic when I absolutely have to! The plastic party cutlery/plates I have in the basement are often put to good use and recycled for other purposes. For example, I try to wash out something I used for a small bowl of fruit at a barbecue for cleaning paintbrushes, craft projects, etc.

The only disposable product I use regularly are napkins. I've never found a stellar cloth napkin alternative that matched my dinnerware. I find cleaning them to be difficult as well. But that's something I'm definitely interested in pursuing in the future!

 

[nageki]

nasty nasty nasty, plastic especially i only ever use it if i absolutely have to and even then i'd rather just like...hold my food in my hands if i can or something LOL

the chinese takeaway i occasionally order (like...around once a month) does come in plastic containers but i find heaps of ways to reuse them - they make good dishes for cat food lol. and even then i think the restaurant is trying to phase plastic out like almost every other place here. i also have a boba-sized metal straw that lives in my backpack!

 

[Alienfish]

Also yea to clarify, I don't use disposables at home, mainly for like, picnic or just having something edible. It's hell carrying actual ceramics and porcelain things, so yup. Sometimes we do bring actual wine glasses though.

 

[Red Cat]

Pre-COVID, I tried to avoid disposable products as much as possible, but now pretty much everything outside of people's homes has to be individually wrapped and disposable. As cringe-worthy as the amount of waste is, it's probably a necessary evil to prevent the virus from spreading.

 

[xlisapisa]

I only use them when absolutely necessary, but I do drink a lot of bottle water. At home I don’t use plastic cutlery and actually don’t mind washing dishes. I prefer that over using the dish washer, just like most Asian homes, it’s more used as a drying rack/storage than a dishwasher. Although I have yet to figure out if hand washing actually does save more on the water bill than the dishwasher. Recently I’ve heard dishwashers actually saves more, but I’m not too certain about it at this point.

 

[mayortiffany]

Oh yes, thank you. Also not all old/disabled etc. people can eg. drink from metal or paper straws so they need some kind of plastic to be able to and feel comfortable doing it.

Yes! I was so frustrated when our city announced a plastic straw ban because I felt that the way in which it was implemented didn't consider people who really do need to use plastic straws. A lot of the alternatives on the market just aren't suitable for everyone, so unfortunately plastic is still the best option for some folks.

We actually ended up stocking up on plastic straws before the ban for my grandmother because she uses them to drink liquids, from soups to water. As she and my grandfather still live on their own and are getting on in years, anything they have to clean will not be suitable (eg. metal, glass). Paper will not hold up long enough for her to use, and doesn't handle hot liquid well. The benefits about plastic are that it's disposable, that it can handle hot/cold liquids, and that it's flexible (so she can bend the straw to reach the cup easier).

A lot of items that people think are 'wasteful' or 'useless' actually are very useful for people for mobility issues. I remember seeing an ad for a plastic contraption that helped people put on their socks easily. A lot of people said that it was useless, a waste of plastic, and for people who are lazy. And maybe for some people all of those things are true, but for people with mobility issues, it enables them to be able to put on their socks on their own without pain or risk of injury.

 

[Oldcatlady]

i only use them if i have to for example parties, or outdoor gatherings with friends and family where we can't really wash our plates. my family actually brings our house utensils, plates, and bowls to camping since there's places to wash it.

 

[virtualpet]

[ Rex ]

We've used them before when we know we'll be low on spoons/energy at the end of eating, since having dirty dishes pile up when you're exhausted can make you even more so. We also buy TV dinners for a similar reason. Though, we'll typically avoid using the plastic and opt for paper if it's available.

 

[Cosmic_Crossfade]

I'm pretty sure I know what the general consensus will be on this one, but I was wondering what everyone thinks about using disposable food/drink wares such as plastic silverware, plastic straws, paper bowls, paper plates, and the like.

Personally, I absolutely hate using them. If I can avoid them I always do. I think that they're just a waste of plastic and paper, which means more trash going into landfills/the ocean/etc. The only "disposable" things I'm okay with using are paper towels, and that's because it takes me over half a year to go through one roll (it's not like I go through them constantly, as is the case with plastic silverware and paper plates). I also do tend to use disposable straws but I really prefer to use the straws made of thicker plastic that are re-usable because they just have to be cleaned and then they can be re-used.

This might be getting a bit personal, but I wanted to point it out for this topic. My dad doesn't like to wash dishes, and my mom can't do it (due to her health issues), so when there aren't any clean dishes my dad just buys a bunch of paper plates, paper bowls, and plastic silverware. The problem with this, as I mentioned before, is that they create unnecessary waste. Plus, since my dad never cleans, they end up all over our house. Because of this I absolutely despise using disposable eating wares. At this point I might go as far as to bring a ceramic plate and a washable spoon/fork with me to a cookout so I don't have to use a paper plate and plastic silverware. I can't even stand drinking out of plastic bottles anymore; I've been thinking about getting a water filtering pitcher for water, instead of buying bottled water at the store (although plastic water bottles can be recycled so it's not too big a deal).


What do you guys think?

I believe that if you can afford to eat on anything, regardless it be paper, plastic or silverware itself, then you are doing what you feel is necessary to survive or what you find suitable to your tastes and in the end, that is all that matters.

In life, it gets rough. Sometimes, funds are hard to sustain and not everybody can constantly afford dish soap to clean the silverware as they need that extra money to go to other things such as bills, so paper plates/cups that can be found for cheap may be the way to go for others and that is simply just fine! If it helps you survive a day, a week or a month, then you do what you have to. I never judge a person by what they eat off of or with as we are all different and all have our reasons as to why we use what we use.

I personally always despised eating off of other people's silverware (even family) because I thought about the many mouths that were on that fork or spoon or the food on that plate. I always hated when someone also didn't wash the dishes very well and I would look in a cup or plate to see residue or leftover food/drink from their last meal that didn't come off completely and it ruins my appetite... It skeeved me out then and it still does lol

I still don't like it now either, preferring my own paper plate when over anybody's home. However, I also love silverware and the more modern plates make me feel fancy when I eat off of them haha Personally? I don't really mind what I use haha

 

[Alienfish]

Yes! I was so frustrated when our city announced a plastic straw ban because I felt that the way in which it was implemented didn't consider people who really do need to use plastic straws. A lot of the alternatives on the market just aren't suitable for everyone, so unfortunately plastic is still the best option for some folks.
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A lot of items that people think are 'wasteful' or 'useless' actually are very useful for people for mobility issues. I remember seeing an ad for a plastic contraption that helped people put on their socks easily. A lot of people said that it was useless, a waste of plastic, and for people who are lazy. And maybe for some people all of those things are true, but for people with mobility issues, it enables them to be able to put on their socks on their own without pain or risk of injury.

I think they still have them here, but behind the counter so people don't take 25 and just throw the in the park which is good, but yeah they really need to improve their paper things if they are gonna pull the ableism thing on it. I've tried paper/wannabe-plastic straws and they get soggy, and the texture I just can't hold in my mouth (over-sensitive to that due to Asperger/ASD). I don't use straws often but if I'm eating out I don't want a soggy one. I've tried metal and tbf they just taste a bit too much iron/blood to be nice to have also. I definitely don't agree on that ban either, all people should be able to drink and definitely have access to straws if needed. Some cities/states just don't think...
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Agree, and I think the issues is more people who goes into a restaurant, take 25 and just throw them everywhere. How about stricter fines and ban on those people instead. Ugh. And yes those sock holder things are defo useful, especially if you need compression stockings since they are tricky to put on esp. if you got mobility issues and such.

 

[InkFox]

I never use them, I'd rather bring my own dishes to a picnic than having to eat off a disposable plate. Disposable stuff are such a waste I cannot stand it. I've banned plastic from everything food related, it's simple, if it's wrapped in plastic, I just don't buy it, end of the line. I cook all my food (I cook big batches so I can eat for 2 or 3 days), I've never been fed readymade meals growing up, and would never consider buying such things. I buy my veggies from a local market gardener (I've also started growing my own but I don't have enough space to be able to feed exclusively from my own production), and buy the rest from organic food markets, most of it is locally produced, and everything is bought in bulk, in my own containers. No plastic, no waste, and everything I buy, I eat it, it doesn't go to the bin. (And no, I ain't rich, neither my boyfriend nor I earn the minimum wage and we have his kid to feed half of the time as well as 4 rescue cats to provide for, so it's just about the choices you make, not about how much money you earn).

So yeah, using disposable plates and silverware is not something I would ever consider. We're going right into the wall with the huge amount of plastic we use and all the stuff with throw away, I don't want to be a part of it. My way of life is not perfect, I could do much more and I'm trying to whenever I can, but at least I'm doing something... And I'm tired of people finding excuses to never have to make even the smallest change in their life habits. I'm not a pushover, I let people live their own lives, I just voice my opinion through informative short comics and conversations if the other party is open to it, but I'm sick of always hearing the same excuses of people who wait for the government or whomever to do everything in their place. Yes they have a big responsibility, but we also have the power to change things through what we decide to or not to buy. I believe deciding to avoid buying plastic wrappings and disposable stuff is a good first step. Gosh, I didn't even know that using disposable dishes at home was a thing, it saddens me. : /

 

[Shellzilla_515]

Only if I really have to use them. Not only does it impact the environment, but their durability so so horrible. There were a couple of times it felt like my plastic plate was going to break due to the weight of the food, and it's not even that heavy! I used a plastic fork once and it broke on me because I applied a normal amount of force to pick up my food.