I had good intentions, trying to save the planet and all.  Was thinking that since I’m having a brunch for a bunch regularly now, I should
invest in silverware and plates, etc. so that I’m not adding to the landfill each month.

The good… I found an online restaurant supply company that I
recommend: Webstaurant Store (I’m not an affiliate or making any money off this referral — just letting you know a great place to find kitchenware).  I was able to get a nice set of flatware, so no more plastic forks and spoons.  It’s classier and kinder to Mother Earth and well worth the investment.

The fail… I went cheap on the plates, cups and bowls.  I bought these plastic dishes called Fineline Flairware.  They are definitely classier than paper products, so for a wedding or something like that, they would be a fine choice.  But for my purposes of having monthly brunches, they are not durable enough.  After just one brunch, I had to throw away 8 of the 22 plates that had been used because they had cracked or split.  So worse than throwing away paper plates, which would at least go into the compost, now I was throwing away plastic!  Yes, I put them in the recycling, but I’m not a fan of the whole plastic recycling process  because it uses resources (water, electricity, etc.) and produces its own toxins.  Better, maybe, than the landfill, but still… recycling plastic after just one use? Unacceptable!

Of the 10 bowls and 15 cups that were used that day, none of them cracked, so that was good.  The cups stack compactly and handle both hot and cold beverages, but they definitely feel disposable.  I will keep using these dishes until they’ve worn out, but I don’t recommend them if you are wanting items to use again and again.

Oh, one more item:  disposable serving utensils.  I got serving spoons, forks and tongs from my local party supply store (and there’s an Amazon link to them below).  They worked well, looked nice and were inexpensive, and I’ve used them several times without noticeable wear.  Still, in the future I will invest in the real thing (from Webstaurant Store), but if you are only doing a party once in awhile, they are an inexpensive choice.

I’ll keep sharing my experiences with various products and services relating to brunching, but I’d also like to hear your  recommendations (or warnings) of products and services you’ve used.

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