We have all heard the famous saying that goes like “you are what you eat”. With this, the dishes or the dinnerware that we eat our food off is also important.
How does one’s dishes look, appear, how they are cared for, and most importantly how they are used; all these factors need to be considered while deciding on what to buy.
Moreover, if you go to your local store, only a careful observation around the crockery department is enough to tell you that there are subtle, but important differences present between different types of dishes.
You do not need to worry about what dishes are best for everyday use anymore as we have come up with a perfect little guide for you that will assist you in discovering your perfect dinnerware that will enhance your home dining experience.
What Dishes Are Best For Everyday Use?
The best dishes for everyday use are:
- Porcelain dishes
- Bone china dishes
- Earthenware dishes
- Melamine dishes.
These differences are undoubtedly significant to be known about but then again, they are so subtle that a layperson that has little to no ‘dish education’ can overlook them easily.
Porcelain Dishes
Porcelain dishes are somewhat heavier but are very durable. Porcelain dish sets are break-resistant. This means that it is completely safe to wash them using a dishwasher and can be easily heated on high heat and for longer time periods in microwave ovens. They work perfectly fine for a formal dinner due to their refined style and elegance.
Bone China Dishes
These are less affordable as compared to the porcelain dishes but if you want to go for a dish set that is strong as well as elegant looking then looking further than bone china is futile.
They are known for not only their thick and delicate structure, but also for their surprising durability. Their semi-translucent white look makes them very attractive for almost any setting, although it is preferred to use them in a completely formal environment as for a casual occasion, they might appear overdone.
Although they are very durable and are usually safe to be washed using dishwasher, yet it is more preferable to wash them using hands.
Earthenware Dishes
Recently, the trend of earthenware dishes has boomed and this is due to the classic, old, homely yet attractive touch they hold to their appearance.
Earthenware dish sets are also very affordable. They come under the family of ceramic dinnerware. One reason for their satisfactory affordability is also their make is more porous than other types of dish sets.
After their manufacture, they are sealed and strengthened with a waterproof glaze. Although they are heavily built and are quite sturdy, yet less than porcelain.
Earthenware dishes are excellent for a casual setting.
Melamine Dishes
Melamine dishes are made up of immensely durable resin. Their outward texture and appearance may deceive you into thinking that it comes under the ceramic family.
They are an excellent option if say, you have invited some guests, but the occasion is also not too formal and the guests are bringing their kids too. The reason is that they might not be as durable as bone china, but they are quite resistant against shattering or chipping.
The best thing about melamine dishes is that they offer quite a variety of different designs, patterns, and colors. This way you can easily find the style that suits your choice the best.
Dishes For Everyday: Which Set To Choose?
Dinnerware sets or dish sets come in different styles, collections (number of pieces), and are made up of different materials. While some dishes only suit a party situation such as when you are arranging a dinner party or are even inviting a friend over for a tea.
These types of dishes can also go with informal occasions such as when you are holding a BBQ in your backyard.
Dishes For A Formal Home Dinner
If you are inviting a family or a friend of yours over for a dinner, then the priority is presentation (as far as dinnerware/dishes are concerned). The theme should contain elegance. This is often made possible when the dishes are composed of a crispy white coloring.
Dishes For A Casual Dinner
A casual dinner is when you are not formally inviting a friend over but just want to hang out with your old buddies. Eat pizza, watch TV, or do some BBQ. Dishes for such occasions can feature bolder colors and manifest patterns. Patterns can even be creative to some degree.
A Typical Dish Set
In a typical table setting, a dish set is supposed to include: a dinner plate, a salad plate (which is smaller), and a 3rd plate that can and should also be added if this cuisine being served is Indian or the meal includes side pieces of chapatti or nan or bread to be eaten with the main course. Other than that, a bowl, and a cup would also be needed.
This explains that in case the 3rd extra plate is not included in the main dish set, then a 16-piece dish set or dinnerware set can serve maximum four people. Obviously, it can vary in relation to the varying setting, types of meal being served and the level of formality that one has with their guests.
Caring For Your Dish Sets
A separate guide can be written on caring for your dish sets or dinnerware sets but there are some very important rules that need to be followed. These are enough to ensure that your dishes go a long way without their texture wearing down, fading off, and chipping for at the most extreme, shattering.
One should make it a habit of theirs to always check the instructions that are given on the dinnerware set boxes. These instructions given by the manufacturer, explicitly mention whether their product is suitable for a dishwasher or not.
Final Verdict
As mentioned above, bone china dishes usually are safe for a dishwasher but there can be an exception, so one should not generalize. Some dish sets have some metallic content embedded in their material which makes them unsafe for microwave oven.
Always maintain two separate cupboards; one for dish sets that are for daily use and casual occasions and the other for rather delicate dish sets. To protect them from scratches and wearing off, place pieces of soft cardboard or felt between each piece, in case they are piled up vertically.
I hope you now have an idea about what dishes are best for everyday use.
Best of luck! 🙂
