There are really two types of plastic plates out on the market. Disposable plastic plates and those that you can wash and reuse again. There are also other things you can do with plastic plates, out of the norm, which we will discuss a little later on.

Disposable Plastic Plates

Disposable plastic plates have got to be one of the handiest inventions around. They are absolutely indispensable during the summer. The beauty of disposable plates is that you can use and abuse them and then toss them in the trash when you are through. Some plastic plates are even recyclable so watch for the symbol on the bottom.

Having a party in the backyard, at the cottage or even out camping, using disposable plates can free up a lot of time. Use them for birthday parties, kids parties or adult, also use them while having a bar-b-que in the back yard. Have a stack on hand at the cottage for quick clean-ups. Bring them along when you are going camping. You will be glad of them if water for washing up is very limited.

Disposable plastic plates come in transparent, plain white and also with pre-printed designs on them. Since they are meant to be thrown out when you are finished with them, you probably won't be keeping them around for long. So, pick what you like or what suits your dinner's decor. You won't have them around long enough to get tired of the pattern!

Children's birthday parties are a great place to use disposable and printed plastic plates. They are often available with colourful and popular characters from cartoons and movies. You can coordinate other party materials along the same thing. Things like napkins, party hats and disposable table cloths also come printed with matching designs.

There are lots of interesting projects that can be made with disposable plastic plates. You can cut into them and make masks for children. They can be used as a paint pallet when painting a home project. You can also use them to make a cute little cupcake stand like shown here .
If you are looking to keep your plastic plates for a longer period of time, consider getting reusable plastic plates. These type of plastic plates are very handy as well. They do not break as easily as glass or ceramic plates. They are also very easy to wash. Depending on the quality of the plastic, you may find that they discolour and get hairline cracks with age. They may also stain from certain foods like pasta sauce. There is really nothing you can do about that. You basically get what you are paying for. Also, when shopping for these type of plastic plates, check to see if they are dishwasher safe. As well, it is usually not a good idea to cook and reheat food on plastic plates. There are unsafe toxins that can be emitted into your food.

Reusable Plastic Plates

Reusable plastic plates are super handy for serving food to children. Younger children tend to drop their plates or even throw them! So clean up, albeit there will be some, will be less of a problem. You will not have to deal with glass or ceramic shards. Plus, if a reusable plastic plate is destroyed, it won't cost you a fortune to replace it.

Plastic plates that are reusable come in tons of different colours and patterns. We have a plain white set in our cupboards. We use these dishes for serving our children. Plain white goes with everything, but the drawback is that with age they show discolourations a lot more readily.

Another option is to select a solid colour that is dark enough to hide imperfections and that goes with your decor. Whatever you select in plastic plates, you can rest assured that if you change your kitchen or patio decor, you can inexpensively change your dishes as well!