When you’re out on the road in your RV, every detail counts, including how you handle mealtime. One of the choices many RVers face is whether to use regular plates or paper plates when dining. It might seem like a small decision, but it can affect everything from cleanup time to waste management.
Regular plates bring a touch of home to your RV dining experience. They’re sturdy, reusable, and help reduce single-use waste. However, they come with the challenge of needing water for washing, which can be a concern when you’re boondocking or trying to conserve your water supply.
Paper plates, on the other hand, offer ease and convenience, especially during longer trips when you’d rather focus on relaxing or exploring than doing dishes. They’re disposable and save water, but they do create extra trash, which can quickly pile up in a small space. For those who prioritize eco-friendliness, this can be a drawback.
So, what’s your preference when it comes to RV dining?
Do you stick with regular plates, or do you opt for the convenience of paper plates? Let us know by voting in the poll below!
Regular plates when camping with hookups, paper plates when boondocking.
Tire side wall bulge due to road hazards…….try I-10 West between Lake Charles LA. And Orange TX……the road is so bad (due to construction) I inspected all my tires when we finally pulled off for fuel…..horrible stretch of road!
Depends on the campground. If they have a place to wash the dishes, we will use the real plates. If I have to rely on my tanks, it is paper for everything we can get away with. Wish there was a way to make Pasta and fry eggs in paper. Some of Michigan’s State Parks are now adding dish washing sinks at the bathrooms. This is great for Tenters and people like us who want their tanks to last as long as possible. If we can’t get two weeks or more out of the water and black tanks, we did something wrong.
We use paper in the house also.
Cheap plastic washable bowls, plates, glasses etc., usually two for buck at Walmart. Trying to do our little part to stop adding to the landfill. Also, no more plastic bottled drinks that no longer get recycled. We try to stick to glass and aluminum that DO get recycled.
We use plastic plates. Lightweight and unbreakable.
Us too. We had Lexan dishes for camping before the RV!
Should have been one more option, depending on the meal. Paper for some or hard dinner ware for others.
Agree.
There WAS an option for using both.
No need to cut a tree for us to go traveling.
Most paper plates and bowls are made from recycled paper. Saves the trees and less in the landfills. They can also be composted.
The pompous uninformed being informed…love it!! 😆
Trees used for paper are a renewable agricultural crop, like corn, beans and wheat. Travel thru southern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Florida and you will see those crops and the paper mills that create paper products to include RV Toilet Paper. When possible, I ask for paper bags because they are renewable and naturally degradable, back into the soil. Cutting down trees for paper grocery bags, in lieu of plastic was an idea put forth by the oil / plastics industries, intentional or not. Man is an expert at good intentions with unintentional consequences when it comes to Nature.
Hmmm. It never occurred to me to use paper plates! We have Corelle so they don’t break. But we use very little water to wash. Hot soapy water in a small box in the sink, followed by rinsing with a glass of water poured carefully on each side. Of course this all works because we have a fantastic prewash system, our two beagle girls!
How do you get the dog slime off? Yuck
Ccg said hot soapy water…🙄
Reminds me of the old one about an individual bragging that her dishes were washed in Seven Waters (which happened to be the names of her dogs).
A little off topic, but if you want to discourage freeloaders from coming over at dinner time, let them see your dog lick the plates put them back in the cupboard.
Chances are they will never return.
We actually did that to someone who was always complaining about “germs”…the look on her face when that plate went in with the clean ones…priceless! …FYI…we all started laughing and filled her in on our prank…I think she is still traumatized!😂
That’s funny!
Mostly paper. Lightweight and biodegradable. Plastic glasses, light weight, shatter proof and can be washed. Coffee and hot drinks cups, glass or ceramic.
Never use Styrofoam though.
It depends on what we are having to eat. If it’s with excessive moisture than regular dishes if not paper plates. But always use stainless utensils.
I marked regular mostly, but I don’t have “regular” dishes. I use enamel ware pie plates as my regular plates. They’ve got the edge so food doesn’t roll off (I mostly boondock so don’t have a picnic table), plus 1 can be used as a lid when needed, then used as the plate when done cooking, thus saving clean up by less dishes to wash.
I use regular dishes except when traveling or boondocking. My dishes are light weight, multi purpose that can go from fridge to oven and are microwave safe. I make lots of pan/ one plate meals in oven to cut down on dishes to wash. I only have 4 plates, 4 nice plastic bowls for soup and salads and silverware for 4. Weight is always issue for full timers. We also operate under the rule of enough for 6 for cocktails, 4 for dinner and 2 to sleep!!
If we have full service and or eating steaks, corelle plates. Dry camping paper.
Agree! Steak on a paper plate is a nightmare! 😅
I clicked regular plates, but they’re actually very special plates. At home my dishes are ALL handmade pottery collected from all over the world. So that’s how I equipped the RV. I’ve worked out special storage methods for them, so — in the past 7 years of camping — I haven’t broken a single cup or bowl or plate or whatever! And my plates? They were made by my daughter and one of my grandsons.
A lot depends on what we’re eating. Hamburgers, hot dogs, or pizza would mean paper plates. Regular for everything else.
Depends on what we’re eating, and how we’re camping, such as reducing dish washing while dry camping.
We have two each of our favorite Fiestaware dishes – large mugs, deep soup/cereal bowls, a “bowl plate” with a high rim. Otherwise, we use paper, often we’re using a combination of real and paper for any given meal. We do use real silverware, 1950’s atomic star stainless.
Mostly fine China (paper plates and bowls) but I do use metal eating utensils.
All disposable for me, except for my coffee cup.
And microwave instant frozen boxed dinners come in their own bowls and plates!
“Chinet” paper plates and bowls are the best friend to this bachelor RV’er.
When we bought our RV, we bought a nice set of sturdy plastic plates, cups, mugs, even wine glasses. We use these most of the time. Once in a while, if we’re having a lot of guests, we might use paper plates.
We have a nice light weight set of dishes, bowls and drinking cups. We also have mugs for tea and coffee. We do carry a small selection of paper plates when boon docking.
I use paper plates because I have a lot of pain in my forearms and hands. Paper is fine for me. I do use real silverware and drinking cups and glasses.
Thank you, RV Travel! My answer was yes. That is, we use both when traveling in the RV. I do not know what the ratio is. I doubt that it actually is 1:1. It might be, but I doubt it. Have a great day and safe travels!
Paper plates, I don’t have a good way to wash dishes. I use an enameled metal plate under the paper, as I’m eating outside.