Homemaking--dinnerware

In my early twenties when I became a bride, I did as most brides were doing at that time and registered for the items that would start my marriage off with the items we needed to start a home. I remember very well when my maternal grandma scolded me for registering for gifts. "That's for rich girls," she said. To this day I appreciate a registry or a wish list when I spend my hard earned money on a gift for anyone.  I want to buy what the recipient will use rather than something that will be stored until the next white elephant gift exchange or trip to Good Will.  I also remember how my grandma thought I was too big for my britches for wanting matching towels.  Her towels never matched. Actually, not much of anything in her home matched, and I remember thinking if you have to buy them anyway, why not buy matching sets?  I still chuckle when I think of my college boyfriend meeting her and declaring later that she was country.  Yes, she was! She grew up in the country and in a different generation.  I loved her dearly, and we got along well, but we definitely had differing opinions on homemaking.  

Anyway, all this to say that when I registered for dinnerware all those years ago, I turned my nose up to the Corelle Ware that had served my mom well for many years.  I thought it looked dated, and honestly, ugly.  I loved a Pfaltzgraff stoneware set and registered for it.  Generous guests made sure I had enough place settings to settle in for a while.  In spite of my grandma's take on registries being for rich girls, I never registered for China as I could not decide on a pattern I liked.  I figured I would collect the China later - yeah right.  Five years later I settled on a pattern but never bought a single dish. My daily dinnerware did not survive my children. 

Fast forward a few years, and I was buying cheap, pretty stoneware from Walmart that chipped immediately and then broke easily, not to mention that it would burn your hand off if you used it in the microwave and tried to remove it without an oven mitt - I am not even kidding about that.  After that fail, I found really pretty and functional dishes at Target, but I am always budget conscious and was buying them a little bit at a time.   Eventually, they were discontinued before I had collected enough for our expanding family.  

So this is how it works around here, I put up with the broken whatever and the not enough whatevers trying to plan and budget and do the right thing until I snap and cave and purchase the replacement.  That just happened with the dishes. After weeks of going to grab a plate or bowl only to realize that every plate and/or every bowl we own was mid-cycle in a round of dishes running in the dishwasher, I caved.  First, I looked at Corelle Ware.  It's not as ugly as it used to be, and my great-grandchildren could probably use it.  Then I did a little online research and happened upon a blog by a cook where the question was poised, "what dishes do you use?" Over and over again the commenters mentioned Corelle Ware or Aspen dishes from Crate and Barrel.  Again and again, they mentioned durability (kind of important in this house) and affordability (really important in this house).  We don't have a local Crate and Barrel.  Andy was also at the end of his rope with the dishes.  In fact when I said I was looking, he immediately discarded what was left of the Wal-mart dishes, not even kidding.  They were there and then they were gone.  I went out to see the Corelle Ware in person and just did not like the pattern we chose online, so I ordered the Aspen dishes without seeing them in person.   

I am so glad I did.  Here's the pros and cons:

Pros: They are easily replaceable and affordable.  I bought sets of eight salad plates, dinner plates and bowls.  We rarely eat on dinner plates around here.  Every meal is served on salad plates both for portion control and ease of clean up after the meal.  Even though I bought sets, I can buy the dishes individually.  This set has been around for years and will likely stay around for many more years.

They are simple, sturdy and not too bulky.  They stack nicely.

The bowls are perfect for salads.  I like them better than the Corelle Ware for the replacement option. I can buy one plate or a set.  Had I bought the Corelle Ware, I would have had a set of cups and saucers that we never would use- likely going immediately to the Good Will. 

Cons: Crate and Barrel is not local, and shipping is not cheap.  I wish they offered a smaller bowl option as these are too big for cereal or ice cream.  I do also wish that this pattern came in colors.  I wanted white as a basic set but would love to have some pieces in other colors to mix it up (maybe I have some of my grandma in me after all :))

In the end I was pleased to get new dishes, a long overdue purchase.  I will likely order another set of salad plates and possibly another set of bowls. As I like to do, I will wait for a coupon on that.  So if you are in the market for classy, affordable, and replaceable dishes...