Hosting in the garden: a plastic-free evening
A practical guide to serving without washing up at large gatherings: which plate sizes, how many bowls, table layout and clearing up afterwards.
A crowded dinner table set up in the garden usually means two things for the host: a lovely evening, followed by hours of washing up. Collect the main course, salad, appetiser and dessert plates from a twenty-guest party and you have a pile of more than eighty pieces. Single-use natural plates remove this dilemma; the pleasure of the evening stays, and no plastic waste is left behind.
How many per guest?
In our experience, two large plates, one medium bowl and one small snack plate per person is enough for a crowded dinner. Set aside small plates for children; it reduces waste. Keeping about ten percent extra on hand gives you peace of mind for latecomers.
Table layout: work with natural materials
The kraft colour of Biogranul plates harmonises naturally with a wooden table, linen napkins and wicker placemats. Rather than mixing with white porcelain, setting the whole table in natural tones gives a more coherent look. A few sprigs of olive, rosemary or seasonal flowers in the centre — and there's no need for further decoration.
- Place deep bowls for salads and appetisers in the centre of the table and main-course plates in front of each guest.
- Hot dishes can be served straight onto the plate; natural plates are heat resistant.
- Gather small snack plates for dessert and nuts on a separate serving table so guests help themselves.
After dinner: one bin, zero sorting
At a table mixing plastic and porcelain, clearing up begins with sorting. With natural plates that step disappears: plate, leftovers and paper napkins all go into the same organic-waste bin. Its contents can be composted; if you have a garden you can add them straight to the compost heap. A few months later, those plates have become the soil of the garden you dined in.
Account for the weather
Wind is the garden table's greatest enemy. Natural plates are heavier than plastic and stay put in a light breeze; in stronger wind, a linen napkin under each plate is both an elegant and a practical fix. When serving hot food, the plates hold heat and dishes stay warm longer.
“Your guests feel the warmth of a natural material, not the touch of plastic.”
You don't have to spend two hours in the kitchen at the end of a crowded evening. A well-planned natural table leaves the host with an evening as enjoyable as the guests'.
