Using what I have: Wedding China

When I met my husband, he had some colorful plastic Heller plates (like the ones pictured here) that he'd inherited from his parents, and we've been using them for over ten years now. They're sturdy, almost unbreakable, and the lip on the side keeps food contained - obviously, they're perfect for kids.

However, ever since BPA in plastic became a known health issue, I've been wary of plastic. And this set is old.

So I looked around for alternatives for quite some time - I considered glass, melamine, Corelle, wood, and other materials. But they were all too expensive, raised new health concerns, or too fragile.

For a while, I was paralyzed by indecision. What was the right thing to do?


Finally, I decided on the easiest alternative: using what I already have, i.e., the lovely set of plain white bone china that we registered for when we got married. We were lucky enough to receive 12 complete place settings. Four are still in their boxes, so I actually have replacements if they are necessary. The kids are old enough now that I figured we'd just see what happens. If we end up with a series of broken plates, I'll have to buy something.

But in the meantime, I'm pleased. I've always loved my wedding china, and it makes me happy to use it every day. Plus, we saved quite a bit of money by not buying anything new. ^_^