Thrifty Thursday: Using reusable plates

I think that the ideas for Thrifty Thursday posts really come to me a few at a time but then I seem stuck that I don't know what other new ideas I have.  Should I come up with a few ideas a day that I can share with you?  Well, I feel like the things that I do aren't really ideas but seem like common sense.  Of course, they are only common sense if you learned exactly the same things that I did growing up.  I know that you may have some great ideas that you learned through your growing up and I hope to share some ideas even if they are simple.

It is summertime and the time for picnics and BBQs.  Normally, my plate and dishes are pottery (as I am sure you have seen in my food pictures).  We normally do our cookouts outside but eat inside with our regular pottery.  When I was a kid, we had the woven paper plate holders that we put under our paper plates to hold them so that they didn't bend and lose the plate under the pressure of all the food.  Did you guys use these things too?

If we have a picnic or eat outside, I don't want to take the dishes outside to eat because I am afraid that they are going to get broken.  This is the time that most people go out and buy paper plates, especially if they have company coming over.  Do you usually buy paper plates for your summer BBQs? 

I have to admit that I have a bunch of paper plates of different sizes, bowl, and plastic cups but I am trying to be more mindful of being frugal and green.  I have been using them up at different parties and picnics from the ones that I have built up over the years.  I have a few reusable plastic plates and I am going to get a set at Target (or two) in the dollar bins or at the Dollar Tree because the summer time is the perfect time to find those types for super cheap!!  They usually have sets of 2 or 4 that you can get and use all year round which makes for a super cheap reusable plate.  There is also a nice set at IKEA which are available all year round which even includes silverware.

The great bonus is that now you don't have to worry about a paper plate folding in two while you over load your plate with treats.  In addition, the great part is having different colored plates so that everyone knows which one is theirs without wondering!!!  It also gives you something different then your normal dishes to have a little summer change.  We also have kid plates around the house which I am going to be pulling out.  Can't you see a group of adults around the BBQ eating off of cartoon plates?  It would make sure that people don't forget which plate is theirs!!!

Want to be even better??  They also have matching cups for most of the plate sets!!  There are so many cute ones out there and I am having trouble picking but I am going to find some fun dishes to reuse.

What do you use for picnics and BBQs?  Do you have a fear of your dishes breaking outside?  What choices are you going to make this year for picnics and BBQs?