Another dinner poll

[Parrothead]

Do you usually serve from the stove or do you serving dishes on the table? I was reading the serving hubby thread. I think I am vastly outnumbered. But, maybe those that use serving dishes did not participate in the other thread/poll.

[Rosie_0801]

I only use serving dishes at Christmas time. For the rest of the year, I have enough work to do without creating more! Pots, serving dishes, and crockery? :svengo:

 

Rosie

[Amira]

I probably should have picked other because I always bring the food to the table, but I rarely transfer it to a serving dish. I just bring the pot or the wok to the table so I don't have to wash more dishes. How tacky.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Serving dishes here. Sometimes they are oven to table dishes but they are meant to be serving dishes all the same. We set the table and put out the dishes and any condiments. I will only put the condiments in prettier dishes if we have company. Otherwise, the mayo or ketchup etc. is plunked on the table just as it is in it's bottle. If I have leftovers I will often just put a lid on the oven to table dishes and will put them into the fridge when we clear the table.

[Brenda in FL]

I probably should have picked other because I always bring the food to the table, but I rarely transfer it to a serving dish. I just bring the pot or the wok to the table so I don't have to wash more dishes. How tacky.

 

:iagree: I do the same thing - I voted for the second option - because the pot is also the serving dish!

[Mert]

I do a little of both. We mostly serve from the stove, but I will sometimes serve at the table from the pan as mentioned earlier. Or I will put the food on the table in the container it will be stored in later.

[Annabel Lee]

"Other" - pots and pans come straight to the table.

[Amber in AUS]

I serve from the stove 99% of the time. On special occasions like Birthday's, Christmas or when we have guests over we pass and serve at the table. It is much better for my hip pocket to cook what i know we are going to consume and then serve it on the plate appropriately.

[joannqn]

I probably should have picked other because I always bring the food to the table, but I rarely transfer it to a serving dish. I just bring the pot or the wok to the table so I don't have to wash more dishes. How tacky.

 

Same here...only I don't own any serving dishes.

[creekland]

We serve straight from the stove as I see no need to dirty other dishes. We're not fashion conscious and never will be. Usually I cook, then when things are ready, hubby and the boys dish things out onto plates.

[DarcyB]

I dish up at the stove because our table is small, school work pushed to the side to fit us in, and I don't like the added dishes of transferring to serving plates for non-special meals. Our table is in our kitchen, so it's 3 steps to get to the stove.

[Sherry in OH]

If I put serving dishes on the table there would be no room for the plates.

[NanceXToo]

Well, often whatever main meat we serve, we plate over at the stove. Side dishes are usually placed on the table for people to grab from, but if it was something that was cooked in a pot, it usually stays in the pot and goes onto a pot holder rather than transferred into a "serving dish."

[Carrie12345]

Other. Our dining table isn't really large enough to accommodate "family style" (because our dining "room" is too small to accommodate a larger table), so everything gets moved from the stove/oven/microwave/fridge/grill to the kitchen peninsula. I guess that would be considered more "buffet style", though I usually make up most of the kids' plates and the older ones go back for their own seconds.

[kewb]

I serve from the stove because I grew up in a house where everyone was always watching their weight. If you have to leave the table to go get seconds you tend to think about if you really want them.

[stripe]

How tacky.

My aunt puts jam in bowls. I serve from the jar. Sigh.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I voted other because it's probably 50/50 here. It depends on what's for dinner.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I plate the food at the stove/counter and bring it to the table. That's how I voted. However, we do have some things on the table depending on the meal. Last night the crackers and yogurt dip were on the table. I plated the soup, cheese, and olives at the stove/counter, though.

[KidsHappen]

We only use serving dishes when we have lots of company, otherwise food is plated at the stove.

[Laurie4b]

We use both options about equally.

[2squared]

The poll results are very interesting for me. I thought most everyone served family style.

 

For those who plate at the stove, how are you not annoyed by the constant 2nd and 3rd servings that you have to get for the dc? I'm envisioning all the food being in the kitchen, and my pregnant body in constant motion between the stove and dining room to refill everyone's plates. As it is, we are constantly passing items around the table for refills, and that's annoying enough!

 

And another question - if you aren't constantly refilling plates, is that because everyone gets large servings to begin with? Does that mean you have a lot of leftovers on plates at the end of the meal? Maybe my dc are unusual, but they don't eat a predictable amount of anything ever. Some days they are hungrier or pickier or just have stranger eating habits.

 

Maybe we just eat more than the average family?

[Mama Geek]

I picked other, sometimes we put food on the plates in the kitchen, other times we carry pots out to the table. Serving dishes usually come out when there are guests or for special occasions.

[MissKNG]

I plate food for my girls because they are young. But if we have company, we either pass food or I make a "buffet" on the counter.

[KatieJ]

I voted other. When the kiddoes were all home, or when I have company, I serve up in serving dishes..even the pickles or sour cream or mayo..etc.

 

Now that it's just two of us, I usually only cook for two and then I dish up at the stove and put just the plates on.

 

I rarely, put a pot on the table. Soup is about the only thing I ever served directly from the pot.

[Beach Mom]

The poll results are very interesting for me. I thought most everyone served family style.

:iagree:I thought so too! These two threads have been so interesting.

 

We almost always serve family style with the food in serving dishes on the kitchen or dining room table. If we are having chili or soup I do ladle it at the stove.

 

I wonder if this is a regional thing, or a factor of how dinner was served at your house growing up. I know in our house growing up family style was the norm, and now all my sisters serve family style.

[The Girls' Mom]

"Other" - pots and pans come straight to the table.

:iagree:

[The Girls' Mom]

The poll results are very interesting for me. I thought most everyone served family style.

 

For those who plate at the stove, how are you not annoyed by the constant 2nd and 3rd servings that you have to get for the dc? I'm envisioning all the food being in the kitchen, and my pregnant body in constant motion between the stove and dining room to refill everyone's plates. As it is, we are constantly passing items around the table for refills, and that's annoying enough!

 

 

 

 

Well, in our case, we've never had a dedicated dining room. We've always had an eat in kitchen, so even if I left the food on the stove, it would only be a few steps away.

[Perry]

I put everything in serving bowls and put it on the table. If there isn't enough room, we use the island as a buffet.

 

Once I sit down to eat, I want to stay there and enjoy the meal and have a conversation with my family. I find it really unpleasant to have people getting up constantly for seconds. I'd much rather wash a few extra dishes than have people in motion.

[momtotkbb]

Normal meals are handled by just serving from the stove - counter. If we have company or for a monthly sit down dinner w/ the family I set out serving platters either on the island or on the dining room table.

 

Normal days we all eat dinner at different times bec of activities and dh not coming home from the office until ?7:30-9 depending so I don't plan a sit down meal M-F.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We do both. If it is a hot casserole or if there isn't room on the table, we will serve somethings from the stove. Most other dishes go on the table and we serve from there. If it is a hot dish, most of us will pass our dish to the person sitting closest it so they can serve up. It is a very communal thing.

[AHASRADA]

We almost always serve at the stove. Usually, we eat at the same time, but once in a while someone isn't hungry yet, dh is busy, etc., so it works out well to let everyone fill their plate when they're ready. We also eat where we are comfortable, usually at the large coffee table in front of the TV, but if someone is working on the computer, etc. in the dining room, he/she may stay there and work while eating. Our house is small, and we are rarely more than 4 yards apart at any given moment (usually less 4 feet !;)), so this does not cause any lack of "family togetherness" issues.

 

To answer the PPs question:

 

We do not often go back for 2nds. We all have a good idea of how much we feel like eating on that day at that moment, and serve ourselves accordingly. If one of the guys wants more, he just goes back for more. No one else is in the kitchen at that time, so it doesn't bother anyone.

 

I do think we are influenced by how we grew up, in numerous aspects of our lives. Sometimes we do things the same way our parents did because it seems "normal", and other times we do the exact opposite, because we thought it was "nuts". KWIM?

 

We didn't grow up with serving dishes per se, but *I* was expected to set the table, my mom would bring the food to the table, pass around and dish out, then drag it all (dishes as well as dirty plates and cutlery) back to the kitchen. As a teen I protested that setting the table was a waste of time! Why doesn't each person just get his/her own plate and cutlery, serve themselves from the stove, bring it to the table to eat, and then return their own dirty dishes to the kitchen? Well, now that I'm the mom, that's what we do, LOL!

 

BTW, when we have guests, it is usually buffet style!

 

ETA: Back to the "serving husbands" topic, sometimes I will serve out dh's food and bring his plate to him, so one's husband still can be served, even if done so from the stove!

[Dayle in Guatemala]

We usually eat at the table serving out of the pots and pans that the food was cooked in.

[4kiddies]

I serve from the stove when we eat in the kitchen. If it is a holiday or special occasion where we are eating in the dining room then I use serving dishes.

[Ferdie]

We use serving dishes at the table most nights. It bugs me when my kids go back and forth for seconds so I like having everything on the table in front of us. I serve off the counter when we have a crock pot meal. When my kids were younger I served them off the stove.

 

My dh does the dishes and has not complained about the extra work of washing serving dishes. Bless his heart!

 

ETA: That is the way I grew up only my mom would put EVERYTHING in a serving dish: ketchup, gravy, butter, milk.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Ferdie

[MamaT]

I plate everything from the stove and hand the plate to a child who is responsible for putting the plates on the table. Another child is responsible for putting the drinks, napkins, silverware, and condiments on the table.

 

For special occasions or when we have company I put everything on the table in serving dishes.

[ilovemy6kids]

I used to put every thing in serving bowls at the table, but now we have 9 people sitting at a table made for 5-6 there just is not enough room.

Sheri

[ChrisN in NY]

The staircase separates the kitchen (not an eat-in) and the dining room. When the kiddos were all little, I would not have wanted them carrying their plates to the table, and it would've taken me too many trips.

 

So we serve from the table. I generally don't transfer food from the cooking dish to a serving dish; the cooking dish becomes the serving dish. Good enough.

[delaney]

With 6 kids it is easier to prep food at the counter and pass them full plates.

[lionfamily1999]

Screwed up.............. Should've clicked "usually the stove."

 

Oops :p

[elegantlion]

Well, in our case, we've never had a dedicated dining room. We've always had an eat in kitchen, so even if I left the food on the stove, it would only be a few steps away.

 

This is us at the current time. We serve from the stove. I used to have some nice serving dishes, but we ditched them all in the great crock pot debacle of was it 08 or 09. All the talk about glazed ceramic pieces, remember?

 

We are moving soon and the house we have an offer on has a small kitchen and separate dining room. I guess I might get some more serving dishes, which means I'll need an antique serving buffet, which means I'll have to go hunting for one...thank, another reason to shop. Maybe is someone could suggest a cookbook or decorating book to go with this thread I could add it to my amazon list, because you know I can't read a thread lately without wanting to add something to my amazon wish list. :tongue_smilie::lol:

[BMW]

Unless it's a holiday or an easy "self serve" that does not require serving dishes (hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos), I serve up the plates from the stove. I got in the habit because we are a rather large family and I couldn't see transfering food to serving dishes and then having to wash all those!

 

70% of the time, dh is in the kitchen with me serving up the plates. We always serve up the plates for the 4 youngest and ourselves. Now we also serve up the plate for my expecting daughter when she is here... :) Teens usually have to come in and serve themselves.

[Cinder]

I usually plate at the stove. There are times when I don't. If we have tacos, I put everything at the table and everyone serves themselves. Fruit, chips, bread also go on the table. I serve up leafy salads already plated, but cole slaw is self-serve (not all my dc will eat it, they'll usually pick the fruit). The other thing I don't plate is steak--dh will cut it up right before serving and we'll just pass our plates around.

 

Cinder

[Karen in CO]

I read a couple of nutritional studies years ago about how allowing kids to serve themselves teaches them portion control and is healthier for them. I Had heard the same thing from some Montessori teachers I know and various other places. At some point we decided as a family to serve what is called "family style." I don't usually use serving dishes, I just put a towel and my cast iron dutch oven on the table and let everyone serve themselves. My only rule is that you have to server yourself a vegetable. We are all happy and healthy and self-sufficient.

[2squared]

With 6 kids it is easier to prep food at the counter and pass them full plates.

 

:lol: I was thinking just the opposite. With my clan of young dc, it seems easier to put all the food on the table and serve from there. I am just now enjoying my oldest two being able to take their own food from the pans on the table.

 

I think I'll plate the food at the stove tonight and see what happens. I'll make something the kids are luke-warm on so that I'm not up getting seconds and thirds for them. :)

 

The kids eat at the kitchen counter for lunch, and I do plate their meals then. But, I stand on the other side of the counter while they are eating and refill their plates. I eat when they are done.

 

Maybe we just make eating more work than it should be. Dh & I are constantly pouring, cutting, spreading, and serving. Some day we will have self-serving dc.....I think.

[2squared]

I read a couple of nutritional studies years ago about how allowing kids to serve themselves teaches them portion control and is healthier for them.

 

This is one of the reasons I like family style serving. My older two are able to get their own food now, and they are required to seriously think about how much they put on their plate. Same with pouring drinks. If they serve themselves, I expect them to do it in tandem with their hunger.

[melissel]

The poll results are very interesting for me. I thought most everyone served family style.

 

I did too! It's always been a small source of some weird sort of guilt for me that I don't put everything on the table to serve from. I had no idea it was so common!

 

For those who plate at the stove, how are you not annoyed by the constant 2nd and 3rd servings that you have to get for the dc?

 

We don't usually need many seconds, and never thirds. Even if we did, I'd rather get up to get them than wash more dishes. I don't mind the getting up.

 

And another question - if you aren't constantly refilling plates, is that because everyone gets large servings to begin with? Does that mean you have a lot of leftovers on plates at the end of the meal?

 

Frankly, I'm not sure! I suspect we give servings that are too big to begin with, but even when I consciously give smaller servings, the girls don't usually ask for more. If they just want a bite or two more, DH or I will often give them some from our plate. And DD5 is a grazer. After they finish, they both ask for dessert--typically something very small. After that, if DD5 is still hungry, she'll go back to the food on her plate. We end up leaving her plate there for awhile for that reason. I like that she follows her appetite, so I encourage it.

 

My girls are young though! This will probably all change as they age :D

[Caitilin]

I usually serve from dishes/pans on the table.

[Parrothead]

Thanks everyone for responding. I think all the reasons for each family are interesting.

[Joker]

Our table is very small and can not accomodate everything. It is also an eat in kitchen so its not very far for seconds. I usually always plate the first serving and if anyone wants seconds they get it themselves. What little space is available on our table has raw veggies. Both my dds eat more raw veggies than they will cooked so they're served on the table at every dinner.

[LauraGB]

If by "at the stove" you are including carrying each pot to the counter of set out plates, piling it on, returning that pot and getting another and so on, then yes, that's how we do it on normal nights; my counter looks like one at a diner :001_huh:. However, if we have guests, then the table is set and the food is tabled in serving bowls.