When I was younger, adult dinner parties seemed like grand affairs centered around a long table laden with food. I imagined gatherings so large they required mountains of plates and silverware, and at the heart of it all, enormous Large Serving Platters showcasing magnificent turkeys and roasts, just like in the vintage food magazines.
As life unfolded, those dinner parties did become a reality. We hosted feasts for large groups even in small city apartments. Later, in a bigger space, we managed even larger birthday celebrations. Yet, as our everyday meals grew to include more people, I noticed something: those massive large serving platters remained in the cupboard, gathering dust. Lately, I’ve realized I prefer not to use them at all.
Opting out of the bulky presentation of large serving platters and instead using several shallow bowls, smaller serving dishes, or even regular dinner plates offers two significant advantages: a more enjoyable dining experience and considerably easier cleanup.
Ensuring there’s a smaller serving dish of each item at both ends of the table dramatically improves your guests’ access to all the delicious elements of the meal you’ve thoughtfully prepared. Anna Stockwell, Senior Food Editor at Epi, wisely suggests, “if there’s something you want readily available, doubling up is the key. This way, everyone has what they need within easy reach.” Following this principle, she consistently provides two bowls of bread or sauce and places multiple bottles of wine and water along her table. I’ve adopted this approach too, using duplicate salads, side dishes, and often even two plates of the main course, ditching the need for a single large serving platter.
Erin Gleeson, the author of The Forest Feast Gatherings, points out that larger platters are often “cumbersome to pass because they become so heavy.” Moreover, it’s much more convenient when multiple people can serve themselves simultaneously. Ali Rosen, author of Bring It! Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining, agrees, questioning, “Who wants their food to get cold while a massive platter slowly makes its way around the table?” And no one enjoys interrupting conversations repeatedly to ask for the large serving platter of green beans to be passed back.
Choosing smaller dishes over a large serving platter and placing, for example, a dish of salmon on each side of the table can prevent any dinner table battles over who gets the last serving. This simple shift enhances the flow of your dinner party, making it more relaxed and enjoyable for everyone involved.
