Q: Is it okay to wash and re-use disposable dishes and utensils? We do a lot of casual entertaining and it seems wasteful to keep buying new.
A: As long as they are washed in hot water with soap, there’s certainly no reason you can’t re-use most disposable plastic dishes and cutlery. Exceptions to reusing disposable tableware include paper, foam or the newer bamboo disposable items. Why? They are too porous and manufacturers don’t use any sort of sealant on them. Plastic cutlery can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. If washing by hand, soak the utensils first in a bowl of hot water with soap, then wash and air dry. If washing in the dishwasher, put them in a dishwasher basket (the type sold for baby accessories works well) and place it on the top rack to reduce heat exposure. Note that the more expensive grade of plastic cutlery will hold up best to repeated washings. Plastic dishes can also be washed and reused. Generally, handwashing is recommended.