Choosing bowls and plates for your table
You need fewer shapes than you think. Start with how you actually eat, then build out.
There is one rule underneath all the advice you will read: buy for the meals you really cook, not the dinner party you imagine. A table works when every piece on it gets used.
Start with the everyday plate
The dinner plate does most of the work, so choose it first. It should be big enough for a full meal and still fit your shelf and your sink. A smaller quarter plate alongside it covers breakfast, snacks and dessert.
Then the bowls
Three kinds cover almost everything.
- Small katoris for dal, curry, curd and chutney
- A deeper bowl for soup, cereal or noodles
- A wide, shallow bowl for pasta, salad and rice dishes
Serving pieces
One or two serving bowls and a platter are enough for most homes. Pick them a little larger than you think you need — food looks better with room around it.
Mixing colours and glazes
A table does not have to match. Two or three colours that sit well together often look better than one. If you are unsure, keep the plates plain and let the bowls and serving pieces carry the colour.
The part people skip
Count before you buy. Work out how many people you feed on a normal day, add two for guests, and buy that many of each everyday piece. A dinner set does the counting for you.
