To plate it in the kitchen rather than let people serve themselves?

[IggyPoppers]

If you're having a family meal do you plate it straight from the whatever it was cooked in onto plates and then carry those plates through or do you decant the food into a serving bowl and carry that through? AIBU to not want even more dishes and to just plate it from the hob?

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Plate it up, but there's only two of us and we don't eat at the table, or in the same room come to think of it.

[greendale17]

No I hate it when people plate up for you. I always allow guests to help themselves

[Babysharkdododont]

Depends if it's a weeknight meal with DH and dc, or a family meal with extended family; if the latter I'll always let people serve themselves, if the former I plate it up

[wasabiaddiction]

Depends on the meal. Sometimes I do one way and sometimes the other.

[JenniferJareau]

I plate up and carry through.

[JaceLancs]

Never plate up
I hate it if anyone does it for me

[YouBumder]

Depends on the meal. Sometimes I do one way and sometimes the other.

This

[Bluntness100]

God no, I'd on,y plate up for a small child, past that people can be trusted to serve themselves as their appetite dictates. I can't see any reason for plating up other than wishing to control portion sizes.

[blackteaplease]

We don't have enough room on the table to self serve but I usually ask guests how much they want whilst playing up.

[GahWhatever]

Depends who it is. If just us adults I tend to plate in the kitchen because I know who likes what etc.
When DC are around I put it all out for everyone to help themselves. It's what we are used to and I like the family round the table together.

[bluechameleon]

We put dishes on the table because it helps DS1 to feel more relaxed about new foods. I think if it's just for your family and you know what they like it's ok to plate it up but I hate it when we go to my PILs and I don't get any control over what is on my plate. Particularly with Christmas dinner!

[NewGrandad]

Depends on what the meal is and the numbers being served. At Christmas we have Chicken and loads of veggies, potatoes kilted sausages etc.and that is left to everyone to serve themselves. On New Years day we have steak pie which is plated in the kitchen. Between 13 and 20 at Christmas and 6-8 at New Year.

[PhannyMcNee]

Help ourselves - we eat in the kitchen so it’s easier to put dishes into the table than try and remember which of the 4dc likes which vegetables etc on that particular day!!

[Fatbutt]

depends on the dinner...

I tend to do a mix of both though, so plate up 'main' (meat, pie, stew etc) then serve veg/potato/bread to be dished out at the table

[prettybird]

It's one of the things that irritates me about dh: that he prefers to plate up and take through to the dining room.

But there again, he hates that sometimes I do insist on putting out extra mats, so that the hot dishes can be taken through and we can serve up for ourselves.

He still insists on carving roasts in the kitchen though and taking through the meat already plated up

[mindutopia]

I have never used serving bowls for a normal everyday meal. We might perhaps for something like Christmas if we wanted to be really formal, but honestly, unless you have some medieval feasting table, I can't imagine how we'd fit all that on the table, plus cups and glasses (and we have a pretty big 6 person table).

[Calzone]

Totally depends on the meal.

Roast dinner is help yourself.

Fishfingers, mash and beans are plated.

Same with guests.
Sometimes it’s help yourself.....sometimes it’s a fine dining plated poncery.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

It entirely depends on the meal and who is eating it!

Mid week eat infront of telly gets plated.

Sunday lunch just the 2 of us, might get plated

Sunday lunch with visitors goes to the table

[outpinked]

Plate up and carry through, always have.

[BigChocFrenzy]

I always let people help themselves

That way if someone doesn't like something, they just don't take any of it
and they can chose more of some things, less of others

[pallisers]

On an ordinary night we all help ourselves from the hob.

If I was doing a big family dinner I put stuff out on the counter and people help themselves and we eat in the dining room.

If I am doing christmas or thanksgiving dinner I have chafing dishes that I can use to keep the food hot - so I decant into those and people help themselves.

[Reluctantme]

Your choice! With guests, or a special occasion, it’s nicer to let them help themselves. But on a very strict budget, I only normally cook just enough for the family on a normal evening.

[gemlinmae]

It's entirely dependent on who/when the meal is.

Us as a family in front of the TV - plate it up (easy enough as partner and I know everyone's preferences, so unless they flag unusual hunger or feeling not very hungry, they get a normal amount).

Us as a family at the dining room table - serve yourselves according to preferences.

Guests/wider family - always let them serve themselves, I think it's very very rude to just assume tastes, preferences and appetites - without interrogating everyone beforehand it's bound to be wrong!

[CIT80]

I never plate up

[Pk37]

Plate up.
Serving bowls are a pain in the arse , more washing up and food goes cold by the time you’ve decanted from the pan and then finally to peoples plates .
What a waste of time