If you’re going through paper plates like crazy, try this fun mealtime parenting hack instead

970 thousand tons of paper cups and plates were discarded in 2003. And while we aren’t scientists, we are going to venture to guess a serious percentage of those were due to parents just trying to make it through dinnertime, or a birthday party, or even just scarfing down a plate of eggs on their way through the carpool line themselves. 

One TikTokker set out to solve this conundrum for the parents in a hurry, and the environmentally conscious among us too. In the TikTok, posted by AudraMaschke, “relatable wife and mom” in September, we learn to buy a 4-pack of red plastic baskets from your dollar store. They are the kind you might see at your local hot dog stand when your kid orders a children’s meal. 

Then, you order paper liners off of Amazon, they suggest, spending a grand total of $1.25 on the four baskets, and “I think $10 on like 1,000 papers” (some mom math there, we think). “Sick of the $20 plates for 100 of them,” they add, pointing to some significantly high price tags on paper plates lately, even on the best day at Costco. “I literally use them on anything I can.” 

Some of the meals they demonstrate using them for, though they can work for other snacks and meals too, include:

• Pizza bagel bites
• Burger and fries
• Chicken nuggets
• Messy ribs
• Sliders
• Wraps
• Rolls for a group

From serving without a mess to kid-friendly meals (that can even work better in the car than paper plates), this is a hack we all wish we knew sooner, as does the parent in the TikTok. Now, to decide what mom math we will use to buy something better than paper plates with our savings.

New Star

Food Service Basket

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$9.49

These safe, plastic baskets are made from food-grade plastic, so you don’t have to worry about them melting or breaking. They’re also available in 5 different colors and sizes, in packs of 12 or 36. Your trash can will thank you for not constantly stuffing it full of paper plates! 

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New Star

Food Service Food Basket Liners

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$7.12

This grease-resistant paper comes in a cute, classic red and white checkered pattern. There are 36 pieces of paper per pack, and it’s perfect for lining your baskets for messy food, hot food, and anything else you like!

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