This post contains affiliate links and we make a small commission for purchases made using these links.
Dear Paper Plates,
You’re not glamorous. You’re not elegant. No one’s ever called you chic. But oh my goodness, are you useful. You show up when it matters most—birthday parties, BBQs, pie on the porch on the Forth of July. You hold burgers and beans and potato salad like a champ, and you never once ask to be washed (my all-time favorite quality of yours). And that’s what I call love.
I’ve seen you stacked on folding tables at church picnics, cradling slices of store-bought sheet cake. I’ve seen you buckling under the weight of a second helping of lasagna (and still giving it your all). You’ve survived children with ketchup fingers, adults with overambitious serving spoons, and windy-as-heck patio brunches and lunches. You may even fly off the table, but you never complain.
And I’ll be honest—I’ve had my moments of trying to be “grown up” about entertaining—with my linen napkins, real dishes, and matching glassware. But when it’s 115° and everyone’s already sweaty before the food hits the table? You, dear paper plate, are the only hero we need.
You’ve saved me time and stress on the big holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas)—more times than I can count. You’ve let me focus on what actually matters. To be present. To enjoy the moment. And maybe—just maybe—even sit down to eat for once in my life.
You’re low-pressure. You’re cheerful. You make everything easier, and most importantly, you remind me that hosting doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be bring people together. (And maybe come with some extra napkins, haha!)
So this weekend, I’ll be proudly stacking you high next to the deviled eggs and icebox cake, with not a single apology in sight. Because some things don’t need fixing—they’re perfect just the way they are. And you, my lightweight, disposable, totally underrated friend, are one of them. ILYSM
Happy Fourth of July weekend. I hope there’s pie. And paper plates, lots and lots of paper plates. 🇺🇸
P.S. While this post is obviously all in fun (it’s a love letter to a paper plate, after all, haha), it’s also a little reminder of how much the simple things actually matter.
The often-overlooked details—like the stack of paper plates that make cleanup a breeze or the store-bought pie that frees you up for a real conversation—those are the things that make holidays feel less like a production and more like a sweet memory.
There’s a lot of beauty in letting things be easy. Just keep that in mind. ❤️
