How do you set your kitchen table?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (120621)
United States
September 3, 2007 11:11pm CST
Currently, I have no kitchen table. I cannot afford one, but there isn't room for one either. This doesn't bother me at all, because I know money could be spent in better ways, at least for me.
However, growing up, that is until my mom got very sick, we would all eat at the kicthen table, my mom, dad, sister, and me. My mom would put the plates on the table, along with napkins. As dinner was almost ready, she'd call me and my sister to put the ice in the glasses, and the silverware on the napkins. After she got sick I started doing the cooking, but we never ate at the table. It kind misses something when mom isn't around, doesn't it?
So that is how most nights the kicthen was set. Holidays weren't usually at our house, so we never had to put elaborate decorations on the table. How about you? How do you set your kicthen table? Do you put the mustard, ketchup, mayo, salt, pepper, or whatever ON the table? Or does your family make an assembly line where the food is. Or, are you like me and you don't have a kicthen table? So gather round, and let's dish. : )
5 people like this
20 responses
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
4 Sep 07
My kitchen and dining room are really one big room. I have a counter with stools and a dining room table. I don't usually set the table, everyone just gets everything right out of the pots and pans usually, or I'll set casserole dishes out on the counter. I would like to have my table set nice and decorated sometime, but I'm always hurrying to get the food done. When I was growing up, my mom used to have the table set, and my mother in law still sets her table with flowers.
It's funny you posted this discussion, because I was just thinking about trying to get the table set before I even start cooking. Then I can set things out on serving platters. I just bought some pretty stoneware baking dishes that would look nice on the table.
2 people like this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
4 Sep 07
I have a kitchen table at the corner of my small kitchen. I place my rice cooker on it. The small table is used for the rice cooker to cook rice and porridge. I also have a plastic shelf with four stories for placing some small stuff to be used in the kitchen. My kitchen is small but nice.
2 people like this
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I do have a kitchen table, but I never set the table. With all my children out of the house my hubby and I just get out our own plates and sit where ever we want. Sometimes we eat at the table and other times we eat in the living room.
When I am done cooking I just leave all the food on the counter and we get it from there.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Sep 07
Count me in as not having any kind of "traditional" dinner/kitchen table either..first of all there never ever was a kitchen table in my apartment as my kitchen is the size of a glorified closet..LOL--its a wonder I get anything done in there. But years and years, and years ago, when my mother, grandmother and I all moved here we did have a makeshift dining table ...it was the kind that had the ends flap down when not in use and even had an extension..But I think we only used it for special occassions...like if guests came over and set it as a buffet type thing or use it for holidays..other wise it was pretty much eating off on separate TV dinner tables...you know those collapsable ones that could stack up? Now I don't even have those...bit of a bohemian here...I set up a make shift "dining" table while eating sitting on the floor....hey maybe I was Japanese in another lifetime, no? LOL
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (120621)
• United States
4 Sep 07
Could be. : ) My kitchen is a galley kitchen, but in fact, I think it's too small to be considered a galley! A couple people have suggested I put a kitchen table in my living room, but that is too much space to waste on something that isn't necessary.
1 person likes this
@terri0824 (5203)
• United States
4 Sep 07
Growing up we use to set the table and all of us would sit around the table. My parents and seven children. We didn't put napkins out, but the table was set with the plates and utensils, and the food was set out and passed around the table to fill the plates. On occassion we dished the food out from the pans on the stove. Now with my oldest daughter out and my youngest daughter soon to be out, I don't eat at home to often. Though I do have a kitchen table, I very seldom use it.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (120621)
• United States
4 Sep 07
Life goes by fast. You know it's funny, but I never have used napkins. Not even to put in my cabinets. They were always those really cheaper paper kind, which were better than nothing, but I just swipe a paper towel, and I'm set! I think my dad really shouldn't have used napkins either. He should have gone straight to the bib. LOL
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
4 Sep 07
Nope AmbiePam, around here it is, get it yourself unless it is a holiday, then I go the extra mile to set the table. That is because that is the only time my family will eat at the table, any other time they eat in front of the tv. I know bad, but unless the hubby does it, the kids will follow what he does. I don't know why, his family, they sat at the table, but he has to sit in front of the tv.....
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
5 Sep 07
We always set the table for our meals. When we have the entire gang over, we set a table in living room and it too has placemats, napkins and the cutlery. The food is set on the counters, stove and on dinner trays.
@cutepenguin (6430)
• Canada
4 Sep 07
my family at family dinners just makes an assembly line where the food is. Then everyone takes their plates and utensils to the table. At home, we sometimes set the table. We didn't think we had space for a table, but I got tired of us eating at a whole bunch of random places, so we got a very small table and now we eat there.
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I have a kitchen table that I had to take the leaf out because this kitchen is smaller. But thats okay alot of times I eat alone because of my husbands hours.But I still sit at the table. When its my hubby and I will put napkins under the silverware and salt and pepper shakers out. Although Im not found of salt and pepper but the hubby is.LOL
1 person likes this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
14 Sep 07
I do have a kitchen table, but you know what? We don't use it unless the kids come to eat with us. But I am not formal, even at holidays, I try to set it up where everyone can get their plates, flatware, napkins and beverage and then take it to the table or living room or wherever we all sit for dinner. When my kids were living at home, now we did eat at the table and I would try to set the flatware and napkins out, but we all were so busy and going in different directions, it still was not organized. But I do miss the time together, I find that me and my hubby eating in the den with the t.v. on is not as enjoyable, unless it's monday night and heroes is on.
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
27 Sep 07
I do have a kitchen table but seeing as I'm only living with my fiance, and I work night shifts, we eat on stable tables! You know the plastic boards with the bean bag underneath that you rest on your lap. I do know for certain though that when we do have a family, we will be eating at the kitchen table every night. Growing up, we never did that in my family and I always wished we could. i think it's very important to sit around and spend quality time together. I was reading somewhere the other day that kids do better..(somehow, not sure if it was in education or what) if they sit down with the family every night to eat dinner. When I cook dinner, I dish out mine and my fiance's dinner at the same time, although I like the idea of putting all the different foods on the table for people to take what they like. I hear that's a very good way to get children to try new foods and eat their vegies!
1 person likes this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I hope your mom is alright. I know we talked about her and that she was encouraging to you in another post the other day.
We don't have a kitchen table but we do have a diningroom table. It is a very long and wide one. It is glass. We do not set it. We eat at different times. Since we are avid readers and always seem to be at the table reading, it has a lot of newspapers and reading material...and my computer....and coupons that need to be cut out. You are encouraging me to change things a bit...it would be nice.
1 person likes this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
4 Sep 07
It could be if it did not have so much reading material on it.
1 person likes this
@laurika (4532)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I just got one new kicthen table and I enjoy it very much.I just cannot emagine my life to not have one.I set up the table very simple, just plates glass, napkins and silverware and candles.If we have some specilas ocations like Christmas and so I put there some decoration, but no many, becuase I like to have enough place there for seving plates with food.
I like laso create different shape from napkins and set it on the plate.I just like to use my fantazy, wherever I can.
@Vieiragirl (109)
• United States
27 Sep 07
I have a small kitchen table since it is just me and my boyfriend. I like that I have a place to eat. I cook alot but we serve ourselves in kitchen then go to the table to eat. It is a good time when we are together and we usually watch TV since m kitchen and living room are open to eachother. As for setting the table I have placemats other then that I have a bowl of fruit and some napkins and pepper and salt everything else I bring to the table according to the meal. I also usually have a small vase of flowers too. I love flowers. My kitchen table also become my crafting table when I am making things for my online store.
@cempires (171)
• United States
5 Sep 07
We used to have a more traditional table when I was growing up, my mom was Italian, and my dad British, so food and eating it was a big thing anyway.
I used to have a dining set, but since we moved into this house, there is room kinda, but we are not using a table. we have been using our laps and tray tables, and I hate it.
1 person likes this
@AmberNormandin (883)
• United States
13 Sep 07
Usually I will set it, but if ive got too much to do to get dinner on the table, ill have Mark set it. We usually get our own drinks, but sometimes he will fix mine.
1 person likes this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
4 Sep 07
We do not eat at the kitchen table, hence we do not specially set the kitchen table. Any cooked food are first placed at the kitchen table until dinner time when the food will be shifted to the dining table. After dinner, the dishes will be back at the kitchen table covered up. I do eat at the kitchen table when I come home late.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I have a very small kitchen table in fact it's a patio set but since I live alone it's great for me. I can get four around it so when the kids come we just have all the food on the cupboard and condiments too. When I have more company...we eat at the dining room table and everything is set on it or a servig table next to it so the extra's don't take up too much room. I love setting a fancy table but don't have alot of opportunity to do it.
1 person likes this
@Flight84 (3048)
• United States
4 Sep 07
I've never really set the table any certain way. My husband and I don't and I never did with my family, except for maybe the basic plate, cup, fork/spoon, and napkin. It has never been anything fancy. For holidays, we usually have it set up buffet style and help ourselves. My husband's dad sets the table for holidays, but again, it's nothing fancy.
@sugarfloss (2139)
• Malaysia
4 Sep 07
hey ambiepam!we have a kitchen table but we hardly use it.which I think would be better if we don't have one.my brother and I would eat on the couch where the tv is at.mom doesn't set the kitchen table,it's always empty.and she rarely cooks too.but when she cooks,the food is always on the stove,where we'll go and help ourselves.
1 person likes this
