3 Expert Tips For Choosing A Serving Bowl

Serving bowls can be made from a wide array of materials. Each has specific properties that make it good for specific things - and not so great for others! Therefore, the best material for your serving bowl will depend on what you're using it for. We'll break it down below:

If you need to…

• Serve hot things: When you're serving something hot, you'll need a bowl that is a good insulator so it won't be hot to the touch but will keep the food inside at good serving temperature. Ceramic, melamine or glass are both good choices here. You'll likely want to stay away from very thin plastic or metal, as they will warp or get extremely hot.

• Use it for mixing: When you're mixing ingredients in a serving bowl, you want something that has a sturdy enough base to stay put. However, you'll also need it to be lightweight enough so you can pick it up if need be. Good materials might include durable plastic or lightweight stainless steel or copper. For mixing bowls, you should probably stay away from more porous materials like wood or ceramic, or heavier ones like glass.

• Use it mainly for decoration: Sometimes, a serving bowl is mostly decorative, for example, a fruit bowl. This is a good opportunity to use more porous materials, such as wood or ceramic. Thinner, more delicate serving bowls should be used for more decorate purposes as well, such as porcelain or bone china.