| By :
Adrianna Noton
People use meal trays in different settings. They are a practical piece of equipment in self serve food establishments where the customer can place different food items on the same tray. They save themselves many trips back and forth from the table. The tray is easily stackable and is later run through a dishwasher. It must be very durable to handle daily washings in boiling water. The tray is placed in a slotted section in the food trolley or on a side table for later pickup. The food tray is very useful when one has children. In the summer months for instance, the warm weather brings people outdoors to eat. To be helpful they can bring food items from the kitchen to the outdoor eating area on a tray saving the cook time and energy. These simple plastic items are made in dozens of decorative colors and designs so that a tablecloth is not required. By eating from the trays they will keep the table top free from food particles. When the food tray is used in institutions such as hospitals they are often color coded to indicate which ward the tray will be sent to. Patients with diet restrictions may also have a different colored tray. Nurses also use a tray for passing out medication to the patients. The restaurant meal tray is oval shaped and larger. The service personnel will use it to carry many meals out of the kitchen at one time. Often the plates can be stacked since they have metal lids on them. They will carry the tray on their shoulders for better weight distribution. The tray will have a rubber coating to prevent any plates from slipping. The tray is also used in the cocktail bar. The smaller tray is round in shape and used for carrying many drinks at one time. Sometimes a small plate of snacks can be put on the tray as well. A small tray can accommodate as many as ten drinks on average and is also covered in rubber.Without the rubber the items would not stay stationery. The United States still has the Blue Laws in effect in some of the southern states. These laws require that a customer cannot walk with an alcoholic beverage while in a restaurant or bar. The waitress must use the tray to carry the drink for them. Stiff plastic should be used for trays so that they do not buckles under the weight of the food or beverages. There are also food trays made with molded sections to spoon in different foods for a meal. These trays are a cross between a tray and a plate. Many pet owners use the meal tray to put under the food bowls. Sometimes pets will drop their food on the floor to eat. The tray will catch the food so the pet can eat from the cleaner surface of the plastic. Meal trays are a simple yet very functional piece of equipment that are used at home and elsewhere. Plain or fancy they facilitate everybody's life. These little carriers look great on the table, desk, or in the laundry room. They can be used in areas such as arts and crafts, in the workshop, in the greenhouse and in the office.
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