I Had No Intention of Buying These Bowls, But Now I Can't Live Without Them

First, let’s briefly talk Corelle. The company makes dinnerware from a patented tempered glass sturdy enough to resist chips, cracks, scratches, and other damage. It’s lightweight, yet durable and unobtrusively upscale, making it a favorite for classy picnics, deck parties, cruising and RV meals, and daily use at home. Such sturdiness makes me comfortable handing the 12-ounce rice bowls to anyone, from a child prone to spilling grapes out of it, to a teen juggling breakfast and a cell phone, to an older adult with arthritic fingers.

The Winter Frost White collection has a neutral sheen that plays well with other dishware and shows off the food it holds. Many pieces, including the 12-ounce rice bowls, are sold individually, in large or small sets, or bundled into multidish groups, like a 17-piece party pack.

In my house, shelf space could be labeled high-end real estate. These small bowls have steep sides and narrow bases, so I appreciate that they stack compactly and steadily with a small footprint. Even so, they rarely stay in their allotted place. I reach for them whenever I want “a little smackerel of something,” as Winnie-the-Pooh would say, and they often end up in the fridge, holding dabs of leftovers beneath a layer of beeswax wrap.

With a 12-ounce capacity, they’re large enough to use throughout the day as side dishes and personal ones. They might hold jam or berries alongside sourdough waffles in the morning, a mixed green or tabbouleh salad at lunch or dinner, a creamy dip or spicy salsa après ski, and sorbet or rice pudding for dessert. I find the size and shape ideal for serving garlicky aioli or spiced and roasted pumpkin seeds to garnish fish or fresh pasta. When dining solo, I might fill one with kimchi rice or the quintessential cup of clam chowder.

This bowl size initially seems too small for a cereal serving, but it might come in handy if you’re eating portioned meals or just want something snack-sized. Kids may actually prefer the size for cereal, as well as pasta, rice, and cut fruit or veggies. As a bonus, you can reheat leftovers in them in a microwave or even a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven.

I find Corelle’s 12-ounce bowls useful for meal prep, too. I can beat a couple of eggs in one and fill the other three with chopped mushrooms, torn spinach, and crumbled goat cheese ready to fold into an omelet. At dinnertime, I turn them into mise en place bowls so that I can clear a cutting board overcrowded with vegetables destined for a sauté or stir-fry.

These bowls also come out whenever family and friends gather. They neatly hold toppings for grilled pizzas or an at-home baked potato or sundae bar. At the family cutout cookie decorating party last Christmas, their easy-to-hold size, steep sides, and gently curving rim made them the choice for icing—I just needed about six more for all of the colors.

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Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years and is the author of the weekly newspaper column and food blog, Twice as Tasty. Every kitchen tool and gadget must earn its place in her 500-square-foot home as she bakes, preserves, ferments, grills, and eats well year-round. Julie published her first cookbook, "The Complete Guide to Pickling," in 2020.