The older I've gotten, the more I've learned to scrape my plate clean into the trash. Then I rinse it, then I put it into the dishwasher. I'll run the garbage disposal as I rinse plates and pots and pans. This way I don't have to clean carrot peels and disgustingness out of a clogged drain catch, and don't need to clean my dishwasher filter frequently.

When you have to do your own maintenance, your habits change. The disposal isn't for making things go away magically, it's to help keep your drain from clogging.