6 Best Plates for Kids (Babies, Toddlers & Older Kids!)
It can be challenging to find the best plates for kids. Most stores are full of plastic kids plates, but like many parents, using too much plastic concerns me and even the AAP recommends avoiding plastic as it could release harmful chemicals into your child’s food. However, a durable plate that won’t break when dropped is also a must, especially if you have a small toddler or baby.
The best plates for kids are made from non-plastic materials like silicone (my favorite) or stainless steel. These materials are durable and won’t release any harmful chemicals into your child’s food.
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Best Plates for Kids – Quick Look
Here are my top picks on plates for toddlers and kids. Be sure to keep reading as I have more info on each of them below!
- Best Silicone Plate: WeeSprout Toddler Plates with Lids (or with no lids)
- Best Silicone Baby Plate: Bumkins Suction Plate
- Best Stainless Steel Plates: Stainless Steel Divided Dinner Tray Plates
- Best Non-Divided Stainless Steel Plate: HaWare Dinner Plate
Things to Look for in Plates for Kids
- Durability – The last thing you want is to clean up shattered plates from the floor.
- Non-toxic – Many parents today wish to avoid plastic and melamine since it has been shown to release chemicals and we obviously don’t want our toddlers to be consuming these chemicals.
- Easy to clean – You don’t want plates that are going to require a lot of scrubbing and elbow grease to get clean. Afterall, you’ll be washing them a few times a day.
- Attractive- Let’s face it, depending on the type of person you are you likely want the plate to be either attractive to you or appealing to your kids. Either way, you likely want it to be attractive somehow.
Best Non-Plastic Plates for Kids
1. Wee Sprout Silicone Toddler Plates with Lids
I just got and LOVE these WeeSprout Toddler Plates with lids. While they do have them with suctions, I love them for my kids who are past the baby stage. Plus, they are stackable and easy to store away. What’s more, the lids make it easy to put the plate in the fridge for later or prep lunch ahead!
PROS:
- The plates are made of 100% food-grade silicone and are BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free. They are also dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe. You can even put them in the freezer!
- Many different colors are available in the various packs.
- The plates have 3 divided sections which makes for easy meal planning.
- The plates come with lids, which makes it easy to store leftovers or prep ahead.
- Very affordable for a set of 3.
CONS:
- The plates are not suctioned, so if you have a baby you may choose these incredibly similar WeeSprout suction plates instead.
- Though they are stackable they do take up a little more room than a stack of plastic plates without sections.
2. Bumkins Silicone Suction Plate
This is the silicone plate I’ve started my kids off with as babies and they are still perfect for my 2-year-old.
PROS:
- The suction ensures that the plate stays put for a baby that is new to self-feeding. Also, this prevent the plate from being pulled up (until they figure out how to pull suctions up.)
- Easy to clean and top-rack dishwasher safe.
- Oven safe up to 400F.
- Food-safe silicone and is BPA-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free and lead-free.
- Very durable. We have had one of ours for 4 years and it shows no signs of wear.
CONS:
- Take up more space as these plates do not stack inside of each other.
- More expensive than other plates.
3. Silicone Divided Plates (4 Compartments)
These plates get excellent reviews. They are different than many divided plates in that they have a 4th middle compartment as well that can be used for sauces, dips, or even a treat. Plus, they are very reasonably priced.
PROS:
- The suctions ensure that the plate stays put for a baby that is new to self-feeding. Also, prevent the plate from being pulled up (until they Made of 100% food-grade silicone.
- Oven, dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe
- Plates have a 4th middle compartment that can be used for sauces, dips, or even a small treat.
- Very reasonably priced for a set of 4.
- Stackable
CONS:
- Do not come with lids if this is a feature you like.
- Not as many color choices are available as there is only 1 set of 4 with different colors.
4. Stainless Steel Divided Tray Dinner Plate
These stainless steel plates are divided and have 5 sections which may be great if you wish to serve your kids more types of food.
PROS:
- Made of durable stainless steel.
- Has 5 compartments if you want a plate with more compartments.
- Budget-friendly option.
- Dishwasher safe .
CONS:
- The 5 compartments are small so these may be best suited to young children or toddlers.
- Have a simple basic appearance and no colors since they are stainless steel.
5. Stainless Steel Non-Divided Plates
These plates take up minimal space and are very stackable. If you have older kids or want to keep a large stack of them with only taking up minimal space this may be a good plate choice. These also make a great non-toxic camping plate for kids or even adults.
PROS:
- Made of durable stainless steel.
- Most budget-friendly option.
- Very simple design and easy to wash. Dishwasher safe.
CONS:
- These may be too plain for your or your kid’s preferences.
- Some reviewer’s found the plates to be too flimsy and had trouble with rust.
- Do not have much of a curved side which may make self-feeding more challenging for toddlers or young kids.
6. WeeSprout Bamboo Plates
These highly rated bamboo toddler plates are highly rated and come in attractive colors. If you are not opposed to bamboo, these might be a good choice for you and your family. Personally, I prefer to use silicone over bamboo.
PROS:
- Bamboo plates are an eco-friendly option as compared to plastic.
- Convenient – both stackable and dishwasher safe.
- Durable – do not scratch and chip resistant.
- Attractive colors.
CONS:
- Contains a melamine binding resin so not necessarily non-toxic.
- Some reviewers found them to crack easily.
I hope that you find a plate you love from these favorite 6 plates for kids. I did not include any plastic plates as there are so many nontoxic options on the market there really isn’t a need for plastic kid’s plates.
Different Types of Plates for Kids
There are a variety of different plates for kids on the market these days. The most popular ones seem to be silicone plates and stainless steel plates, but I’ll also give you a quick overview of some of the other types available.
- Divided Plates – These plates have compartments that can be great for portion control or if your child is a picky eater and doesn’t want their food to touch.
- Bamboo Plates – These plates are made from bamboo which is a sustainable and environmentally friendly material.
- Melamine Plates – Melamine plates are probably the most common type of kids plates
- Suction Plates – These plates will suction to most eating surfaces and keep your little one from throwing the plate on the floor (for a while)
Best Material for Kids Plates
Non-plastic plates for kids can be found in a variety of materials like silicone, stainless steel, wood, and bamboo.
- Silicone Plates – My personal favorite, silicone plates are made from food-grade silicone. They are extremely durable and can be thrown in the dishwasher or even the microwave.
- Stainless Steel Plates – Stainless steel is also a good option if you are looking for something simple, easy to wash, and often stackable.
- Bamboo Plates – There are two kinds of bamboo. Bamboo that resembles wood and plastic-like bamboo. From my research, plastic-like bamboo undergoes more processing and may leech chemicals similar to plastic. Wood-like bamboo plates are lightweight, eco-friendly, and often have fun designs; however, you usually need to hand wash.
- Wood Plates – Wood plates are often fun and pretty to look at, but do take more care and may be harder to wash than silicone or stainless steel plates as they require hand washing.
- Plastic Plates – As I mentioned before, many parents are trying to avoid using plastic plates for their kids due to concerns about harmful chemicals being released. However, plastic is lightweight and does offer some practical benefits.
Other Favorite Feeding Essentials for Kids
If you are looking for more feeding essentials for your little one, here are some of my favorites:
Best Toddler Cups – I’ve gone through a lot of cups with my kids and these are hand downs my favorite toddler cup. However, here are some other great non plastic cups I like.
Best Toddler Utensils – We use this realistic utensil set for our toddler, but if you’re looking for something else check out my 3 favorite toddler utensil sets on the market.
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