When we had our son 4.5 years ago, the only option we had for a plastic-free + unbreakable bowl was a wooden salsa/dip dish from Target. Since then, so many cute and fun plastic-free alternatives have come to market and I wanted to share our favorite little foodie finds!
Note: You can find a lot of recycled plastic or bioplastic in this category–we still prefer plastic-free options when we can find them.
Plates and Bowls:
For plates and bowls, we tend to use wood, whole bamboo, or silicone. All three options are food safe, sturdy, and don’t make too much noise when thrown from the table ;]
We love Avanchy plates and bowls! They are a solid bamboo and equipped with a suction cup for less mess. They offer both baby and toddler (larger) sized plates
The name says it all! These all-in-one placemats make eating with kids much easier. Not only are they are 100% silicone, but they stay in place, keep food off the table, and…they’re cute!
We saved the best for last in this category…our FAVORITE plates are TimberChild! They are a family-owned business that makes their plates in the most sustainable, conscious, and clean way possible.
Forks and Spoons:
STAINLESS STEEL DEMITASSE SPOONS
Our favorite kids spoons were found by accident! We happened to grab a few of these out of a bin at Bed Bath and Beyond a few years ago and they’ve been a staple since then. Traditionally used for coffee and desserts, these little spoons are small enough for tiny hands, but much sturdier than traditional kids spoons. Since they are made for sitting up in coffee cups, they usually have a slight curve in the handle, making them easy to set on the side of small kids bowls without falling in.
Avanchy also offers bamboo and silicone forks and spoons. We love the natural materials and cute colors but found these work best for helping with feeding. They are a little shallow for new-to-spoon users who tend to spill more easily.
Cups + Straws:
We love the simplicity of a small stainless steel cup. There are some on the market with cute colors and designs but we prefer the less is more approach here, avoiding any uncertain inks or extras that color coating may bring along.
If you’ve got some spillers in the house, these lids are a great option for covering your stainless steel cups, and can be used with a stainless steel straw (our favorites below)!
We love the Green Sprouts Sippy for the littlest in the house. It has a glass insert and silicone straw, meaning that liquids inside never touch plastic. The plastic shell provides easy handling and a super protective surface for the inevitable tossing of cups. My fair warning, always check the glass after a nasty fall just in case it had broken (it’s never happened to us, although I don’t understand how with tile floors!). And, in case you’re wondering, the glass insert is now completely plain, free of any markings.
We love stainless steel straws! We keep them at home, travel with them when we’re out, and they are virtually unbreakable. The curved straws seem to be the easiest for the kids to use–and it helps to avoid any roof-of-the-mouth poking.
Although curved straws work best for our littles right now, we love the mission of Sand Straw. They are committed to doing good with every purchase and donate 10% of profits to saving sea life.
To non-toxic tableware,
