Childrens melamine bowls & plates - microwave & dishwasher friendly??

[OhCobblers]

so where would i buy these then??

the last lot came from Asda but they're looking incredibly tatty. am tempted to get my 4 year old onto a china bowl/plate but think its still too risky .

any idea where i can buy decent ones at a reasonable price?

TIA

[PrincessConsuelaBananaHamok]

melamine is dishwasher proof, top drawer only

not microwaveable

[MerryMarigold]

I think those Ikea multi-coloured plastic ones are microwaveable and dishwasher safe (look on website, may tell you). I put them in the micro anyway, but not to high temps.

[OhCobblers]

ah ok well what i really need is microwave friendly bowls/plates that aren't china - surprisingly hard to to find!

[MerryMarigold]

I know! I keep getting given those melamine ones, which are fine to serve hot food straight onto, but no good for warming up, so we have our Ikea selection as well! Gave ds2 (2.4, a china bowl this morning and....he was ok! But not gonna make a habit of it).

[OhCobblers]

MM have you got the Smaska sets from Ikea?? looks pretty nice!

[MerryMarigold]

I don't think so. Just the bog standard different coloured plates, cups, bowls. They all get used a lot. I have 2 sets of each!

[MerryMarigold]

Looked it up. It's called Kalas

[exexpat]

By 4 they are old enough to be using real china and glass, and trying to be careful with it. Get some really basic stuff from ikea/asda or whatever that you don't care about, and see how they do. Unless you have an extremely clumsy child and a slate kitchen floor. Usually they like being grown-up. If you want to make them a bit more fun, you could get some of those paint-pens for decorating china so they can do their own names or pictures on blank plates.

[ChristinedePizan]

The basic plastic sets from Ikea are dishwasher and microwave safe, the melamine ones aren't. Melamine isn't microwaveable. I chuck everything in the dishwasher - the melamine does fade a bit after millions of washes but it's fine

[ChristinedePizan]

I have tiles laid on concrete although my DS rarely drops stuff he has broken melamine cups by dropping them on it :o

[MerryMarigold]

The plastic is nice for kids to wash up as well

[OhCobblers]

ok, so what i'm after is heavy duty plastic that can cope with microwave and dishwasher - the Staska Ikea set looks ideal.

However, exexpat has a good point. i've been very tempted for a while to give the 4 year old his own china. i've got the wedgwood bunnies collection which would be lovely for him to use but definitely too risky. i do love the Emma Bridgewater boys sets but stupidly ££££. so yes, off to asda or the like and try to find something with the odd car / aeroplane / digger on it!!!

thanks all.

[OhCobblers]

MM i feel like a right old meany - i throw it all in the dishwasher - i never let them wash up

[MerryMarigold]

I'm enjoying it while the novelty lasts. No doubt not for long! (And going to get a dishwasher in next few months. Dh will be pleased )

[moonbells]

We have several melamine plates and lost one in a spectacular fashion the other week. DH was emptying the dishwasher and there was an immense crackling noise. The top layer of the plate was literally crazing before our eyes and we were half expecting the plate to crack in two. It didn't, but it was now unusable. Have got a new one to stop tantrums DS wondering where his favourite plate was, and now wash all the melamine in the sink.

Melamine reacts very weirdly to microwaves btw. It is OK to an unmeasureable point, then pretty much disintegrates, and given the Chinese baby milk scandal, you do not want to ingest the stuff...

[BlueChampagne]

Mine were practically weaned on china (IYSWIM) - nothing I'd be too sorry if it got broken, and they didn't get left alone with it to start with. So far so good (16 months & 3.6yrs). I'm hoping that they'll learn to be careful from the start, rather than suddenly moving from plastic to china and treating the latter like the former.

[MavisEnderby]

I bought some recently in the Ikea sale..

[OhCobblers]

ha ha success!!
today he ate beautifully out of a china bowl for breakfast and a large pasta bowl / soup plate for dinner.

however, i'd still like to buy him his own set so to take it to the next step where can i buy pretty kids china thats not at Emma Bridgewater prices please?? i mean really £12 in the outlet store for a bowl!!!!!

TIA

[caffinequeen]

We bought DD1 (then 2.7) some from Whittard shortly after Easter last year so they were in the sale, have bunnies on buy still look ok year round. DH broke a cup but DD is very careful

[DilysPrice]

Get some cheap robust china and don't worry about it - plastic bowls fade in the dishwasher and look tatty, and not being able to reheat them in the microwave is a PITA.

IKEA must have some cheap funky china surely. Whittard's perma-sale worth a look. Debenhams have got a sale on atm haven't they?

[frenchfancy]

Why on earth does it have to have an airoplane or a digger on it? Why can't he use the same everyday china as the rest of the family.

My 4 yr old eats with us, off the same plates as us. Her 11 yr old sister is far more likely to break them as she helps to load the dishwasher.

Having a special plate just for them is making work for yourself IMO.

[MavisEnderby]

i would concur with frenchfancy unless your little one has special needs like mine in which case melamine/plastic is essential.Will reiterate...IKEA,op!!Cheap'n'cheerful and hardy:)

[allytally]

If they are still into tractors - I love the tractor ted ones which all go in the dishwasher and microwave and get my kids eating more!!!