to worry about plastic? should I swop my plastic plates for enamelware?

[fibreart]

Heya all!

This has been bugging me for a bit. My DS, like I would guess 99% of toddlers, uses plastic cups, plates and bowls.
But with all of this stuff in the news about micro plastics, and the fact that we KNOW it causes things like cancer I am seriously considering changing to enamelware instead (Ie metal coated in enamel, like camping cups etc).
AIBU?
Has anyone else done this?
Do you have any recommendations?
would love to know what you all think!!!

Isn't enamelware just aluminium coated with enamel? I.e. just as bad (aluminium indicated in Alzheimer's)

I wouldn't get rid of plastic plates etc that you already own. Unless they contain BPA (check for a 7 in the recycling symbol) they aren't known to cause cancer and you aren't going to help the environment by dumping them.

But, it's definitely worth considering alternatives when it is time to replace them, although our kids used normal plates and glasses from about 3.

Plates don't contain micro plastics, do they?
I thought micro plastics were the invisible beads in cosmetics, face scrubs etc?
And the plates aren't single use either, and you already own them.

I hate plastic anyway

Doesn’t wash well esp when scratched and has a horrid mouthfeel

I used proper plates pretty early on and enforced sitting at table for all eating

Breakages are liveable with if tableware reasonably priced , and the shock of hearing and seeing a few broken plates and glasses certainly rammed home the need to be careful

I should clarify, (I will in my original post too) enamel ware CAN be tin, but most new stuff is steel and therefore completely no toxic and actually very very safe to use!

also re micro plastics - yes micro plastics are added to things, but it also occurs when larger plastic breaks down into smaller bits, think about your plastic chopping board- and all the cut marks in it, all the tiny bits that come off are micro plastic too.

Could you just use regular cheap pottery.

Glass jars for freezer and storage.

Just pour the food straight into his mouth to be safe. We are all doomed.

I have so been working about this sort of thing. It'seems difficult because I don'the want to have lots of throwaway packigig either.

Recently started replacing all plastic used for foods with glass and steel... depending on use.

We have steel cups (for water) and plates. Use biscuit tins/glass containers for storage.

(Sorry about all typos!)

If you've bought the plastic it is better to stick with it rather than using it as a disposable item. The problem with plastics is the disposable one use things so the sheer numbers are immense. I include microbeads in that as they are obviously escaping any attempts to recycle, collection and are in things like soap.

Your toddlers plates and cup already exist in your home. I really can't see any benefit in throwing something perfectly usable away to replace it with something brand new. My dc have had a plate, bowl and cup set each (plastic) from weaning to now, ds is 4 so it's hardly a single use thing and will be fine to pass onto charity shop when they're done with them.

How about bamboo? Deffo non toxic and environment friendly?