How long do you keep using plastic plates?

[jollyfrenchy]

So, I'm just wondering at what point do you start using china plates and grown up cutlery with your kids? I was tidying cupboards this morning and thought that perhaps we have carried on just out of habit and there's no need.

My kids are 5, 7 and 9, and we still tend to use plastic bowls/plates/cups, and they have metal cutlery but it's kid sized. The 9 year old would obviously be fine on adult stuff, though adult dessert spoons still seem really big for her mouth (she's quite small for age). She uses china mugs for hot chocolate but the younger two never drink hot drinks so they still use plastic.

Is it time to ditch the plastic? It's not really even like our china is super special. We have Denby which we only use for 'best', so our everyday china, it wouldn't be the end of the world if it did get broken. Just curious to know at what age other people give them china plates.

[imwithspud]

DD1 is 3 and we use the plastic plates, bowls, spoons and cups from Ikea. They're the perfect size for her and she likes choosing what colour plate/cup/bowl to have. Not really in any rush to ditch them, I'd imagine it will be something that happens naturally over time.

[Artandco]

Mine use regular stuff. They also use China plates and small glasses at school and full sized cutlery

[knittingbee]

DC1 is 4 and I don't foresee ditching plastic any time soon. He's a complete klutz and also very attached to his particular plates and bowls. DC2 is 20mo and has just started to use toddler-sized metal cutlery rather than plastic sporks, seeing as she's a little madam tad prone to throwing things suddenly across the table, don't think I'll switch her to crockery yet either!

[LemonBreeland]

My youngest is 4 and stopped using plastice plates at about 3. She just has a side plate as she is not a big eater. She does still have a plastic cup mostly and does have small sized cutlery. The 8 yo has full sized cutlery, if dessert spoons are too big then you can just give a teaspoon for dessert.

[Juanbablo]

I told my dcs (8, 6 and 2) that we would be ditching a lot of plastic cups and plates now and they complained and said they liked using them, so I left it.

[LovelyFriend]

About age 2 or 3. When they can hold a small glass without dropping it.

I still use a couple or melamine plates that the DC like and are too nice to get rid of.

But as soon as I could I switched to general family stuff. We use quite small glasses anyway. Dd2 has a smaller knife/fork.

[StitchesInTime]

DS1's infant school uses plastic trays and metal cutlery.

[Twistedheartache]

Omg dd is nearly 5 & it hadn't even crossed my mind.
Must find out what she uses at school.
Thank you op

[Clayhead]

When they were two. We also had the small IKEA Dragon cutlery.

[dayslikethis]

This is what we have

[Bounced]

Ikea side plates and they do some yellow stripy bowls that are just right for cereal / soup. We still have the kiddy Ikea cutlery (metal with plastic handles), may look at the dragon stuff as they still find standard forks and spoons too big for their mouths.

Youngest is 4, we swopped from plastic soon after she started school.

[CoperCabana]

Thanks for suggestions. I was looking for a budget option and see that some of Ikea's side plates are 22cm and are about £1.50/£2 each in case this is of use to anyone else. Would love the Denby ones but would need to consider getting married again to get those!

[slebmum1]

My 4.5 year olds tend to eat out of terracotta tapas bowls - less messy somehow as they can kind of scoop up against the sides. They haven't used plastic for about

[CMOTDibbler]

We use the Denby salad plates for ds too. They do a rice bowl which is a sensible bowl size as well

[What2]

I still use plastic side plates and my DC have left home. They are adult ones though. I think if they had Postman Pat or Frozen on them I would have got rid of them. I like that they don't cool food down and are easy to fit in my dishwasher.

I like these melamine plates.

[foreverton]

Priced around £6/7

[foreverton]

These Kath Kidston ones are fab I've had this for 2 years now and they still sell them and in several boy/girl/neutral designs.
Have also made great presents.
Dd is 5 this week

[RandomMess]

I have 4 DC and I think we stuck with the plastic plates for quite a long time basically because it was easier to dish up as we know whose plate each one was!!!

[Yellowaveo59]

Look at //www.greysimmonds.co.uk they supply restaurants you could get a box or Titan winged 8" or 9" plates which are between side plates and mains plates. They are restaurant plates carry a 5 year edge chipping warranty so should with stand a bit of bashing around.

I have the they are dishwasher and ivenproof

[CoperCabana]

Thankyou dayslikethis. Will look for salad plates.

[dayslikethis]

We use our Denby salad plates for the DC (and often for ourselves) - the dinner plates are just far too big and yes, side plates are tiny. The salad ones are the perfect size for the DC and they help us with portion control for ourselves. We only pull out the dinner plates when we have guests!!!!

[CoperCabana]

I have been wondering about this. My two are 3 and 6. I overface them if I use a normal dinner plate, which is why I have stuck with the plastic. I need a plate slightly bigger than a side plate, but smaller than a regular dinner plate. Does anyone have any suggestions.

Thanks for the Ikea Dragon Cutlery suggestion. I will add that to my next time I am in Ikea spread in my (brand new) Bullet Journal!

[DinosaursRoar]

DD is 2.5 and we're just making the transition to china plates and grown up knives and forks, although she (and DS - 6yo) uses the smaller starter forks and knives. We still use plastic tumbles as both are accident prone, DS has ones that look like glass though. (the thick plastic ones you get a posh outdoor events/for picnics)

[neversleepagain]

We moved to China plates and adult cuttlery when our twins turned 3.

[janethegirl2]

Never used plastic plates although my DM still uses hers