Just how big can a dinner plate be?

[anonandlikeit]

Not only can ds2 not cope with his food touching he has to have a clear gap between each item on the plate.

But he is a pig has a healthy appetite & his portion sizes are getting bigger & I just can't get it all on his plate.
As soon as his plate touches the table we have tears as he shoves all his food further apart so its all hanging off of the edge of the plate.

I've tried those divider plates, he just looked at me as if I was mad - how dare I dish his dinner up on something other than a round flat plate!

No easy answewr I know just wanted to say Grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

what about giving him less but letting him have a second portion after?

THat is what we tend to do DLI but then he looks at ds1'S plate & cries & says more

could you give him 2 plates? i do this with dd1 sometimes, she also has 2 bowls for pudding if she has things like fruit and yoghurt or jelly and ice cream as she likes these things but not together in the same bowl .

but thank you for the suggestion

Thanks Marne, he does have anything wet (like Beans) in a seperate bowl... omg its the end of the world if the beans sauce touches the chips.
Maybe I could try spreading his meal over two plates.
Part of me doesn't want to pander to him but the other part of me just wants a peaceful mealtime.

what about a serving platter or one of those long rectangular plates for sandwiches?

Dd1 is just the same, she will no longer eat anything in a sauce because she wont risk the sauce touching anything else, we use the little pots of ketchup from mcdonals (or similar) so she can keep it from touching her food, sometimes a feed her in 3 courses so she has one thing at a time but this is a pain. We have also tried the divided plates/dish but she doesn't like them.

If you can have a side plate in a restaurant why not have one at home. Separating things out onto individual plates, bowls, ramakins, may help if he will permit things to be off the main plate - he already permits beans to be in a bowl.

Chinese style bowls may be useful. Chinese food is often served in separate bowls. Could that style of serving food work?

The plate could have the main item of food, then all accompaniments could be in bowls/ramakins which he can help himself to as required... either transferring some to the main plate, or eating it directly out of the bowl.

Is it pandering to him... maybe a bit but as you say, if it creates a peaceful mealtime then is it that much hassle to separate out the food?

Different shapes of plate are also worth a try... square, rectangle. Also variable sizes, so instead of divided plates, having a couple of plates next to each other.

Have you seen These?

You can link them to make 'islands' on the plate.

Or these

Didn't know you could get dividers thanks Lou.

If you google "large plates" or go into www.amazon.com they have larger than average plates. I saw two that looked good:

BHL friends time steak plate large and white which is 30cm or BHL friends time round pizza plate which is also large and white but 32cms. About £3 each. They had a posh denby one too but it was £14.50!!
x

I know someone who uses those little silicone muffin cases for diving food on plates for her uber-fussy son. Might be worth a try.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I'll have a look at the different shape plates, if all else fails I will just have to give him lots of little plates... & buy a bigger dishawasher

charger plate maybe, or a small dishwasher friendly tray perhaps.

I have similar issues so have a lot of sympathy. Beans infecting things .

love this

You could get him to do the washing up, would be a logical consequence to him needing lots of bowls/plates.

this maybe?

lots

Thanks again for all the suggestions, Nannynick I fear asking him to do the washing up would be a Massive reward for a water obsessed ds2. Would have to be a bowl on the floor as he is too wobbly to stand ona chair at the sink... he would think all his christmas's had come at once!