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All mom’s want the best for their baby. Your best china, however, is probably not what you want baby to be using (or throwing off her highchair). Luckily, you don’t have to resign yourself to eating off dinnerware decorated with cartoon characters.
Your dishware problems can all be solved with one word: Melamine. This long-lasting plastic is commonly used to make outdoor dishes that are solid in color and can be found in a variety of styles and designs (especially during springtime when many stores are stocked with outdoor-entertaining goods). Melamine is scratch resistant and dishwasher safe but cannot be used in the microwave since the plastic absorbs heat and can blister, crack and warp.
Our editors have tracked down this collection of favorite, super-stylish melamine dishes. Of course they’re meant for those fancy patio parties (that we all wish we were having), but with our Mom’s eyes on we saw them instead as the perfect way to childproof the dinner table without having to sacrifice an ounce of style.
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Manhattan. Who knew you could find unbreakable dishes that were this elegant? This dish set has a simple and modern design that is perfect for everyday. We’re sure we’d want to use this set even if we weren’t baby-proofing. $4-5 sold individually at cb2.com. |
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Slope. If you’re looking for a unique dish set, you’ll love the angles of this sky-blue dinnerware — the bowl and plate both tilt a bit sideways like they need to drink a V-8. |
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Black Tie. We fell quickly in love with this crisp graphic stripe pattern which is both simple and chic. Classic black and white is always in style. $25 sold as a 12-piece set at |
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French Bull. This tableware collection features colorful and funky designs that are sure to add a playful spirit to your kitchen. We had a hard time choosing between all the fun patterns. $29-39 sold in sets of four at plumparty.com. |
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Lotus. The two-tone design on these dishes is sleek and stylish. Although it also comes in blue, we think the fresh green hue will be a perfect backdrop for all your edibles. $4-6 sold individually at crateandbarrel.com. |
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Nova Black. If you love the look of rustic ceramic dinnerware then this set is for you. The deep chocolate brown exterior gradually blends to a cream interior. $25-35 sold in sets of four at target.com. |
Don’t wait too long… Spring is the perfect time to shop for baby-proof, unbreakable dinnerware. We tried to find some stylish melamine dishes like these last fall and were simply out of luck.
– Bettijo B. Hirschi
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