What Should I Consider When Buying a Kids Dinner Set?

Choosing a kids dinner set isn’t just about the cute factor...

The right kids dinner set can help to make mealtime safer, more sustainable, and even more convenient. I guess the first question you'd probably be asking is, "Do I even need a child-specific set?" and we can say that yes- research shows that age-appropriate tools do actually help to benefit development, independence, and positive eating habits.

Here we'll take you through those benefits and what to look for when choosing your little bear's set.

Why is a Kid Specific Dinner Set Worth It?

While of course children can just use the regular plates, bowls and cups in your home, child-sized dinnerware has actually show to have clear advantages. Tableware specifically designed for little hands help children:

• Develop fine motor skills
• Practice self-feeding
• Gain independence

Montessori-based studies indicate that giving children tools suited to their size encourages confidence, increases mealtime independence, can actually reduce spills and helps to make mealtime less stressful for both kids and parents.

We've actually done a separate blog post on this all together if you want to check it out (What is the Montessori Approach to Eating?) but in short, a specific kids dinner set is a practical tool for child development and positive mealtime habits.

What to Look for in Choosing a Kids Dinner Set

1. Safety: Choose Low-Toxic Materials

Children are more vulnerable to chemicals that can leach from dinnerware. Studies show that BPA, phthalates, and melamine can migrate into food, especially when plastic is heated or scratched (Rudel et al., 2011, Environmental Health Perspectives).

Safer options include:

• Bamboo and Plant-Based Materials: Bamboo is lightweight and naturally low in toxins. However, it's essential to ensure that bamboo dinnerware is free from melamine additives. At EcoCubs, our bamboo kids dinner sets are crafted from 100% non-toxic materials, and are free from harmful additives. Additionally, our bamboo sets are microwave and dishwasher safe, offering convenience for busy parents. 
• Stainless Steel: Durable and almost indestructible, stainless steel is a chemical-free option that doesn't leach toxins into food. It's also resistant to staining and corrosion, making it a long-lasting choice for children's dinnerware. At EcoCubs, we use the highest quality 304 food-grade stainless steel available for our stainless steel kids dinner sets. This premium material ensures durability, resistance to corrosion, and safety, providing peace of mind for parents.

Again, we've done an entire blog post on this if you want to read more: Kids Dinnerware Made Simple: What to Look for and What to Avoid. (We’ve also done a previous post about why we don’t recommend silicone as our #1 kids dinnerware choice, if you’re wondering why we haven’t included it in our kids dinner set recommendation!)

2. Sustainability: Choose Long-Lasting Materials

Plastic dinnerware contributes significantly to landfill waste. Opting for durable, eco-friendly materials like bamboo or stainless steel can reduce waste and the need for frequent replacements. Reusable tableware consistently outperforms single-use plastic tableware across most environmental impact categories, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and resource consumption. And even reusable plastic dinnerware can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills, due to their durable and non-biodegradable nature

Plant-based vs. Stainless Steel: Both materials are long-lasting and eco-friendly, but they offer different benefits. Stainless steel is incredibly tough and can last for years, while plant-based materials like bamboo do require a little extra TLC. EcoCubs stainless steel can go straight in to the Aussie recycling bin at its end of life, where as our plant based dinner sets are naturally biodegradable/ compostable.

It's important to consider your child's needs and age when looking at the sustainability and durability of each.

3. Convenience: Make Mealtime Manageable

It goes without saying that busy homes need a setup to match their busy lifestyles. Different kids’ dinner sets are designed with different conveniences in mind. Most plastic and bamboo dinnerware is not safe for use in the microwave, where as EcCubs dinnerware is made to keep both children and parents happy.

• Plant-Based (Bamboo) Sets: Lightweight, sturdy, and dishwasher-safe, our bamboo sets are practical for everyday use and survive inevitable drops. They are also microwave-safe, making reheating meals quick and most importantly, safe!
• Stainless Steel Sets: Made from the highest quality 304 food-grade stainless steel, our  kids stainless steel plates and bowls are durable, corrosion-resistant, and built to last. While not microwave-safe, they are dishwasher-safe, highly durable and perfect for families looking for long-term, chemical-free dinnerware for the more wild of bears.

Why We Love Using Our Kids Dinner Sets

With our own three little bears, we’ve seen first-hand how the right kids dinnerware can make mealtime safer and a little bit easier for busy families. Each of our EcoCubs bamboo and stainless steel kids dinner sets have a place at our table- in fact, I often use our plant-based plates for my own quick lunches, and the stainless steel bowl has become my firm favourite for breakfast!  

Whatever range you choose for your kids dinner set, you can be confident that it’s non-toxic and designed just right for little bears. Every EcoCubs plate, bowl and cup is something we’ve poured our hearts into and tested with our own three bears until it’s just right (See what I did there??😉). But most importantly, knowing these sets are safe, sustainable and non toxic- that's a total win for our family's health and the planet!