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Does it even matter?  A plate, is a plate, is a plate – right?

While most adults could care less what kind of plate they eat off of, kids are more influenced by how their food is served, including what kind of plate is used. 

As a dietitian, feeding expert, and a mom, I’ve tried out just about every kids plate you can think.

Let’s discuss the best kids plates, what to consider, and whether or not divided plates actually cause picky eating.

Kids Plates – What to Consider

Whoda thought that you’d have to put so much consideration into which kids plates to get your kids, right?  

There’s no need to over complicate this feeding accessory, but here are a few things to take into consideration before purchasing what you might think are the best kids plates.

Lightweight 

You likely already have a cupboard full of plates, but if they’re ceramic or porcelain like most “regular” plates, they’re heavy, especially for toddlers and younger kids. 

Choosing a lightweight plate for your kids is important so kids can easily participate in setting and cleaning up the table, including their own plate. 

The best lightweight materials for kids plates include food safe plastic, silicone, stainless steel, and even bamboo. 

As far as being lightweight goes, the best kids plates are from Target.

Durable 

There’s no escaping the “let’s-throw-everything-on-the-floor” phase unfortunately. Durability is an important consideration when choosing the best kids plates.  

The plate you choose for your child should be able to withstand being tossed or dropped on the ground over and over again.   

When it comes to durability Re-Play has the best kids plates.

Suction 

Suction plates for kids have recently gained popularity in the last decade and rightfully so.  The idea of suction plates is brilliant, however, kids are smart and still find ways to release the suction and toss that sucker on the ground.  

While I don’t think suction plates are completely necessary, they can be helpful and something to consider.  

The best kids plates with suction in my book are from Bumkins.  

Novelty 

Kids don’t need fun, cartoon plates. However there’s a lot of things in life we don’t need, but surely make life more exciting.  Novelty plates can be helpful for picky eaters or kids with ADHD.

Having a novelty plate on hand to make meals a little more fun is never a bad idea.  Novelty feeding accessories like plates, utensils, and other picky eater tools are great for gifting!

My favorite novelty plate is from a construction themed dinner set from Dinneractive.

Divided

One last consideration is whether or not you should get divided plates for kids.  Whether or not you decide to use divided plates for kids or not will depend on your child’s preferences and possibly what you’re serving. 

My favorite divided plates are once again from Target. 

Divided plates for kids – Do They Cause Picky Eating?

I’m not quite sure who started this rumor, but that’s all it is – a rumor. 

Divided plates for kids do not cause picky eating.  In fact, they can actually help picky eaters.

The only time I’d be concerned about divided plates for kids is if your child is completely dependent on using a divided plate with all meals or snacks.  

Instead of choosing one specific type of plate for snacks and meals, choose a variety so your child gets use to different plates, especially when eating away from home. 

Benefits of Divided Plates

As I mentioned previously, divided plates can be helpful for kids, especially picky eaters.  

Helps Keep Foods Separate

Let’s be honest, certain foods just don’t taste great mixed together or turn something soggy.  

Children like to have a say in how they eat their food.  Divided plates can help with this by keeping foods separate, allowing kids to eat some of the ingredients in the order they prefer or even deconstructed. 

Makes it Easier to Use Utensils

Divided plates also tend to have a “lip” that makes it easier for kids to use utensils by pushing food against the “lip” to scoop or poke the food onto their fork.  

A Useful Visual

Divided plates for kids can help parents visualize how many foods or items to offer.  While it may sound silly, if that’s what helps you, then by all means use divided plates. 

So if the worry of whether or not the divided plates you’re serving your kids is making them picky, know that it’s not.  Just add in a few different plates to switch things up. 

Best Kids Plates

I’m embarrassed to admit how many kids plates I have; some for my own kids, but others simply for the content I create. 

I’m sharing the best kids plates based on some or all of the following features; weight, durability, suction, novelty, and even price.

Target Pillowfort Kids’ Dinner Plates

As a frequent target customer, you betcha I have the Target Pillowfort Kids’ Dinner Plates.  

I love these because they’re affordable, lightweight, durable, and come in beautiful colors.  Plus, they have matching utensils, bowls, and cups!

You can also get these as a divided plate too.

• Raised edges
• BPA-free plastic
• Microwave safe for reheating
• Dishwasher safe
• 6 pack in variety of colors

Target Pillowfort Basic Tray

These are one of my favorite plates for older kids.  I love the sections to help keep foods separate and they just have this nostalgic feel of school lunch. 

My favorite part about these kids plates is the small circle section which is great for dips, sauces, a sweet treat, or even a tiny piece of a new or disliked food for picky eaters. 

• BPA-free plastic
• Microwave safe for reheating
• Dishwasher safe
• 6 pack in variety of colors

Re-Play Plates

If you’re looking for a sustainable, lightweight plate, Re-Play uses recycled food-safe plastic for their plates, bowls, utensils, and other feeding accessories. 

Re-Play has a wide variety of sizes, including divided and undivided plates for kids. 

While they have just about every color under the son, they are a little pricier compared to other plastic plates.  

• BPA-free plastic
• Microwave safe 
• Dishwasher safe
• Variety of colors

Bumkins Suction Plates

Of all the suction plates for kids, Bumkins are my favorite.  While they work great for toddlers and infants, they also work for younger kids too.  

Bumkins suction plates are made from 100% food-safe platinum silicone and come in a variety of colors and options including undivided and divided plates for kids.  They even have fun shapes and characters too!

I also love their little dippers for dips and sauces and their baby bowl – great for cereal for toddlers and young kids. 

• 100% food-safe platinum silicone
• Suction base
• Microwave safe
• Freezer safe
• Top rack dishwasher safe
• Variety of colors

Genuine Fred Food Face Plates

If novelty is something you’d like to incorporate at to mealtimes for your kids, then Genuine Fred food face plates are a great option.  

Gone are the days where you shouldn’t play with your food.  In fact, playing with your food, to an extent, is a great sensory experience for kids, especially if they’re picky eaters.  

Give your kids one of these food face plates and let them create a work of art, then eat it!

The only downside to these plates is that they are made out of ceramic, so they’re a little heavier and not as durable as other kids plates. You can choose from a variety of different faces.

• Ceramic
• Microwave safe
• Dishwasher safe
• Variety of faces to choose from

Dinneractive Dining Set 

I’m a huge fan of making meals engaging for kids and this dining set from Dinneractive is the perfect way to do so. 

While this plate isn’t going to automatically turn your picky eater into the most adventurous eater, a little novelty goes a long ways.  

With its divided sections and a ramp that goes to a bowl, it makes engaging with food irresistible. 

• Comes with novelty utensils
• Construction theme
• Dishwasher friendly
• BPA-free
• Anti-slip base
• Variety of colors

BoBo& Boo Bamboo Kids Plates

If eco-friendly is a priority to you, but you still want something fun, durable, and lightweight, BoBo& Boo has a great selection of bamboo kids plates.

They also have a variety of colors and feeding accessories.

• Natural bamboo
• BPA-free
• Dishwasher safe

Muffin Tin

It might sound strange, but I consider muffin tins to be one of the best kids plates. Muffin tins naturally have a divided plate feature and allow you to present food in a fun and novel way.

Muffin tin meals are great to offer your kids when you’re feeling burnt out from cooking, or mealtimes have been a bit stressful. Serve up a few random foods in a muffin tin from a variety of food groups and watch your kids eat foods they’ve never touched before!

If you’re really feeling like switching it up, you can even offer their meal or snack in an ice cube tray!

Salad Plates

If you don’t feel like buying a rainbow assortment of plates, and would rather use something you maybe already have, or is a little aesthetically pleasing, try a salad plate.

Salad plates are great as kids plates because their smaller size helps you provide more age-appropriate, less overwhelming portions of foods.  

The downside to using a salad plate is that most of them are ceramic or porcelain, at least the ones we have are.  Be prepared for the possibility that you might lose a few along the way if they get dropped. 

Using a smaller version of a “regular” plate can also help your child transition to a “regular” plate easily. 

• Porcelain 
• More “adult-like” style
• Dishwasher safe
• Microwave safe

Hefty Zoo Pals

If you’re a millennial like me, you might remember these Zoo Pals plates from Hefty back in the early 2000’s.  These fun animal-shaped plates were brought back in August of 2023 and I couldn’t help but get a pack for myself. 

What I love about these Zoo Pals plates is not only the 10 different animals they come in, but the divided sections.  These sections are great for dips, sauces, condiments, or keeping foods separate for picky eaters. 

They’re a fun, disposable option for kids you can break out on occasion. 

• Disposable
• 20 pack with 10 different animals
• Microwave safe
• Use for arts and crafts

Before You Leave

As a dietitian, feeding expert, and a mom, I’ve tried out just about every kids plate you can think of.

When it comes to the best kids plates, it’s important to consider these features; lightweight, durable, suction, novelty, or divided. 

Divided plates for kids do not cause picky eating.  In fact, they can actually help picky eaters by helping keep foods separate, making it easier to scoop food up with a utensil, and providing a useful visual for offering foods. 

Selecting the best kids plate for your own kids will depend on what you’re looking for, but overall it’s important to use a variety so your kids get used to using different plates depending on the environment – divided or not.