Safer Kids Cup and Dish Guide
April 9, 2008 by Alicia
Filed under Glass, Kids Cups, Dishes and Utensils, Polypropylene, Safer Materials, Wood
UPDATED 8/24/2010
Finding safer cups and dishes for older kids has been a challenge. We’re embarking on an expedition to see what we can find. Our list is growing as we confirm more BPA, PVC, phthalate, and melamine-free options, so check back soon!
Kinderville Bigger Kids Silicone Dishes
Kinderville knocked our socks of with their line of baby dishes, and now they’ve done it again with the introduction of new eating gear designed for older kids!
Kinderville Bigger Bites Divided Silicone Plates
Kinderville Silicone Ice Pop Mold Set
Kinderville Bigger Bites Silicone Storage Jars
Fuel Kids Waste-free Lunch Containers
It so easy to go 100% reusable and waste-free with the wide array of affordable Fuel lunch gear! From sandwich boxes to insulated soup containers, Fuel products are simple for kids to use and their unique features open up a whole new world of healthy meal possibilities.
Fuel Wet and Dry Thermal Snack Container
Fuel PVC-free Kids Lunch Bag
Fuel Uno Dry Snack Container
Kidishes
Parents everywhere today are looking for an alternative to plastic dishes. Kidishes are made from tempered glass, which is amazingly durable and safe. They are available in kid-size bowls (5.5″ diameter), cups (5oz) and plates (7.4″ diameter).
Kidishes Glass Dishes
Crocodile Creek
Crocodile Creek just launched the cutest and most functional lunch gear! Their new stainless steel drink bottles and PVC-free lunchboxes are the perfect pair for kids on the go.
Crocodile Creek Waste-free Lunch Gear
CaliBowl
The one-of-a-kind CaliBowl is perfectly shaped to help toddlers and kids feed themselves without the mess! They’re available in BPA-free plastic or ceramic.
CaliBowl
Lunchbots
The LunchBots containers and kid’s dishes are the perfect container for packing a sandwich, burrito, grapes or nuts – your favorite lunch to go. 100% high quality stainless steel (both lid and container) make for a seriously durable and healthy food storage system!
Lunchbots Stainless Steel Food Containers
Lunchbots Kids Stainless Steel Dish Set
ECOLunches
ECOLunchbox Waste-free Kit comes with a bamboo spork, stainless steel food container, sauce container with lid, cotton napkins – all in a handmade, durable carrying bag that can be used like a backpack. The stainless steel food and sauce containers can be purchased separately too.
ECOlunchboxes
Thinkbaby
Thinkbaby Stainless Steel Feeding Set includes a soup bowl and cereal bowl with lid, insulated bento box with snap down, leak-proof lid, cup with handle and utensils.
Thinkbaby Insulated Stainless Steel Dish Set
Kids Konserve
The Kids Konserve waste-free lunch gear was the natural outgrowth of what two women saw as a big need that required immediate attention. With the premise that any business they undertook had to help the environment in some way, it didn’t take much imagination to see how they, as parents of young children, were contributing to garbage landfills, pollutants and sending the wrong message to their own children.
The lunch kit includes recycled cotton sack, cloth napkin, 16 oz. stainless steel beverage bottle, food kozy, two stainless steel food containers, and recycled aluminum name tag.
Kid Konserve Reusable Lunch Gear
Bambu
The Bambu Kids line has a little bit of everything to make meals safer and more eco-friendly: Disposable Bamdino Plates, Mini Bowls, Spork and Utensil Sets
Bambu Bamdino Plates
Thermos continues to pump out safer feeding gear for kids. The FUNtainer Straw Bottles and Food Jars are amazing and in our experience, you just can’t top their the versatility, durability and cuteness. We often entice our older kids to drink their water by loading up a straw bottle – it helps keep them from from feeling like they’re missing out on those sugary drinks.
Thermos FUNtainer Food Jars and Straw Bottles
Think Sport
Think Sport has turned their grown-up water bottle into a mini me for kids! Just like the adult version, Think Sport’s super light weight stainless steel bottle has an elegant design and is easy to hold and drink from. It holds 12oz, is vacuum sealed to keep drinks hot or cold for hours, won’t “sweat” and fits into most car cup holders. The new mini me is be the perfect solution for sports teams on those hot summer days!
Thinksport 12oz Stainless Steel Kids Bottle
Obentec
Laptop Lunches were created by two Moms with school aged kids. Their mission is to help families improve lunchtime nutrition and reduce waste. They believe that healthy kids come from healthy communities and work hard to provide products free from BPA, PVC and Lead.
Laptop Lunches Bento System 2.0
Recycline
Recycline Preserve dishware is made from recycled polypropylene (#5) which is BPA, PVC and phthalate free. Their products are reusable, dishwasher safe on low-heat cycles and made in the USA. You can find them at the Recycline website.
Arrow Plastics Manufacturing
Arrow is based in Illinois and all of their products are manufactured right here in the U.S. All of their plastic scrap, used corrugated containers, wrapping materials and pallets are recycled (none of these materials are deposited in landfills). You can often find these products at Walmart, but they are not currently available online (we’re working with Arrow to add their children’s line to our store soon). They have a huge line of products, so we’ll just focus on great stuff for kids. All of the following Frostware and Sip-a-cup/bowls/pops are made from polypropylene and are marked with recycling code #5.
IKEA
IKEA’s Stated Commitment: “IKEA works to ensure that products and materials are environmentally adapted and are safe for our customers from a health perspective. As part of our business idea, we insist on keeping costs low and always try to use resources wisely when designing our products. We strive to use renewable and recyclable materials in our products.” You can locate an IKEA store near you here.
UPDATE 12/10/08: I’m even more impressed with IKEA now that I’ve been searching through website again for new options – they have labeled ALL of their food containers with the materials used. Hooray for IKEA!
Stay tuned for updates – we’re always working to locate more great alternative options for kids!
thank you. i look forward to seeing more brands here (hopefully ikea will make the list too)
very timely post! i have been meaning to email you this — i contacted the Crocodile Creek company to find out if their plate sets had BPA in them. they replied that “they do not contain BPA”.
hope this helps!
best,
kelly
Hi Olga,
You must have felt our vibes! IKEA is now a part of our list
Alicia
Hi Kelly,
Thanks! We also appreciate the info on Crocodile Creek dishes.
Alicia
Oh totally…I’ve been yammering about these IKEA dishes for months. I love them and they are totally affordable.
Thanks for the dishes info! I’m wondering where melamine is on the risk spectrum?
I too would like to know about melamine? Could you post on this? I know alot of the controversy over it was in the powder form being put in dog food (yuck!) but I think it is a safe option for “plastic”. Though I do think itmay be a #7…I do not think it has BPA in it. Do yo know??
What about dishes made from melamine? I thought I read somewhere that it is safe.
where is the Laptop Lunches sets made in? please say not in china!
Hi Ellie,
Here’s an excerpt from the Laptop Lunches FAQ:
“Our Laptop Lunch bento sets, bento bags, bento sleeves, and ice packs are made in Northern California. Our carrying cases, water bottles, lunch jars, and travel flasks are made in China. The How to Make a Healthy Lunch DVD and the Laptop Lunch User’s Guide come from Southern California.”
Best,
Alicia
Does anyone know if the snack trap is a safe container?
Thanks!
I just got a Laptop Lunches Bento Box Set based on your recommendation and love it. I just wished that the inner container set came with more lids so that I could store more of my 16 month old’s food. For now, I have to cut or mash any of his foods that I bring after we get to our destination. I’m sure when he’s older this won’t be an issue. Thanks again for the recommendation.
I was just wondering if Tupperware kids plastics are safe? We have just bought some and hope that they will be added to the list
I’m trying to find the “right” stainless steel water bottles for our family… haven’t seen any direct reviews of the obentec ones (the “laptop lunches stainless steel water bottles”), and only a couple reviews of the thinksports… I don’t suppose anyone could either point me toward some reviews, or give me some feedback?
I just want to know about leaking, ease of use, durability, you know… that kind of thing.
Reeda,
It’s been tough getting info from Tupperware, especially on their children’s line. ZRecs.com was finally able to get the materials list from them and it looks like they have some non-polycarbonate options for kids, but they also have make some containing BPA. You can find the complete list here.
Hope that helps,
Alicia
Kelly,
You’re so right – that’s a topic that needs more discussion!
We’ll take your suggestion and get busy writing a review of the stainless bottles right away.
We’ll try to post it for you soon,
Alicia
hi,
Just wondering about Ikea, I see that their rainbow line of dishes is safe, but does anyone know about their other dishes? ( e.g. I remember seeing a cute set with dish, sippy cup and utensils in a penguin theme… ) When i first heard about the rainbow set, I was told that it was because all of their stuff is approved for sale in Europe, where BPA is not allowed, which should apply to all of their dishes. However, i don’t know if this is true or not. Anybody know?
We have those IKEA dishes. They are microwave and dishwasher safe too!
I just got a new Pottery Barn Kids catalog in the mail. Their new line of cool-looking food containers are polycarbonate and the bibs are PVC. Why are they launching an unsafe line? Gross. I am going to complain and I suggest you do to.
California has a law requiring that cancer-causing products be labeled at the point of purchase (i.e. Prop 65). One of our local grocery stores (Gelsons) had a huge sign over their small baby section with a Prop 65 warning and a note saying that they were searching for a BPA-line to use. (Most of the stuff was Gerber). I was really impressed.
Hello,
Does anyone know if the Crocodile Creek brand Acrylic tumblers are safe?
My son likes to practice drinking from “real” cups and I grabbed these at the store before checking the safety since I thought this was a good brand.
Thanks,
Marcia
I am under the impression that acrylic is a definate no no for dinnerware. I have read so many reviews though, I couldn’t tell you were to look.
Anyone else thoughts on acrylic?
I am really upset that the food and juice containers sold at Pottery Barn Kids has BPA in them. I was going to purchase them to go in the lunch bag I bought from them as they are the matching set that fit perfectly. It is such a shame that they have not come out with a new set. Any suggestions for something similar?
Thank you SO MUCH for letting me know about the IKEA dishes!! My son has been using them for a while and I took them out of the rotation because I didn’t know about their safety. He was NOT happy. Good to know that I can add them back (I did not completely get rid of them…) : )
Anyone have any info on the Rubbermaid juice boxes??? My kids have been drinking water out of these for years. It is so hard to keep up with all this!!! I’m going to try to get the juice sippers from Arrows plastic…but am not near a Walmart. Any info on the Rubbermaid straw cups (are now call juice boxes…used to come in bear and tiger shapes) would be HUGELY appreciated!
Hi Missy,
We did a little investigative work into Rubbermaid products (see the post here).
We found a helpful list provided by Rubbermaid that shows the juice boxes as BPA free – so you’re in good shape!
Alicia
Is polypropylene a safe alternative for baby dishes/forks/spoons, etc?
Hi Monique,
That’s a great question – and YES, polypropylene is a safe alternative to toxic plastics such as polycarbonate and PVC.
Alicia
Does anyone know about the BPA content of Gladware and other similar storage containers that you can buy at the grocery store? I always use them for my leftovers, and am now wondering if I need to throw them away, along with all of my sippy cups! Thanks for publishing all of this info–I found it extremely helpful!
I had purchased the tumblers from ikea a couple of years ago and they had a #5 on bottom- i went back and was going to purchase more and they now have no # on the bottom but the packaging had a four- so they must have changed something- i put them back and found this site
lap top lunches often have over stock on their containers and lids you can pick up individual containers pretty cheap if you check every so often
Ok any idea on the new bamboo line of cutlery for kids. I would assume that is same??
I was checking out the safe dishware for kids. Are these plastics melamine free? I am trying to find something for my son that won’t leach melamine as well. Just curious if you knew.
Hi Amanda,
Great question!
All of the products on the list are Melamine free (as are all the products we recommend on our blog and on our website at http://www.thesoftlanding.com).
We’ve clarified our position on ZAK! melamine products above to make sure it’s clear that we don’t recommend it. You can read more about Melamine here.
Alicia
I am unsure about the arrow products….the company confirmed they are bpa and pvc free correct? And those items listed are the only ones that are okay, or are all their kids/juvenile products okay? I checked a store near me and their Arrow dishes were dated 2005…does that mean they could be unsafe even if they are on your list? Ha, for some reason knowing they are sold at Wal-Mart and so inexpensive makes me uneasy…..
Hi Jen,
I called the company myself to confirm that the Arrow products are indeed BPA, PVC and phthalate free
They’ve used the same polypropylene “recipe” for many years, so even dishes made in 2005 are fine. Also, the year label on the bottom may not represent the year it was made, but rather the year that particular design was implemented.
They’re using the same inexpensive polypropylene plastic that many other companies like Boon, ZAK! and IKEA use, so no need to worry about safety based on the cost.
Alicia
Thank you. This site is the best site I’ve found for information about plastics. I plan to buy as much as I can from softlanding because the customer service and time spent on safety issues is top rate and MUCH appreciated.
Wow, Jen! That’s music to my ears
Customer service is our primary concern, because without our customers – we a big fat zero.
Sincerely,
Alicia
It would be great it you did a squidoo guide for utensils or a separate quick reference guide. Just searching for spoons (baby spoons) wasn’t as easy as the other items you’ve covered.
I’ve seen several questions posed about the safety of acrylic in dishware but no answers. We just purchased 100% acrylic cups from Target and are trying to figure out whether they’re safe. Any info is very much appreciated!
Thank you so much for the wonderful resources you provide. I have not found a better website anywhere else online. Please continue to keep up the good work – Busy moms out there really appreciate it!
Any info about the safety of Tervis Tumblers would be appreciated. Thanks!
What do you think about enamelware? From what I’ve read it looks like it might be safe? There are some kids enamelware dish sets, and then there’s the coleman camping enamelware dish sets. What do you think?
Thank you! This is just want I needed. I have been looking everywhere for safe, non-breakable cups for my toddler ready to drink from a big-kid cup, but not glass. Thank you for providing this guide – I wish I came across it weeks ago!
Have you reviewed Fit N Fresh? I believe it is BPA free, but I can't find if it is PVC free…. I love the containers, their shape, the included icepack, etc. But I don't want to use them if they are not safe for my 3 year old. Thanks much!
Hey thank you for posting this guidelines and information. I also want to add up the stainless steel latch tiffin by happy tiffin, http://www.happytiffin.com its quite affordable, safe, earth friendly and stylish. Have you learned about it too? It comes from different design.
I'll post the same information to my blog, thanks for ideas and great article.
Hi Amber,
We haven’t done a lot of homework on acrylic, so we aren’t able to be of much help here. I can tell you that it is BPA, PVC and phthalate-free, but the “ingredients” used are definitely toxic during production. We would love to hear from others about any studies showing chemicals leaching after the materials have been stabilized into a resin.
Alicia
Wow, Leigh! Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to let us know that you’re benefiting from our work
Sincerely,
Alicia and Sisters