Hanukkah's around the corner, and if you're someone preparing to throw a celebration, the right tabletop will go a long way in setting a festive mood. We've gathered some Hanukkah-themed dinnerware essentials that are both sophisticated and fun — perfect for hosting your upcoming holiday dinner party.
Clockwise from left: Virtually Unbreakable Duralex Dinnerware Set ($15); Kids Cooking Shop Ice Cream and Dessert Cups ($18); Kitastick Linking Chopsticks ($19); Baby Chick White Animals in My Soup Bowl ($45); Pearl Stem Acrylic Plastic Wine Glasses ($7).
Before food fights even begin, parents need to figure out a way to keep their tots seated at the table. Most moms have a bag of tricks or an exhaustive lineup of distractions to keep their children glued to their chairs during meals, but the process is more about eliminating whining than dining. Why not integrate a few items into the table setting that will hold a youngster's attention and keep them engaged during dinner? Here our five of my favorite products that cater to kids.
Grab a plate — it's meal time. Phillips Avent is making eating educational with a new line of tableware set to debut next month. The collection includes BPA-free plates, bowls, and silverware ($4 - $20) to take babies from the weaning stage through self-feeding and is designed to spark family conversations about numbers and food. Each piece from the colorful line comes with a nutritionist-created recipe, and the items for younger eaters are backed with non-slip silicone to prevent meals from ending up on the floor. The cute line will make its debut at Babies R Us stores next month. What do you think of the products?
There was a time when monogrammed dinnerware was reserved for Southern Belles and traditional homemakers. Today, everyone is getting in the game of having their everyday plates and fine china painted with their initials. As wedding season gears up, you may even find a few ambitious registries seeking out their own personalized tableware. Monogramming is pretty, but pairing personalization with porcelain does not come cheap — these lovely Birds on a Wire Dessert Plates are $75 for a set four ceramic dishes. In the end it's just a small price to pay for eating off your very own words.
Here are a few more of my favorites.
It's a mom's dream to have the entire family seated and eating! Keeping kiddos glued to their chairs while dining out can get tough as tots are interested in their surroundings and can get restless if the food takes a while so be prepared. Throw a few goodies in your purse to keep them occupied. Check out these options!
Moms panicked during the BPA scare and some of us have even opted to feed our wee ones primarily organic diets. Once the wholesome food is prepped, is there a safe way to serve it?
Dandelion ReUseable Toddler Plates ($7 per set) are made from a unique corn formula which provides a nice alternative to petroleum-laden plastic tableware. Corn is a renewable and sustainable resource which uses less fossil resources and generates fewer green house gases than plastic. The toddler-sized divided plates keep finicky eaters happy since they have barriers to keep their foods from touching each other and can be rinsed in the sink. In addition to the plates, Dandelion Toddler also makes bowls, cups and utensils to complete the set.
Mealtime with munchkins may not be easy, but it can be a whole lot of fun! Moms use clever tricks to make breakfast, lunch or dinner a success and one that has worked for me is to keep the surroundings interesting.
Toddler tableware may sound like an oxymoron, but with these adorable plates, bowls and silverware, your tot may be asking to sit at the table, rather than run the other way.
I recently went out to dinner and found an intriguing dish on the appetizer menu: bone marrow served with little toasts. A long, skinny spoon is used to scoop the marrow out of the bone. It can be spread on the toast, or eaten alone. The flavor is surprisingly delicious and rich. It's a bit oily, but the texture is smooth. Similar to paté's flavor palate (only not so livery), bone marrow is a rare treat that I highly recommend. What do you think, could you eat bone marrow?
While she only recently bought Emeril, Martha Stewart has been purchasing tableware — plates, flatware, gravy boats, candelabra, and cake plates. You name it, she's got it — for quite some time now. Looking at her massive collection makes me super jealous! — The Martha Blog
