Is Melamine safe?

[crayonblue]

Looking for red serving bowls. Is Melamine OK? I want light weight and not breakable. We have tiles in the kitchen and have crashed a few glass things onto the floor. Thought Melamine might be a good option if it is a safe material.

Thanks!

[maestramommy]

This is a good question, and one I've been wondering about. The only Melamine thing we have is the large popcorn popping bowl for microwave use. I wonder if people got freaked out after that formula scandal in China. That's around the time we stopped using it. But recently the popcorn bowl was recommended here, and I still see it being sold at Target.

[daisymommy]

Look at the thread down-list from today about kids plastic plates. We were just talking about this :)

It contains and leeches out formaldehyde. That's what makes it so hard.

Remember the China baby formula scandal, where they found melamine in it, and all the babies were sick and dying? That's the same stuff by the way. Over time, using melamine plates/bowls, tiny bits of the plastic flake off into your child's food as well.

http://safemama.com/2008/10/07/what-is-melamine-a-crash-course/

For the kids, we use Corelle ware. It's tempered glass, made in the USA, and has been dropped by all my kids from counter top height onto hard wood floors, and bounces around, never so much as even chips, let alone breaking. Cheap at Walmart!

[wellyes]

I wouldn't but it is probably fine so long as you never get it too hot (no microwave or dishwasher). It is tough because it's so practical and pretty!

[ett]

This is a good question, and one I've been wondering about. The only Melamine thing we have is the large popcorn popping bowl for microwave use. I wonder if people got freaked out after that formula scandal in China. That's around the time we stopped using it. But recently the popcorn bowl was recommended here, and I still see it being sold at Target.

I thought you weren't supposed to put melamine in the microwave.

[Globetrotter]

We have melamine dishes that we use on occasion when we have large groups over, but they are never heated and I hand wash them. We use fiestaware and Corelle on a daily basis.
Definitely don't microwave it.

I recently bought BPA free plastic dishes to use for this purpose, when we have large groups over, so the melamine is hardly used now.

[liamsmom]

FWIW, I've broken melamine bowls and plates on my tiled kitchen floor.

[crayonblue]

We have melamine dishes that we use on occasion when we have large groups over, but they are never heated and I hand wash them. We use fiestaware and Corelle on a daily basis.
Definitely don't microwave it.

I recently bought BPA free plastic dishes to use for this purpose, when we have large groups over, so the melamine is hardly used now.

We use Corelle for our dishes too.

Hmmm, not sure what to do!

[crayonblue]

I wouldn't but it is probably fine so long as you never get it too hot (no microwave or dishwasher). It is tough because it's so practical and pretty!

It is pretty! The bright red melamine is exactly the look I'm going for.

[AnnieW625]

I would look at Corelle too; that is what I have for DD1, and will get for DD2. Honestly though unless you are serving to people who live a plastic free life no one is going to care what you serve something on ESP. if it is pretty.

Melamine is not microwave safe.

[maestramommy]

I thought you weren't supposed to put melamine in the microwave.


That can't be an official stance, since otherwise this bowl wouldn't be sold in stores. Also, we dropped ours on the floor once, and a sizeable piece of the rim broke off. So it's not totally breakproof on ceramic tile.

[crayonblue]

Honestly though unless you are serving to people who live a plastic free life no one is going to care what you serve something on ESP. if it is pretty.

VERY true. I'll just hide it if anyone from the BBB comes over. :)