For lots of parents, silicone plates, utensils and bibs are a godsend. Easy to clean, wipe down and store away, they’re often cheap and accessible, too.
But one mum has opened up about one of the major downsides of children eating off silicone plates.
Instagram creator Ashley Stewart, who is known for sharing toddler meal ideas, said her little boy stopped eating properly for weeks and, initially, she couldn’t work out why.
In the video, she said: “If you use silicone plates for your toddler you should know this! For a few weeks, my toddler started eating horribly. He would take a few bites and then not want anymore. I tried everything, but he wouldn’t eat!”
As any parent knows, this is a nightmare situation. It can often be hard enough to get your baby or toddler to eat, so when they’re refusing for weeks, it can feel awful.
She said that one day, she ate a bit of the leftover food from his plate and immediately spat it back out. “It tasted SO BADLY of soap,” she said. “No wonder he wasn’t eating.”
The mum said she switched his plates after that and he started eating fine again.
Why does this happen?
Some silicone products can retain oil residue on their surfaces, according to Kiddiebites, a company which makes silicone plates for youngsters.
If this happens, parents might notice white spots on the plate or they’ll find it has a soapy taste.
How to prevent it
The plate brand recommends rubbing a fresh lemon or lime all over the silicone and letting it sit for 10-15 minutes, before rinsing with hot, non-oil based soapy water. You could also try using white vinegar to clean it.
Stewart also shared a handful of tips for other parents to ensure their silicone dishes are free of nasties before serving food on them:
- Bake silicone plates in the oven at 250 F (121 Celsius) for one hour to remove soap buildup.
- Use mild or unscented dish soap.
- Don’t soak in soapy water.
In a similar Reddit post about the topic, users shared more cleaning tips that helped their toddlers eat off the plates again.
“I use non-scented, free and clear dish soap and that seems to work for me without leaving behind a soapy taste/smell,” shared one person.
Another said: “Have they been in the dishwasher? I find silicone doesn’t do well in the dishwasher for this reason but hand washing especially with low or no fragrance detergent has been ok.”
So, as long as we clean silicone plates properly and give them a good rinse afterwards, they should be completely fine for your little one.