What Kind Of Play Food Do You Have??

[MarinaVanessa]

The grocery set is a heavy plastic?? Like if a young toddler got a hold of it that the plastic wouldn't cave in. I love the idea of having dishwasher safe food!!

Yep, thicker than the stuff you get at Target or Toys R Us. My 2yo toddler can stand on the little cans of tuna and they don't squish or cave. The larger cans are made of the same thickness and if my son REALLY wanted to squish it I suppose he could or if it got stepped on I guess it could cave in but so far no problems with that.

The trouble I had with the other plastic stuff was that the food was too easy to squish and it would cave in or would fall apart at the seams. So far no problems with the Lakeshore ones. I also don't like that I had to pick out some of the food in other sets because they came with potato chips, fries, hot dogs, corn dogs, tater tots and stuff. Lakeshore one's don't but some sets (like the assorted set and multicultural set) may come with tacos. hot dogs or pizza. I left them in though because of their multicultural significance (pizza=Italian, tacos= Hispanic etc.) I can't remember if I left the hot-dogs in or not, I doubt it but I'd have to check.

[SilverSabre25]

OOoo, I like the look of the Lakeshore stuff! Gorgeous! I love the variety. WE mostly have fruits and veggies and some breads. And a single cooked chicken...

[KDC]

I got my stuff from Constructive playthings... they actually have the same set at the local library. VERY durable vinyl, does not cave in - easy to wash. I have the bake set & a healthy meal set. I also have the coffee maker and toaster. They've held up remarkably well.

http://www.cptoy.com/healthy-meals-for-two-dinner

http://www.constructiveplaythings.com/cgi-bin/s.sh/2.0/product.htm?pf_id=XX-10964

[MarinaVanessa]

I got my stuff from Constructive playthings... they actually have the same set at the local library. VERY durable vinyl, does not cave in - easy to wash. I have the bake set & a healthy meal set. I also have the coffee maker and toaster. They've held up remarkably well.

http://www.cptoy.com/healthy-meals-for-two-dinner

http://www.constructiveplaythings.co...pf_id=XX-10964

I actually looked at these also and almost bought them. VERY nice and durable too. They are the soft ones right? As in they feel a lot like the material that doll faces and hands are made of? If those are the ones that I am thinking about then they are also a good choice.

The only reason why I went for the Lakeshore one's is because I have a Lakeshore Learning store about 5 miles away from me so I got to take them home immediately vs ordering them and because I'm trying to be eco-healthy and one of the requirements is to not have vinyl toys (only hard plastic ones). I even switched from vinyl dolls to cloth dolls. But I did LOVE that play food set. It's easy on little hands too and also very easy to clean (I base my purchases now on whether or not I can put them in the dishwasher or washing machine :.

[KDC]

I actually looked at these also and almost bought them. VERY nice and durable too. They are the soft ones right? As in they feel a lot like the material that doll faces and hands are made of? If those are the ones that I am thinking about then they are also a good choice.

The only reason why I went for the Lakeshore one's is because I have a Lakeshore Learning store about 5 miles away from me so I got to take them home immediately vs ordering them and because I'm trying to be eco-healthy and one of the requirements is to not have vinyl toys (only hard plastic ones). I even switched from vinyl dolls to cloth dolls. But I did LOVE that play food set. It's easy on little hands too and also very easy to clean (I base my purchases now on whether or not I can put them in the dishwasher or washing machine :.

I was sneaky... I had family buy them for my daughter for Christmas, with the intention that she'd grow out of it, and I could use it for the daycare, and throw away all the collapsable junk. I too like instant gratification... but free worked for mehappyface. These are about 4-5 years old and look brand new. They are played with just about every day, and mouthed often. They are very durable vinyl, not too hard or soft. I also have the melissa and doug cutting fruit, but find the velcro sticks to my berber carpet rather than the other half of the fruit! LOL~

[Lyss]

I have some of the heavy plastic ones (I got them from a friend who was closing her DC when I was starting mine ) and some "homemade" things.

My kids love the "real" food containers. I save the boxes and cans from things we eat and then put them into the kids stuff. Boxes like granola bars, pasta boxes, oatmeal... I stuff with leftover newspaper and cover with packaging tape. We have one of those can openers that takes the whole top off (I hate it normally : so I use that on the cans I want to save, wash them and then hot glue the top back on.

[Springdaze]

what about the ones that look so real you pick it up with a paper towel only to see its fake! Those gross me out. I also wish they wouldnt put holes in them.

[MarinaVanessa]

what about the ones that look so real you pick it up with a paper towel only to see its fake! Those gross me out. I also wish they wouldnt put holes in them.

Someone recommended hot glue in the holes of toys to prevent mold and such from forming and such after being washed.

[MotherNature]

Plan Toys play food. The kind that cuts into two pieces (velcro) and the kind that doesn't.

Plan Toys is a far better brand than Melissa and Doug in terms of quality. I avoid wooden M&D toys as much as I possibly can IF it is not a natural wood toy (unpainted).

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...Plan+Toys+food

Yes this. M&D are made in China. Plan is made in Thailand & their paints don't chip like M&D's does. I use both wooden food & WAHM-made felt food.

[JLH]

I had the Melissa and Doug birthday cake. It was wooden with velcro. It did not hold up at all and the velcro picked up fuzzies off the carpet so it looked dirty.