Even easier than cutting their food up with cookie cutters or shaping it in Japanese bento molds, these plates and dishes really are worth it for that bit of joy and fun that they add to mealtime.

My favorite is Dinner Winner from Fred and Friends. It’s a board game with a treat as a prize at the end. $20

Also from Fred and Friends, the Food Face dinner plate featured endless creative possibilities! $16

The customized Dress Up Plates from Little Me have cookie cutter shapes for the clothes so you can really go all out with the mealtime prep. Customize a boy or girl. These make amazing gifts!

The Transportation plates by Bogusław Śliwiński are another fun surface on which to play with your food. $17

From Constructive Eating, this plate isn’t as fancy, but the utensils really amp up the fun factor. $33

I can vouch for the fact that fun dishes make memories in childhood. We had the boy and girl set of these stacking dishes when I was little.

Nowadays, you can delight your kids with these stacking sets from Wee Gallery. $40

So, why settle for regular, boring dishware?

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