TigerChef

Think plastic and elegance cannot go hand-in-hand? Plastic dinnerware can be much more practical than regular china or glassware, since you save on money, as well as avoid having to worry about breakage and losing the real stuff. Plastic dinnerware is a must during the spring/summer picnic/barbequing months.

Most plastic dinnerware is manufactured from one of the following materials: melamine, polycarbonate, SAN, or good ol’ plastic. Can’t make your mind up on which material to go with? The following information will give you a better understanding of the difference between each material and help you decide.

Melamine resin is an organic compound often used in kitchen utensils and dinnerware. It should be handled like any fine quality dinnerware. Although better than plastic, when melamine is exposed to high heat, the heat will cause it to decompose. Therefore, it is not safe to place melamine products in either ovens or microwaves since they take in the microwave radiation and heat up. However, they can be places in a dishwasher. Melamine is a thermoset plastic. Therefore, it cannot be melted down and, as a result, cannot be recycled through melting.

Polycarbonate is of a superior quality material than melamine, due to its high impact strength, heat resistance and outstanding color stability. Unlike melamine, polycarbonate is safe for use by children as it will not shatter or splinter when dropped. Additionally, polycarbonate is microwave safe and can be used to reheat food directly in the container. An added bonus- it is dishwasher safe as well. However, be aware-never place the polycarbonate tableware near or on direct heat. Polycarbonate is FDA-approved for food use. However, it does contain BPA.

Styrene Acrylonitrile, most commonly known as SAN, is constructed of both acrylic and styrene. The result of combining the two materials is long-lasting, anti-scratch and break resistant dinnerware. It’s a popular choice for both commercial and residential use, since it is inexpensive, yet looks like superior quality. It is safe, and can be placed safely in the dishwasher and microwave with temperatures up to 150°F.

Hard plastic dinnerware is becoming more and more acceptable and is even being used at the most formal gatherings. This is a win-win situation being that they are quite economical, look like the real thing, and provide durability. The best part of it all is that when you’re done catering and shocking all your guests with the disposable hard plastic dinnerware, they go straight into the garbage, which saves you a nice amount of time on the clean-up. They are neither microwave nor dish washer safe.

Filed under: Resource Central • How-To • General • Cost Savings

Tags: dinnerware, plastic