Ideal Bite

Kitchen Toys

Mind Your Peas and Qs

10.20.2009

Submitted by alara on Mon, 10/19/2009 - 11:00pm.

The Bite:

Got kids that like to toy with food? A polite suggestion: Get 'em to play in their own eco mini kitchens. These sturdy pint-size ovens, sinks, and accessories are made from sustainable, nontoxic materials instead of plastic or toxin-soaked wood, prompting please-and-thank-yous from your kids and the planet.

The Benefits:

We found play kitchens, food, and utensils made from materials that go easy on the planet such as recycled milk jugs, reclaimed rubber-tree wood, and organic cotton, rather than new petroleum-based plastic products.
Our picks use solid wood and water- and plant-based dyes, so your kids are safe from toxins like mercury, a common ingredient in conventional paints, and formaldehyde, often found in plywood glues.

Wanna Try:

Kitchens

Plan Toys Double Kitchen Center - sweet kitchen set with oven, storage area, sink, and pan rack; made with recycled rubber wood and water-based dyes ($220).
Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Washing Sink - the knobs on this sink turn and have their own sound effects; made from recycled rubber wood, formaldehyde-free glue, and nontoxic paints ($120).
Maxim EverEarth Wooden Work Kitchen - stove includes pan, spatula, knife and fork, plates, and salt and pepper shaker; made with solid wood from renewable forests and water-based paints ($48).

Food

Wonderworld Veggie Basket Play Food Set - sliceable produce held together with Velcro that makes a crunch sound when you "cut" with a wood knife; made from rubber wood and water-based dyes ($22).
Under the Nile Crate with Veggies - wooden crate with four organic cotton veggies ($26).
Erzi Wooden Salami and Wheat Roll Cutting Set - for meat lovers, a wooden cutting board, salami, bread, and knife; made with birch from sustainably managed forests and water-based dyes ($16).

Accessories

Green Toys Recycled Plastic Cookware and Dining Set - 27-piece set includes stock pot, skillet, and four complete place settings; made from recycled-plastic milk containers ($27).
Plan Toys Baking Utensils - 5-piece set includes rolling pin, whisk, measuring spoons, spatula, and pastry cutter; made from recycled rubber wood ($18).

For the Outdoor Chef

Erzi Wooden Barbecue Grill Party Set - wooden grill made with sustainable birch; includes sausages, mushroom, tongs, and briquettes ($48).

Cash Saver:

Enter code OCTDEAL at checkout when you buy a Maxim EverEarth Kitchen or other item at Out of the Toy Box and get 15% off through Oct. 31.
Enter code idealbite at checkout when you buy an Under the Nile Veggie Crate or other item at Natural Kidz and get 20% off through Dec. 31.

Timeout

Mama Biter Jennifer Orr thought that eco wooden veggies might get her kids interested in real ones. No such luck - the girls just pretend the toys are chicken nuggets.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Mama Biters choose an eco wooden kitchen set instead of one made from plywood, we'll keep the weight of 1,470 chefs in formaldehyde-treated wood outta kids' playrooms.

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Mind Your Peas and Qs

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