Outdoor
12 Shatterproof Outdoor Dining Essentials That Are Beautiful (& Kid-Friendly)
Say goodbye to sweeping up broken glass.
Bringing your dining and entertaining plans outdoors is all fun and games until a plate shatters. You think you can carry four glasses at once until one slips through your carefully gripped fingers and tumbles to the ground, breaking into tiny pieces in front of you.
The warm-weather season should be filled with dinner parties, picnics, and backyard parties that won't have you reaching for a broom to sweep up glass shards (or blocking the kids and pets off from a sudden shatter). To help accomplish this dream, we've pulled together 12 of our favorite acrylic, bamboo, and melamine (shatterproof!) plates, glasses, and tabletop accessories. Now you can outdoor dine without worrying about the sound of broken glass.
1. Everyday Classic Melamine Dinnerware, $51+
These pretty plates and bowls are an easy choice for your patio or backyard dining table. They come in white or a speckled blue terrazzo print that'll fit in well with any aesthetic. Made from melamine, they're virtually shatterproof and also lightweight, making them perfect additions to any picnic basket.
2. Melamine Paper Plates, $48+
If you like textured dishes, try these melamine plates from Fortessa. The scalloped edges are designed to mimic the look of a paper plate, which fits seamlessly with an outdoor barbecue, picnic, or clam bake setting.
3. Fable Colorful Bamboo Plates & Dinnerware, $32+
If you prefer a more colorful table, these bamboo plates, bowls, and tumbler glasses are right up your alley. Choose from six different colors or opt for a pre-curated mixed set and you're good to go.
4. Fable Illustrated Kids' Bamboo Dinnerware Set, $24
Make your kids feel special by getting these illustrated plates just for them. Each three-piece set includes one bowl, plate, and a cup in the coordinating design they choose. The options? A bear, bunny, penguin, or the night sky.
5. Recycled Bamboo Chip & Dip, $44+
Been looking for a place to put this caramelized onion dip or some sliced vegetables with hummus? Look no further. This serving dish is big enough to fit your favorite dip-centric appetizer while being lightweight and durable enough to easily throw into any beach bag or picnic basket.
6. Gingham Melamine BBQ Lidded Serving Bowls Three-Piece Set, $85
Nothing screams spring and summer quite like gingham. This lidded serving bowl set will help you bring dishes like potato salad, coleslaw, or a big batch of banana pudding to the potluck in style.
7. Bamboo 5-Piece Nested Prep Bowl Set, $20
You might see prep bowls and think they only have a place in your kitchen mid-bake, but they're much more versatile than that. Fill them with staples like pretzels, chips, salad, or pigs in a blanket and rest easy knowing if one tumbles off the table, the worst thing you'll need to sweep up is a rogue blanket-wrapped pig.
8. Mesa Acrylic Outdoor Drinkware, $39+
Fun, textured, colorful glasses that are also shatterproof? It doesn't get much better than this. With an average rating of 4.6 stars, our Community seems to agree. Your favorite warm-weather drinks will look their best served up in these beauties.
9. Shatterproof Tritan Outdoor Wine Glasses, $72
If you prefer long-stemmed glasses but are always a little nervous about how delicate they can be, these are for you. They're made from Tritan copolyester, which is both shatterproof and dishwasher safe, meaning they can comfortably be carried from the kitchen, to the backyard, and even to the pool.
10. Shatterproof Ripple Glassware Set, $48+
Another poolside- and picnic-approved glassware set, these are made from acrylic and feature a subtly rippled design. They come in gray or clear and are dishwasher safe, too.
11. Veranda Outdoor Pitcher & Tumblers, $30+
Do you love to make a batch cocktail, tea, or lemonade? Make sure you have one of these durable pitchers (with its matching tumblers) handy. Available in five different colors, you're bound to find the right one for your table design.
12. Shatterproof Polycarbonate Cake Cloche, $80+
Cake cloches can come in handy for more than just keeping your favorite cake or cookies intact. Use these resilient covers to keep bugs, dirt, and dust away from your cheese spread or fruit platter, too.
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