Adaptive Eating Equipment: Plates

In this Blog on adaptive eating equipment we will consider plate and plate accessory options for independent dining.

Adaptive plates can be an important part of adaptive eating equipment.  In our Guide to adaptive eating aids we mentioned adaptive plates.  In this Blog we will go into more depth on the considerations with respect to adaptive plates and review some of the more common options. 

There are four categories of adaptive plates:

1. Scoop plates
2. High rimmed plates
3. Partitioned plates
4. Plate guards

While not a plate, it is also important to consider a non slip surface under the plate. 

Scoop Plates:  Scoop plates have one side of the plate that is typically higher than the other side.  This enables someone who uses one arm for eating to push food against the built up side to more easily obtain food onto a fork or spoon.  For a right handed person the higher side will be positioned on the left side of the person and vice versa for left handed use.  A Scoop plate may also be beneficial to an individual with tremors or motor control problems.

Sammons Preston makes a scoop plate that is available on Amazon for $16.95.  The plate is 9 inches in diameter.  Standard dinner plates may be 11 inches in diameter.  A paper plate is 10.5 inches in diameter so some people might find this plate to be small.  The product reviews on Amazon were largely positive.  It has a 78% positive review rating.  Negative comments included the rubber ring on the bottom that makes it non skid may come off.  There was no information about dishwasher or microwave capability.  The advantage of a scoop plate vs. a high rimmed plate is that the user doesn’t have to lift the utensil over the rim of the plate when scooping food.  This might be an important consideration for some individuals as it could decrease the amount of shoulder movement required. 

High rimmed plates:

Most standard plates will have a slight built up side/rim on them.  This might be functional so that an adaptive plate might not be needed.  An example of this is the Shop With Green wheat straw plate.  In my search on Amazon for “Adaptive Plates” this plate came up.  It is not per se meant as an adaptive plate but it does have high rims. 

The price is $23.99 on Amazon for a set of four.  One nice thing about these plates is that everyone in the family could use the same plate which would encourage normalization.  The plates are made from wheatstraw.  The reviews were largely positive and it has a 78% five star rating.  They are dishwasher and microwave safe.  One bad review mentioned that a pet cat developed a rash on her lips from using the plate.  They are 10 inches in diameter and are microwave and dishwasher safe. An advantage of a high rimmed plate vs. the scoop plate is that anywhere on the edge of the plate should provide a surface to scoop against.  In addition to this plate there are adaptive plates that typically will have higher rims that are available. 

Partitioned Plates:

Some people just prefer their food categories not to touch each other!  A partitioned plate will be perfect for them!  Partitioned plates also give a nice higher surface to scoop against for one handed use or for individuals with motor control difficulties.   You can purchase partitioned plates that are not considered to be adaptive plates. 

Sammons Preston makes an adaptive partitioned plate that is sold on Amazon for $10.66.  This plate is made of Melamine.  There are three partitions:  Two are smaller size and one is larger sized for entrees.  The overall diameter is 8 ¾ inches which was considered too small in some of the reviews.  It is dishwasher safe but not microwaveable.  It has an overall 5 star rating of 74.5% on Amazon. 

Plate Guards:

Plate guards can be fitted on standard plates to provide a surface to scoop against.  A tip we mentioned in our Guide to Adaptive Eating Aids is to experiment with the placement position of the plate guard.  I recommend trying a clockface 7:30 position for the center of the plateguard on the plate vs. a 9 o’clock position.  This will facilitate a natural motion of the shoulder. 

Non Skid Placemats:

The surface the plate rests upon should also be given consideration.  A standard placemat might provide enough skid control for a lot of individuals.  There are also non skid standard placemats that are available.  If a lot of skid control is needed for the plate, dycem material is recommended.  Dycem is available in rolls that can be cut for many purposes such as under plates and as an assist to open jars.  They also make a nice circular under plate product that is thicker.

Although it is placed under the plate it doesn’t function as a placemat as it is to small for that. This product is available on Amazon for $10.72  The reviews were largely positive and it has a 67% five star review.  There is not much to say about dycem, it just works! 

Red Plates:  There is research that for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease that a red color helps them identify the plate from the background.  Many adaptive plates and also some utensils will be available in red so look out for that if that is a consideration.

Thanks for visiting today and we hope you found some useful information in this adaptive eating equipment review of adaptive plates. We also have a concise but comprehensive Guide To Adaptive Eating Aids on this site. Post Update: 4-25-22. We recently launched our online Adaptive Eating Aids Shop where you can find Therapist Curated Eating Aids like adaptive utensils, plate guards, non slip placemats and universal cuffs.

Thanks again for visiting today and we invite you to contact us at anytime.