NOT your Mother's Melamine - Hello Central Avenue

Melamine dishes are now coming in delightful patterns, fun colors, and are perfect for your summer tablescape!

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Is it me or have we seen an explosion of melamine dinnerware lately?

Melamine dishes have come a long way and certainly aren’t just for kids anymore. Growing up, I can remember eating off of my mother’s avocado green melamine dishes in the summer. They matched our avocado green stove, dishwasher, and refrigerator, of course. You just couldn’t have enough avocado green back then.

Am I right, Mom? They looked very similar to these gems.

Avocado green melamine dishes — Don’t get me wrong, these dishes could be totally cool in a retro kitchen. If that’s your cup of tea, have at it! Here’s the link.

Melamine dishes have gotten quite the makeover throughout the past 20 (ahem…) 30 years since I sat in my parent’s avocado green accessorized kitchen.

Now we are seeing them come in vibrant colors, adorable patterns, and different shapes.

It’s the perfect time of year to snag this dinnerware, because BBQ’s and block parties are on the horizon, and so many of the dishes are on SALE! I tend to use paper products for outdoor entertaining, but no matter how sturdy they seem, they always end up spilling someone’s food. (Usually my son’s and I get to clean it up. Ha.)

Melamine dishes are the perfect replacement for paper products if you are looking for something sturdy, unbreakable, and reusable! I thought I’d share a round-up of my favorite charming and affordable melamine dishes for your summer tablescape!

I already bought a couple of these, because I just couldn’t resist them or their price!

Affordable Melamine Dinnerware

Source Details

For the BOTANIST:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

For the PATTERN ENTHUSIAST:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

For the WORLD TRAVELER:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

For the ANIMAL LOVER:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

For the TRADITIONALIST:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

There’s the round-up of affordable and adorable melamine dishes! I ended up buying the Lulie Wallace plates from Anthropologie, because I adore the colors and bold pattern; and the Beach Fun (Pelican) plates from Pier 1, because my son is obsessed with animals. Do you think you will be dining on melamine this summer?

Safety Note: Make sure you read the back of the dishes. Most melamine dinnerware is dishwasher safe, but cannot go in the microwave!