Why Stainless Steel is the Healthier Choice for Kids’ Feeding (and why we switched from plastic)

If you’re a parent, you’ll recognise this moment: you pull out your child’s bowl from the cupboard and it still smells faintly of last night’s dinner, no matter how many times it’s been washed. Or you notice the once-bright plate has turned permanently orange from tomato sauce or baby food stains.

At Junary, these everyday frustrations are exactly what led us to rethink feeding products — and ultimately build our range around food-grade stainless steel rather than plastic or silicone alone.

After years of feeding toddlers, washing endless dishes and testing countless products, we kept coming back to the same conclusion:

Plastic and silicone simply don’t deliver the durability, hygiene or longevity families really need.

The Problem with Plastic and Silicone

Plastic and silicone feeding products are everywhere — and for good reason. They’re inexpensive, colourful and flexible. But when used daily in real homes, many families encounter the same recurring problems:

1. Staining

Foods rich in natural pigments — tomatoes, berries, curries and purees — easily discolor plastic and silicone. Once staining sets in, bowls never look clean again. Even though they’re technically washed, they still feel dirty.

2. Odour Retention

Soft materials are porous, meaning they absorb smells over time. Milk residue, detergents and certain foods leave lingering odours that don’t fully disappear — even after dishwasher cycles. Many parents find themselves sniff-testing dishes rather than confidently reaching for them.

3. Taste Transfer

Silicone is especially prone to flavour retention. Today’s meal can affect tomorrow’s snacks, leading to strange taste transfers that children often notice first.

4. Micro-Scratches and Hygiene

Repeated use and washing causes tiny scratches in plastic and soft materials. These microscopic marks trap food particles and bacteria, making full sanitation more difficult over time.

5. Long-Term Safety Questions

Low-grade plastics can degrade or release unwanted compounds with heat exposure, wear or age. Many parents searching for safer feeding options struggle to navigate what materials can genuinely be trusted for everyday use.

All these frustrations create the same exhausting replacement cycle:

Buy → stain → smell → replace → repeat

Not very wallet-friendly — and certainly not earth-friendly.

Why Stainless Steel Changes Everything

At Junary, we chose to use SS304 food-grade stainless steel because it solves nearly every issue parents face with plastic and silicone.

No Staining

Stainless steel does not absorb pigments from food. Tomato sauce rinses away completely — your bowl looks as good on day 500 as it did on day one.

No Odours

Because stainless steel is non-porous, smells cannot seep into the material. There’s no lingering milk scent or detergent residue — just clean dishes, every time.

No Taste Transfer

Each meal tastes exactly as it should. Yesterday’s curry doesn’t flavour today’s yogurt.

Effortless Cleaning

Food slides right off the smooth surface. Stainless steel bowls and plates can be wiped clean quickly or washed in the dishwasher without scrubbing or soaking.

Hygienic by Design

The seamless finish of stainless steel doesn’t develop the micro-scratches common in plastic products. Fewer hiding places for bacteria means safer everyday feeding.

Safe for Your Family

Safety was the foundation of Junary from the very beginning.

Our product range is crafted from:

✔ SS304 food-grade stainless steel, fully FDA compliant for food contact safety

✔ Premium food-grade silicone, independently safety-tested through accredited laboratories (SOAR compliance)

This ensures:

• No BPA

• No phthalates

• No lead or heavy metals

• No harmful chemical leaching

Parents should never have to guess about what touches their child’s food — peace of mind comes standard with every Junary product.

Explore the Junary collection of stainless steel feeding products designed to simplify mealtimes while protecting what matters most.

https://www.junary.co.za/category/mealtimes