The Colorful, Collapsible Dishware Set Every Snacker Needs (and It’s Perfect for Entertaining!)

published Sep 6, 2023
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Someone dipping potato chip into sour cream charred scallion dip.
Credit: Lucy Schaeffer

You might think that when hosting company, it’s best to break out the fine china. But, for better or worse, the formality of your average gathering has declined over the years, and fancy dinner setups can often prove impractical. Special occasions aside, you’re usually better off serving up apps and entrees on dishes that are durable and lightweight, should your guests want to mingle and move about. Plus, if the drinks start flowing, there’s no guarantee that your nice, fragile platters won’t end up in pieces by the end of the night. All hope is not lost, though. There’s a happy medium to be found between fancy and frat house, so you don’t have to succumb to the paper plate aesthetic, either.

We recently stumbled across madesmart’s brilliant dipware, and it’s nothing short of genius — regardless of whether you’re snacking on your own or preparing party platters. Three variations of it, including this appetizer tray, are available at The Container Store, so stock up before your next get-together!

If you’re passing around hors d’oeuvres, this 14-inch by 7-inch tray is the perfect size for your needs. The same goes if you’re preparing a full meal just for yourself, so really, this narrow plate is plenty versatile. It’s also made of food-grade plastic that won’t chip or break no matter how frequently you use it. Plus, each tray comes with a detachable rubber bowl that keeps dips and sauces from touching the rest of your finger foods. Raised sides prevent the contents from spilling out of the dish, too. In addition to the tray size, madesmart’s dipware also comes in a dinner plate design, as well as a larger serving platter with three dip bowls! Suffice to say, regardless of whether your friends prefer queso, guac, or bean dip with their tortilla chips, they’ll have plenty of options.

Credit: The Container Store

You’ll also be happy to learn that the dipware is just as easy to clean and store as it is to use. For one, the plates are dishwasher-safe, so you don’t have to spend a long time scrubbing them down post-party. Once clean, the non-skid bowls also collapse flat. Simply press down to flatten them, and then stack your trays on top of one another for compact storage. It’s really that simple! When it’s go-time again, pop the bowls back up, and fill them with your dipping sauce of choice. With these clever plastic plates, you can say goodbye to soggy foods, spilled salsas, and chipped platters once and for all. And at $20 each, the trays will hardly break the bank.