Not content to just watch the kid's design world and report as it goes by, the folks at Kidsmodern have begun designing products. First up: the Napfnapf, a set of double-sided silicone suction cups you can carry in your handbag [sic] that turn any plate you come across, even "normal china plates," into a dump-proof kid's plate.
[OK, I got some: how about a paper plate? How about one of those woodblock sushi trays, hmm? What about a picnic table or a metal mesh tabletop by the pool? What if you're eating BBQ off the bumpy top of a 40-gal. cooler in the infield at Talladega? And would it work on a basket of all-you-can-eat popcorn shrimp at Red Lobster? Ha!]
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, plates. So it's not quite clear from the photo above, but they recommend using the whole set of three Napfnapfs for stability, and to avoid turning the plate into a bouncy, bobblehead-like food catapult. Except for the tailgate party, they really do think of everything, these Swiss.
Napfnapf comes in a set of three in orange, green and blue [the thinking parent's red/yellow/blue, don't you know] for EUR15 or USD22. [kidsmodern.com]
We've had no success attaching any suction cup plates or bowl to even the smoothest of surfaces. Even smooth plastic high chair trays are a challenge for suction cups. I'm skeptical of these an all similar products until I hear someone say they work great.
Here's a set you could buy for $3: http://www.seasucker.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=50
The manufacturer even has a hilarious line graph comparing the company's "Skill as a Suction Cup Producer" to the "Next-Best Supplier." It looks like they give themselves 79 skill points to the 39 skill points they award the "other guy." http://www.suctioncups.com/wizard.htm
[I wonder if the competition in the suction cup industry is so ruthless in Switzerland? -ed.]
@sjg: a couple of drops of water in the suction cup help it to stick to its mating surface(s).
good luck!
My friends recommended the multi-suction-cupped soap savers, at about a dollar each. One other benefit is that they are less than half an inch high.