Outdoor dinnerware under $30: Durable dishes and more that are delightful too

Dining outdoors is one of the joys of summer. Whether it's picnics by the beach, entertaining on the terrace or garden parties, al fresco fêtes are almost required  to take full advantage of our Canadian summers. Thankfully, the days of those awful three-sectioned plastic plates or the soggy paper ones synonymous with childhood family BBQs are behind us! Today there are ample amounts of shatter-resistant dinnerware perfect for stress-free outdoor entertaining. Plus they're made to look just like artisanal ceramics, contemporary, elegant accents and glass servingware, so you won't be inclined to risk any of your  "good dishes" outdoors. Oh, and they don't cost a fortune either. Here are our budget-friendly picks for easy-breezy entertaining this season, and they're all under $30.

Terrace dinner party

These vessels ensure you don't have to give up the "glassware" look just because you're dining outside. They're made of something called Eastman Tritan, shatterproof material so sturdy that you can apparently stand on it without breaking it. We'll leave it to you to test, but once you're done with them, you can throw them in the dishwasher and they won't get cloudy, like most acrylic.  

Merritt International Tritan Wine 24oz Wine Glass, $29.85, walmart.ca

Outdoor serveware used to be a little ordinary, but this rich-hue bowl is anything but boring. It's unbreakable and dishwasher-safe, which makes for passing around poolside.

Hermosa Melamine Serve Bowl, $22.99, potterybarn.ca

Stay hydrated with one of the prettiest drink dispenser stands we ever did see. It's made to resemble hand-painted earthenware but its melamine makeup means you can prop up your acrylic dispenser (not included) on a side table securely.

Del Sol Drink Dispenser Stand, $26, potterybarn.ca

This sardine pattern feels oh-so-Amalfi-coast and would be a fun accent when serving a Mediterranean feast to your guests. Made of laminated cardboard, it's super light and will coordinate well with most dinnerware.

Patterned Tray, $19.99, hm.com

These matte-finish dinner plates are so stunning, it's hard to believe they're not made of ceramic. With an organic shape and an unexpected colour as far as outdoor dinnerware goes, its addition to your dinner table means you can enjoy the look of artisan dishware without worrying about the wind.

Corin Melamine Spice Orange Dinner Plate, $14.95, crateandbarrel.com

This Italian-inspired accent plate is made of (100% BPA-free) plastic, but is designed to look just like hand-painted pottery. It would look gorgeous placed on top of the dinner plate above, by the way...

Merritt Riviera Melamine 8" Accent Plate, $15, cookery-store.ca

Seaside feast

If you're heading to the beach, it doesn't mean that you can't have an elegant seaside (or lakeside) meal. These sturdy dishes can be thrown in your picnic basket care-free and you can pull them out for lunch in the sand, or a bonfire later in the evening.

Picnic-perfect and pretty in (millennial) pink! These tumblers are handmade, 100% aluminum and add a little shimmer to your table… or picnic blanket.

Doris Aluminum Tumblers, $7.95, cb2.com

Have you seen plates with a more summery colour scheme? Designed by artist Blakely Little, these beauties are dishwasher-safe and they're big enough to fit your whole feast on.   

Sunscene Melamine Dinner Plate, $6.95, anthropologie.com

If your beachy dinner involves a grill, or even a bonfire, perhaps hot dogs are in order. These baskets may be made for franks, but we also think they'd be great for lobster rolls and since they are "modeled after the paper boats that serve up ballpark hot dogs" they scream outdoor low-key summer dining.

White Melamine Hot Dog Basket, $5.95, crateandbarrel.com

This budget-friendly tray is perfect for casual outdoor dining, especially if you're BBQ-ing or having a bonfire. Just put out all the DIY ingredients on this pretty pink platter and let your guests help themselves.

Spilltid Light Pink Tray, $12.99, ikea.ca

Condiments, dips, limes for drinks — the possibilities are endless and the dishes are delightful. Made of polypropylene, it's durable and shatter-free, so you can picnic panic-free.

Set of 3 Croatian Sunrise Serving Bowls + Platter, $22.40, anthropologie.com

Tapas garden party

Garden parties call for colour, elegance and a nod to nature of course. These would be ideal whether you're hosting showers, dinner parties or brunch.

Meet the bowls that had us fooled. These are not actually handcrafted European ceramics as they may appear to be, rather, lightweight, shatterproof melamine — and so pretty you won't miss your indoor dinnerware when you're dining outside.

Ibiza Melamine Bowl, $4, chapters.indigo.ca

Are you hosting the prettiest garden party ever? Well, then we're pretty sure these belong on your table. Ideal for dips, condiments and small nibbles, they'll bring pops of colour to rival the real flowers out there.

Paint + Petals Melamine Nut Bowl, $4.80, anthropologie.com

This pretty pink pitcher looks just like glass, but it's actually made of a super-durable material called Tritan, that Pottery Barn says "will not crack or warp and will retain its quality after hundreds of dishwasher cycles." We think a vessel this beautiful would pair well with a batch of Floral Summer Spritzes the next time your gathering in the garden.

Happy Hour Pitcher Blush, $26, potterybarn.ca

Shatterproof flutes mean you can celebrate without worry — for about six dollars. Dishwasher safe also means that they'll help make the clean up more pleasant. Cheers to that!

Shatterproof Clear Champagne Flute, $5.99, bedbathandbeyond.ca

Okay, these plates are technically still less than $30 each, so let me have this. Made to look like glazed pottery, but also made to withstand outdoor dining, these plates are reminiscent of the deep bodies of water that summer daydreams are made of.  

Set of 4 Mesa Melamine Plate, $31.80, anthropologie.com

Monstera plates are still popping up everywhere, and now they can be on your table. This platter would be ideal for all sorts of tiny bites the next time you're entertaining outside, whether or not you're sitting under a canopy of green to match.

Monstera Melamine Platter, $14, chapters.indigo.ca