Is it safe to use a plastic high chair tray for a baby?
Use caution with food directly on plastic trays. A separate plastic-free plate or bowl is a better daily habit.
What is in it
Many high-chair trays are polypropylene plastic. A tray sees warm oatmeal, tomato sauce, fruit, oils, scrubbing, and dishwasher wear. Babies also touch and mouth the surface.
The concern is repeated food contact with worn plastic, not one snack on a tray.
What the science says
A 2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study found polypropylene food containers released nanoplastics and microplastics under simulated use. Release was higher after rinsing with 90 C water than room-temperature water.
A 2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials mouse study tested microplastics released from plastic food containers and found changes in metabolism, gut microbiota, and liver and intestinal tissue. That is animal evidence, so it should not be treated as proof of harm from one high-chair tray.
What to do
Use a separate plate or bowl instead of serving food directly on the tray. Avoid putting hot food straight on plastic. Replace trays that are deeply scratched, cloudy, sticky, or stained. Wash gently rather than using abrasive pads that rough up the surface.