These placemats with built-in bowls make dinnertime with my toddler a lot less messy — they use suction to latch onto the table to keep everything in place

• The Ezpz Happy Mat and Happy Bowl are silicone placemats with built-in plates and bowls that are designed for toddlers and preschool-age children.
• The placemats are designed to stick to the table using suction.
• Toddlers cannot pull on the plate or bowl to remove the mat.

If I had to describe in one word what it's like at mealtime with a toddler, I would say "messy." Food, utensils, plates, bowls, and cups are constantly being dropped (or thrown) onto the floor, and the table is usually covered in more food than makes it into the toddler's mouth.

When Ezpz sent me the Happy Mat and Happy Bowl to test, I was intrigued to see how they would perform since they're an all-in-one concept with the plate or bowl attached to the mat. The design is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers 24 months and older.

Ezpz, the brand that designs developmentally appropriate products to make mealtime less about mess, is one I've known about since my now-2-year-old son started solids. We've used the brand's Mini Mat for over a year now, although he quickly figured out how to pull it off of the table.

The materials and design of the Ezpz Happy Mat and Happy Bowl

The Happy Mat, the brand's flagship product, is an all-in-one placemat and plate that attaches to the table through suction. The Happy Bowl is a placemat-and-bowl-in-one that also has a suction feature. Both are available in seven colors. The Happy Mat measures at 15 inches by 10 inches, while the Happy Bowl measures at 10.25 inches by 8.75 inches.

The products are both made out of 100% toxin-free silicone and can be stacked and carried with food inside the bowl or plate. The Happy Mat is designed with three compartments — one for a main entree and two smaller ones for sides, while the Happy Bowl is designed with one main bowl, ideal for meals such as cereal, oatmeal, pasta, or soup. The placemats on both products are designed to catch the mess from eating.

In terms of the suction feature, Ezpz says that the mat and bowl can be pulled off the table by the edges of the placemat, but not by pulling the actual bowl or plate. Both products are dishwasher safe and are safe in the oven and microwave up to 350 degrees. Like with other mealtime-related products for children, it's recommended to wash before first use.

How the Happy Mat and Happy Bowl performed

Excited to see how these really worked, I tested both products out over the course of a few weeks during different meals.

The first issue I faced was that since we have a round kitchen table, the edge of both mats didn't line up against the edge of our table, leaving some space to catch fallen food. It seems best to use these if you have a straight edge table. However, our kitchen table recently became my husband's work-from-home desk, so we replaced it with a regular 6-foot folding table and now the mats fit perfectly.

My son really loved the mat and the bowl; he was so excited to see one hit the table during each meal. I think, given its size in contrast to his usual small toddler plate and bowl, it seemed novel and fun to him. Lately, he has been making lovely music by banging his fork and spoon on the table, so the silicone placemat is a nice buffer — a win for me and my husband. I never had an issue with my son pulling the bowl or mat off of the table, either.

In terms of the mess, food stayed on the placemat and didn't hit the table. The space for food on both the Happy Mat and Happy Bowl is large enough for each meal. It was easy for my son to get food out of each compartment with his fork or spoon.

The cons

Overall, these products performed great, especially during mealtime. However, they aren't an ideal fit for round tables as there will be added distance between the mat and your child.

These are a bit cumbersome to hand-wash since they are pretty big mats. They also require a good amount of storage space in cabinets to keep them laid nice and flat. I don't have enough space, so I store ours on top of our refrigerator.

The bottom line

All things considered, I was pleased with the Ezpz Happy Mat and Happy Bowl. They did exactly what they're designed to do, and I was happy I didn't have to clean a plate and the table after every meal. If your child is at the age where they've started solids and are beginning to eat full meals, these mats are worth considering. Just measure your table at home to make sure they will fit.

Pros: Placemat catches mess, suction makes it difficult for child to pull off table, available in a nice assortment of colors, made of silicone so it can't break

Cons: Doesn't fit as well with round table, difficult to hand-wash due to its size, requires a good amount of storage space