One of the most pernicious problems facing Americans now and into the future is adult and childhood obesity. While the war on obesity must be fought on many fronts, education of both parents and children is one important approach. These standard ceramic dinner plates are decorated with nutritional information, including: caloric content of hundreds of food items; average metabolic rates varying by age, gender, weight, and activity level; and typical caloric expenditure for numerous physical activities.

Nutri-Plates are intended to spark conversation at a dinner table and, through repeated exposure, to educate subtly and effortlessly even solitary diners. In the same way that children might passively learn US geography by having a national map on their bedroom wall, Nutri-Plates offer convenient, daily opportunities for discourse and learning with the hope of affecting better nutritional and lifestyle choices.

An everyday object that is largely inert, is transformed into a potent educational and social instrument.