Dining tray

A dining tray can be an important meal time accompaniment for anyone who is bed bound, confined to a wheelchair, or who finds it easier to eat while seated in an easy chair or a living room chair.

There are a number of variants on the meal tray with the design of the tray, or more specifically its support, being determined by how it is used.

Over bed tray

The over bed tray can be used by people who need to eat whilst lying (or sitting up) in a bed.

These trays resemble flat tables and most have legs (sometimes running on castors) that slide under one side of the bed. They can be quickly slid into position and then removed when the dining task is finished.

They can also be used as a rest for reading material or any other item and some models have a tilt facility that makes reading more relaxing.

An alternative over bed tray design to the one described above has a double sided frame with castors on both sets of legs and it slides into place from the base of the bed. Both versions have telescopic height adjustment. The telescopic adjustement allows the perfect table (tray) level to be set for the bed height.

Over bed trays and tables of this design are strong and robust and their surfaces are easy to wipe clean.

Chair and wheelchair tray

A free standing chair tray is very similar to the over bed trays described above, however it is narrower and also offers a greater degree of height adjustment.

These trays can be quite sturdy as many people pursue hobbies like needlecraft and puzzles by resting them on the table section.

More basic chair and bed trays can have small foldable legs that straddle the legs or body of the person using them. These trays are less stable than their counterparts, but they are smaller, lighter and easier to store when not in use.

Wheelchair trays are generally the same as regular chair trays, however with the mobility of a wheelchair a further option is for the wheelchair to be positioned under the tray rather than having to pull the tray over to (and across) the chair.

The appearance and finish of chair and over-bed trays varies dramatically. You can buy a simple, basic and lightweight tray with a plastic table top, or you can select a much more structural frame with a heat resistant veneer or wood effect finished surface.

Finally it is possible to get trays that have a low lip or edging running around their perimeter. This can be useful in the event of spillage and is common on the small fold-away trays.