Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Replica Care
A. Store in individual plastic bags. Wash in hot soapy water, rinse well and air dry. Towels will leave lint. To condition you might rub a very small amount of petroleum jelly on the replica. Here is a video with much more detail: Food Replica Care
Q. The glass for my milk is cracked. Do I need to replace the entire replica?
A. The inserts are glued in, but a simple tap with the glass upside down will release the insert, which seldom breaks. There are replacements for the glasses that have the spine the insert sit on.
10 oz. to fit 8 oz. insert is W03850R
8 oz. to fit 6 oz. insert is W03851R
5 oz. to fit 4 oz. insert is WA24937R
Q. Labels
A. Newer replicas have the product number, name and portion size lasered on most times. Some replicas do not have a flat surface for a sticker or lasering. If you have older replicas and labels have come off you can make your own. Purchase the vinyl glue LF00996R and use it to apply any sticker/label you wish that you have already run through your printer. Keep them small and round the corners, apply with the glue and spread a thin layer over the top of the label as well so the pinker ink doesn’t rub off or absorb into another replica. We do not recommend using pens or markers as it will spread and discolor the replica.
Q. How can I fix a tear or cut?
A. The vinyl glue we sell seems to work better than anything else we have tried. Order LF00996R.
Q. Can I change the portion?
A. If you have a replica with a flat surface you can use a scissors and trim some off to make it smaller. This works better for some replicas. The three ounce serving of beef or pork roast for example looks great cutting the bottom one ounce piece off and then adding it back, if you are working with someone who needs more protein. Many replicas are sprayed with one or two different top coats, so know that the color of the inside (cut edge) might not match the finished color.
Q. How do I get ink off my replicas?
A. Newsprint and ink will not come off replicas. Keep each replica in its own plastic bag so it doesn’t come into contact with other replicas or any printed surface.
Q. Disinfecting replicas
A. You can use a tablespoon of bleach in a sink full of hot soapy water when washing. Rinse well and air dry. We also sell CleanSmart™ that claims to kill 99% of germs. We tested several replicas using this and saw no change in them.
Q. What are replicas made of?
A. Nasco Lifeform™ food replicas are made of flexible, latex free, nontoxic materials. Actual foods are prepared, measured and weighed to make the molds to ensure realistic texture and size for each replica.
Q. Is my replica the correct portion?
A. It might be! We make many different portions so professionals can use them with a variety of clients. Some are appropriate for bariatric patients or children, others meet the American Diabetes Association guidelines for the correct carb portion while others show very large portions to use when doing intake inventories so patients can identify with a larger portion they might actually be eating. The professional will decide and make recommendation for the correct portion size for each client. We do not provide medical information to individuals.
Q. How do I know how many carbs or calories are represented in a replica?
A. A complete Nutritional data spreadsheet was prepared by The Nutrition Company using their FoodWorks® nutrient analysis software. It is found here: Replica-Guide-Nutrition-Factsheet.xlsx
Q. Are the replicas safe for kids to use?
A. The replicas are made of non-latex, toxic free plastic materials. However, food replicas are not marketed for use by unsupervised children. Small replicas could cause choking if a child put it in their mouth or bit a piece off. They are not meant to be used by children without supervision and are not toys.
Q. Why don’t you make loose replicas for example dry cereal or individual peas?
A. The replicas represent various portion sizes for the most part and are very carefully molded to represent portions accurately. A loose replica would not be the right serving as soon as one piece was lost. Small pieces also might be mistakenly put in someone’s mouth as real food.