Im making my mom a paper mache.... help!?

please help me! im making my mom a paper mache cup, plate, and bowl out of paper bowl, paper plate and plastic cup. i have already torn up magizines and old lined paper for this. i dont have enough glue to do the glue recipe ( glue and water) and dont have starch i heard that flower and water mixture will mold over time. can please please help me? i was thinking about using flower/water mixture and putting it on paper plate, bowl and plastic cup, painting it and sealing it off with modge podge. but it will mold and i dont want her eating off a moldy plate! also, can you eat off dried modge podge? if she washes it will it fall abart/ the modge podge come off? help! her birthday is september 8 and im not buing her a gift thanks :)