What kind of clay do I need?

I am a beginner in throwing pottery and I am unable to take any courses on it other than the things I have been able to find online, so I am pretty much on my own. I have not yet ordered my own clay and I am not sure where to start or what kind I should be looking for. I need something that is good for throwing pottery on a wheel and can be oven baked because I do not own a kiln, but I want it to be stronger than air dried. My main objective is to eventually be able to make dinnerware, so I need something that is completely non-toxic and washable once baked. I'm sure you understand why I am hesitant to buy 50 lbs of clay that I'm unsure about (seeing as most of the suppliers I have found only ship 25 or 50 lb boxes) what should I be looking for?