The Best Baby Feeding Supplies for Starting Solid Foods
October 2023
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
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Inside: Discover the best baby feeding supplies for baby-led weaning and puree feeding, from bibs and utensils to high chairs and food grinders.
Looking for the best feeding gear to start solid foods with your little one? In this article, we’ve rounded up the best time-tested baby feeding products so that you don’t have to do endless research on bibs, spoons, plates, cups and high chairs. Whether you’re doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table feeding, these items will help make feeding your baby solid foods easy (or at least easier)!
The best baby feeding supplies for baby-led weaning and Puree-to-Table feeding
Your baby will generally be ready to start eating solid foods when they show signs of readiness. One thing to look for when purchasing feeding supplies is whether they will help your baby feed themselves. There’s nothing better than watching your baby be proud of themselves for getting food into their mouth on their own (except maybe for getting a full night’s sleep!)!
This is important for nutrition, enjoying food and helping prevent typical picky eating that many toddlers experience. It can help babies eat a variety of foods, including iron-rich foods.
Here are all the supplies that we recommend for feeding your baby solid foods.
The best high chair is one that can grow with your baby. It will help keep your baby safe while eating and will also help your baby join the family meal. Your baby will probably love being a part of the meal, just like everyone else at the table!
When we look at high chairs, we want two main things. One is that the baby can sit upright and not lean back. The second is that they have a footrest so that they feel sturdy. This can help them eat better.
This high chair is high quality, although on the pricier side. The nice thing about this chair is that it can be used from the start of feeding through toddlerhood, and can even be used for older children. So you won’t need another chair or booster seat later.
You can’t beat the price of the IKEA Antilop chair. It doesn’t come with a footrest, however, so you can add one on to make it easier for your baby to eat. Additionally, the baby will have to sit forward to eat, so you can put a rolled towel behind their back so they are fully supported.
The best baby utensils for baby-led weaning and puree feeding
Babies can start using utensils as soon as they start eating solid foods.
They may not be able to get the food in their mouths yet, but they will love trying. They will also probably pick up the skills faster than you would think.
Encourage your baby to self-feed with these gentle training spoons, designed to resemble a leaf sprout.
Find what to do if utensils make your baby gag and get tips for introducing utensils in our utensils for babies article.
The best plates and bowls for babies starting solid foods
The best plates and bowls for babies have low sides and are difficult to dump off of a high chair tray.
We recommend starting with products that have a suction base or can stick to the tray. Cleaning up dumped food may be fun for your baby, but it’s probably not for you!
Baby bowl & plate recommendations
Here are our top recommendations for plates and bowls for babies.
With a strong suction base, these bowls help prevent messes and spills.
If you’d like to read all of our recommendations and more about plates and bowls for babies, read The Best Plates for Babies & Kids.
The best cups for babies
Using a cup is an important developmental skill for your baby. Your baby is ready to start learning to use a cup right from the start of feeding.
You can teach them to use an open cup first, and use a straw cup for travel.
There’s no need to have a special open cup for your baby, but little baby cups are made so that they are harder to tip over, plus they are adorable!
Straw cups are useful for preventing spills when you’re on the go. We recommend cups with short straws to help your child with their developmental skills and for proper mouth development.
Open cups & straw cups for babies
Here are our top recommendations for open cups and straw cups for your baby.
Available in a four-pack, these durable and reusable cups are an affordable options.
Read up on how to introduce cups to babies and see more of our favorite cups in our Best Cups for Babies article.
The best bibs for babies for baby-led weaning and Puree-to-Table feeding
Bibs are an essential for feeding your baby. If you want to keep their clothes, arms and legs as clean as possible, we have big and small bibs to recommend.
If you want to really protect your child’s clothing, choose a bib with sleeves. This sleeved bib offers full coverage and has a pocket to catch crumbs.
Read The Best Bibs for Babies to learn more about fabric types, sizes and washability, plus read our complete list of recommendations.
The best teethers for babies
You might not think that teethers can be a part of teaching your child to eat solid foods, but they actually can be a great tool. A good teether will help your baby learn to accept different textures in their mouth. Additionally, teethers with prongs can help your baby learn to chew.
Top teether recommendations
Here are our top recommendations for teethers for babies.
Relieve gum soreness with these fruit-shaped, freezer-safe teething toys.
Get our full list of recommendations, and learn how teethers can help with picky eating and learning to chew in our Best Teethers for Babies article.
The best food mill for babies
If you’re starting with Puree-to-Table feeding or you’re far along in your journey with baby-led weaning, you might find a food mill to be useful.
Food mills provide a textured puree, which can help your baby learn to eat a wider variety of foods and prevent some forms of picky eating in toddlers.
This trusty food mill is easy to clean and simple to use. It’s also easy to bring with you in a diaper bag.
Learn more about the benefits of textured purees and see our other food mill recommendations in The Best Baby Food Mills.
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
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Inside: Discover the best baby feeding supplies for baby-led weaning and puree feeding, from bibs and utensils to high chairs and food grinders.
Looking for the best feeding gear to start solid foods with your little one? In this article, we’ve rounded up the best time-tested baby feeding products so that you don’t have to do endless research on bibs, spoons, plates, cups and high chairs. Whether you’re doing baby-led weaning or Puree-to-Table feeding, these items will help make feeding your baby solid foods easy (or at least easier)!
The best baby feeding supplies for baby-led weaning and Puree-to-Table feeding
Your baby will generally be ready to start eating solid foods when they show signs of readiness. One thing to look for when purchasing feeding supplies is whether they will help your baby feed themselves. There’s nothing better than watching your baby be proud of themselves for getting food into their mouth on their own (except maybe for getting a full night’s sleep!)!
This is important for nutrition, enjoying food and helping prevent typical picky eating that many toddlers experience. It can help babies eat a variety of foods, including iron-rich foods.
Here are all the supplies that we recommend for feeding your baby solid foods.
High chairs
Spoons & utensils
Plates & bowls
Cups
Bibs
Teethers
Baby food mill
The best high chairs for babies
The best high chair is one that can grow with your baby. It will help keep your baby safe while eating and will also help your baby join the family meal. Your baby will probably love being a part of the meal, just like everyone else at the table!
When we look at high chairs, we want two main things. One is that the baby can sit upright and not lean back. The second is that they have a footrest so that they feel sturdy. This can help them eat better.
Our favorite high chairs
Here are a few of our favorite high chairs.
1. Stokke Tripp High Chair
This high chair is high quality, although on the pricier side. The nice thing about this chair is that it can be used from the start of feeding through toddlerhood, and can even be used for older children. So you won’t need another chair or booster seat later.
2. Bellababy Adjustable 3-in-1 Baby High Chair
This basic high chair converts to different heights. It folds for portability and toddlers can use it as they get older.
3. IKEA Antilop High Chair
You can’t beat the price of the IKEA Antilop chair. It doesn’t come with a footrest, however, so you can add one on to make it easier for your baby to eat. Additionally, the baby will have to sit forward to eat, so you can put a rolled towel behind their back so they are fully supported.
You can read the complete list high chair recommendations in our article Best High Chairs for Babies.
The best baby utensils for baby-led weaning and puree feeding
Babies can start using utensils as soon as they start eating solid foods.
They may not be able to get the food in their mouths yet, but they will love trying. They will also probably pick up the skills faster than you would think.
Top baby utensils
Here are our top utensil recommendations.
1. NumNum Pre-Spoon Gootensils
These versatile spoons are easy for little hands to hold and use.
2. Bumkins Utensils
Made from 100 percent food-safe silicone, these utensils help babies learn to dip and scoop
3. Olababy 100% Silicone Soft-tip Training Spoon
Encourage your baby to self-feed with these gentle training spoons, designed to resemble a leaf sprout.
Find what to do if utensils make your baby gag and get tips for introducing utensils in our utensils for babies article.
The best plates and bowls for babies starting solid foods
The best plates and bowls for babies have low sides and are difficult to dump off of a high chair tray.
We recommend starting with products that have a suction base or can stick to the tray. Cleaning up dumped food may be fun for your baby, but it’s probably not for you!
Baby bowl & plate recommendations
Here are our top recommendations for plates and bowls for babies.
1. Ezpz Mini Mat Section Plate with Placemat
This all-in-one placement helps control the mess. It’s also dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
2. Munchkin Stay Put Suction Bowls
With a strong suction base, these bowls help prevent messes and spills.
If you’d like to read all of our recommendations and more about plates and bowls for babies, read The Best Plates for Babies & Kids.
The best cups for babies
Using a cup is an important developmental skill for your baby. Your baby is ready to start learning to use a cup right from the start of feeding.
You can teach them to use an open cup first, and use a straw cup for travel.
There’s no need to have a special open cup for your baby, but little baby cups are made so that they are harder to tip over, plus they are adorable!
Straw cups are useful for preventing spills when you’re on the go. We recommend cups with short straws to help your child with their developmental skills and for proper mouth development.
Open cups & straw cups for babies
Here are our top recommendations for open cups and straw cups for your baby.
1. Ezpz Mini Cup
This cup is shaped and weighted so that it is less likely to spill, but it is still easy for babies to pick up on their own.
2. Olababy Silicone Training Cup with Straw Lid
A convenient and short straw, this adorable cup is easy for babies to drink from and is easy to clean.
3. The First Years Take & Toss Straw Cups
Available in a four-pack, these durable and reusable cups are an affordable options.
Read up on how to introduce cups to babies and see more of our favorite cups in our Best Cups for Babies article.
The best bibs for babies for baby-led weaning and Puree-to-Table feeding
Bibs are an essential for feeding your baby. If you want to keep their clothes, arms and legs as clean as possible, we have big and small bibs to recommend.
Best bibs for babies
Here are our top recommendations.
1. BapronBaby
This lightweight, apron-style bib covers much of the baby and is durable for everyday use.
2. Bumkins SuperBib
This 3-pack is a practical choice! The bibs are machine-washable, they have pockets to catch food and they close easily around the back.
3. Bumkins Sleeved Bib
If you want to really protect your child’s clothing, choose a bib with sleeves. This sleeved bib offers full coverage and has a pocket to catch crumbs.
Read The Best Bibs for Babies to learn more about fabric types, sizes and washability, plus read our complete list of recommendations.
The best teethers for babies
You might not think that teethers can be a part of teaching your child to eat solid foods, but they actually can be a great tool. A good teether will help your baby learn to accept different textures in their mouth. Additionally, teethers with prongs can help your baby learn to chew.
Top teether recommendations
Here are our top recommendations for teethers for babies.
1. Fluxy Oral Motor Tool
This three-legged teether features multiple stimulating textures to give children more to choose from.
2. Tinabless Freezer-Safe Teething Toys
Relieve gum soreness with these fruit-shaped, freezer-safe teething toys.
Get our full list of recommendations, and learn how teethers can help with picky eating and learning to chew in our Best Teethers for Babies article.
The best food mill for babies
If you’re starting with Puree-to-Table feeding or you’re far along in your journey with baby-led weaning, you might find a food mill to be useful.
Food mills provide a textured puree, which can help your baby learn to eat a wider variety of foods and prevent some forms of picky eating in toddlers.
Best baby food mill
Here is our top food mill recommendation.
The OXO To Mash Maker Baby Food Mill
This trusty food mill is easy to clean and simple to use. It’s also easy to bring with you in a diaper bag.
Learn more about the benefits of textured purees and see our other food mill recommendations in The Best Baby Food Mills.