What every parent needs to feed a hungry baby
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Starting solids is a big milestone—and honestly, a bit of a gear shift. Between the mess, the trial-and-error, and the million opinions out there, it’s easy to feel like you need a full kitchen makeover just to feed your baby.
You don’t.
But having a few smart tools on hand does make things easier. Here’s a no-pressure list of the basics that can help, whether you’re doing purées, finger foods, or a mix of both.
Plates
You’ll want a few different sizes to grow with your baby—from purées to finger foods. Look for features like suction (to keep plates in place), dividers (to separate food), and solid weight (to avoid tipping).
Tip: Having 1–3 plates is helpful so you’re not washing after every single meal.
Favorites:
All-in-one placemat and plate with strong suction.
Affordable and sturdy.
Great for toddlers and older babies.
Bowls
In addition to plates, you’ll need bowls for fruit, cereal, purees, yoghurt or snacks. Look for ones that have suction cups on the bottom to prevent spills, because you know, it’s so funny to turn a bowl upside down with all its content!
MUNCHKIN Suction bowlsBudget-friendly and effective.
Beautiful and eco-conscious.
Especially great for the early stages.
Bibs
Baby bibs are essential for mealtime. They’ll keep your little one clean and dry (and save you from doing laundry all the time). Make sure to get a few so you always have one on hand.
Great coverage, easy to wipe.
LALO Long Sleeve Baby Bib
Excellent for baby-led weaning.
Easy to rinse and catches food!
Utensils
Once your baby is ready for solids, they’ll need their own set of utensils. Learning how to use them takes time so you want to look for forks and spoons that are specifically designed for little ones learning to eat on their own and matching their age and development stage.
EZPZ Tiny Spoons 4 Months +
Perfect for those first bites.
NUMNUM GOOtensils 6 Months +
Ideal for scooping practice.
For more advanced eaters.
ELK & FRIENDS Cutlery 24 Months +
Closer to “big kid” utensils.
Cups
Cups are important for both feeding and drinking. There are a lot of opinions out there on how to choose the perfect cup or that sippy cups can be an issue for your baby’s development. The best would be for you to try a few and teach your baby early how to drink water from an open cup (around 6 Months old). When it comes to close cups, try one or two and make sure to update as your baby grow.
EZPZ Tiny Cup 4 Months +
Great for practicing open cup drinking.
MUSHIE Straw Cup 6 Months +
Gentle and easy to hold.
For toddlers on the go.
Food Storage
Baby food can be expensive, so it’s important to have good food storage containers on hand. Look for ones that are freezer-safe so you can always have fresh food on hand. The best is if you can freeze in individual portions. Here are the ones I use:
When Starting solids (1st month)
Baby will only eat a few spoons of puree so this tray with 1 ounce cubes will be perfect to start with:
Green Sprout Fresh Baby Food Freezer tray
WeSprout Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray
For bigger portions
Note that my son is two and I still use them today. I use the 2 ounces ones for fruit sauce and the bigger ones to store leftovers when he doesn’t finish his meal:
High Chair
Finally, a good high chair will certainly make this whole process a lot easier. Look for one that’s easy to clean and has a tray that can be removed for easy access to your baby’s food.
Tripp Trapp High Chair
Grows with your child, ergonomic design.
Space-saving and portable.
Final Tip: Be Flexible
Every baby is different, and every feeding journey looks a little different. Some love spoons, some love finger foods. Some make a mess. (Okay, all of them make a mess.) The important thing is that you’re making the experience positive and pressure-free—for both of you.
With these essentials on hand, you'll be ready to dive into the world of solids with confidence, a sense of humor, and fewer mealtime meltdowns. You've got this!
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