Solids Gear Deep Dive

Note: These recommendations are geared toward Baby Led Weaning (BLW). While many will work great for traditional weaning (purees), some of this gear may be unnecessary, and you may need a few additional items.

High chair
Recommended: Stokke Tripp Trapp
Other good options: IKEA Antilop (with minor modifications), Lalo*
We actually used the Baby Bjorn high chair (no longer in production, but similar to this one) for Miss F’s first year of life and really liked it. However, it’s not very adjustable and she outgrew it soon after she turned one, and we then invested in a Tripp Trapp. While The Tripp Trapp is expensive, we still love it for many reasons. I actually wrote a full product comparison of several different high chairs we’ve tried, which you can read here. It provides ratings for a number of popular high chairs as well as my recommendations.

Travel high chair
Recommended: Inglesina Fast Table Chair
If you plan on taking your infant to restaurants, camping, or traveling, I can’t recommend the Fast Table Chair highly enough. It clips on to almost any type of table surface for an on-the-go high chair. It fits a smaller baby’s body much better and seems much more secure than most restaurants’ high chairs (not to mention it’s more sanitary!), and when you’re camping or traveling it makes mealtime so much easier. While the instructions do not specifically say the cover can be machine washed, I have put ours in the washer multiple times and it has held up great—after two years of use it shows no wear and tear.

Plate
Recommended: EZPZ Happy Mat, Mini Mat, and/or Tripp Trapp Mat* (1-2 total)
Other good options: Avanchy Bamboo Plate*
You’ll want to choose plates made from non-toxic material like silicone, stainless steel, or bamboo. We chose silicone because it naturally sticks to smooth surfaces so our girls couldn’t dump out her food, it’s easy to clean, and it doesn’t leach when warm (although I don’t recommend putting anything silicone in the oven as its safety hasn’t been tested at such high temperatures). My one complaint about silicone is that it can absorb food smells; however, this has never seemed to phase either Miss F or Miss E. EZPZ is a great brand that has held up very well for us over three years. Bamboo plates with suctions on the bottom (like Avanchy) are also a good option. However, I have read reviews that they can grow mold, and I just didn’t want to worry about that. Also, while Avanchy is a reputable brand, you have to be careful with bamboo because sometimes the glue or sealant used can be toxic.

Bowl
Recommended: EZPZ Tiny Bowl*, Mini Bowl*, or Happy Bowl* (1-2 total)
Other good options: Avanchy Bamboo Bowl*
My thoughts are the same as for plates, so see above!

Utensils
Recommended: Olababy Training Spoons, NumNum Gootensils, Munchkin Stainless Steel Set* (1 set of each)
The Olababy and NumNum utensils are great when your baby is first learning how to feed him- or herself. They’re made of soft silicone and provide different textures for your little one to explore with. As your infant gets a little older and more coordinated, a good stainless steel set is helpful so he or she can learn how to use an actual fork and spoon (and one day, knife). With BLW, you won’t need any long-handled spoons as you won’t be feeding your baby.

Bibs
Recommended: Bibado Coverall Bib, silicone bibs (like mushie’s bibs) (2-3)
For the first couple months of BWL, the Bibado saved a lot of cleanup time. While it’s not made from the least toxic materials, I was fine using it as a temporary solution. Eventually we progressed to just stripping down to a diaper for each meal (we live in a warm climate year-round), and using a silicone pocket bib to catch any dropped food. Silicone bibs are non-toxic and are super easy to clean and travel with, making them our favorite. The pocket feature also catches a lot of food that otherwise would end up on a lap or the floor (or, in our case, in our dog’s stomach). Really you don’t need more than one bib, but I’ve found it nice to have two on hand in case I fall behind washing them.

Open cup
Recommended: EZPZ Tiny Cup
Pediatric occupational therapists and feeding specialists now recommend against using traditional sippy cups (they affect palate development)—Feeding Littles has a great article on this. Instead, your infant should start with an open cup (can have parental assistance), progress to a straw cup, and finally progress to a heavier water bottle (if desired, but not necessary). Our favorite non-toxic open cup is the EZPZ Tiny Cup. The silicone is soft and won’t damage new teeth, and the cup is the perfect size for little hands and mouths. It is also weighted so it will tip upright even if it isn’t set down perfectly straight.

Straw training cup
Recommended: Mr Juice Bear Straw Teaching Cup
Using a straw is a new skill for an infant, and the Mr. Juice Bear cup is a great training tool. The Feeding Littles infant course reviews how to use Mr. Juice Bear, but essentially you just gently squeeze it as your infant sucks on the straw, helping them draw water up. Even though we try to avoid eating or drinking from anything plastic, most infants get then hang of drinking from Mr. Juice Bear quickly and you can progress to another straw cup.

Straw cup
Recommended: Housavvy Stainless Steel Cups
Other good option: Take and Toss Straw Cups
If you’d like to have straw cups in addition to a straw water bottle (see options below), The Housavvy stainless steel cups are a great option. While not totally leakproof, the silicone straws are snug enough in the lid to slow down most spills. The straws are also wide enough to use for smoothies. Take and Toss cups are an easier on-the-go option, as they are very nearly leakproof. However, they are plastic, so we try to limit our use of them and are careful to never wash them in hot water.

Water bottle
Recommended: Pura Kiki* (younger); Hydroflask or Yeti (older)
With Miss F, we progressed straight to the Thinkbaby Thinkster (no longer in production) after Mr. Juice Bear and she did great with it. We liked that it truly is leakproof (she often slept with it after she turned one), and its stainless steel body was very durable. The Pura Kiki is a great water bottle that is completely stainless steel and silicone, so it could be a good option to replace the Thinkster. I have heard it is difficult to clean, though. Once your little one is older, likely 16 months+, heavier-duty water bottles can be handy (and easier to clean). Miss F got a Hydroflask for her second birthday and a Yeti for her third. There are features I like about both, but I slightly prefer the Yeti. It has no “sealant dot” on the bottom (more on this in a second), and I like that initials or names can be engraved on the side. When their spouts are properly closed, which is easy for little hands, they’re also leak-proof. A downside to these water bottles is that the lids are plastic, but we just are careful to not expose Miss F’s to heat. There are plenty of other options that are not name brands as well, but you’ll want to make sure that they’re sourced reputably and don’t have trace amounts of lead or other harmful substances. Many stainless water bottles have a leaded “sealant dot” on the bottom that is covered by paint. You can check out this article for examples of what to look for. As long as the paint isn’t chipped, there is no chance of exposure to the lead; however we all know that kids’ water bottles take a beating, so having the dot makes me nervous. Lead Safe Mama is a great resource to learn about lead in everyday items; I do find that she is a bit more paranoid that I tend to be, but her website is a great place to start with your research.