How to Choose the Best Utensils and Bowls for Your Baby

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How to Choose the Best Utensils and Bowls for Your Baby

Starting solid foods with babies can be fun and definitely messy. Babies will use their hands to self-feed as they taste, smell, and experiment with different foods but they can still practice bringing a spoon to their mouth. Don’t be surprised if they take the food off the spoon with their hand or dump/fling the food. If more food gets on their hands and face than in their mouth that’s okay too. This is how they learn and eventually, they will refine these skills. Read on to learn when to start introducing utensils, and my favorite utensils, bowls, and plates.

When should I start giving my baby a spoon or fork?

Babies can start learning to use utensils when they begin eating solid foods. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies who are developmentally around 6 months of age, able to sit on their own, bring their hands to their mouth, and show an interest in food are typically ready to try foods. 

They can be provided with a pre-loaded spoon or rounded fork to bring to their mouth. As they get older (around 12 months) you may see them take the spoon, bring it to their mouth and then hand it back to you for another bite. They won’t be able to start scooping food themselves until around 16-18 months.

Which utensils are best to use?

Utensils with short, wider handles are the easiest for babies to hold since they are proportionate to the baby’s hand. Often baby utensils will have grips that help their hand from sliding. Utensils with regular size handles are made for a caregiver spoon feeding a baby and not the baby feeding himself. 

Some utensils have choking guards to prevent the baby from putting them too far back in his mouth. These aren’t always necessary as often the baby will figure out how far back to put the spoon with experimenting.

The bowl of the spoon (the part that goes in our mouth) should be flatter so the baby can learn lip closure to remove the food from the spoon. 

Forks should have tines that are rounded so they don’t hurt the baby’s mouth. Some feeding specialists (occupational therapists and speech language pathologists) like forks with metal tines for an older baby who is working to scoop/stab food (at least 12-18 months) as it’s easier to get the food. Other feeding specialists prefer tines that are plastic or silicone as this is softer on your baby’s mouth if he chews on it. I personally use the plastic/silicone forks with my baby as he likes to chew on them.

Favorite utensils for babies and toddlers

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1. NumNum Gootensils 

Price: $12.99

These are a great introduction to utensils. They come in packs of two with the first stage spoon used as both a teether and to dip into purées and the second stage used when they are eating regular soft food. 

The spoons are short and have contoured handles which are perfect for little hands. They are flat and can be turned without dumping food. I used these with my two sons and they are great for softer beginning foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and mashed banana. 

2. Boon Modware Toddler Utensils

Price: $6.49

I use these spoons and forks currently with my 14-month-old son as they have short, raised handles and are plastic so don’t hurt his mouth when he chews on them. They are dishwasher safe. The rounded tines of the fork are able to stab the food which can be more difficult with other plastic/silicone utensils.

3. Avenchy Bamboo Baby Bowl and Spoon

Price: $19.99

I use this silicone spoon with a bamboo handle as it’s soft for the baby’s mouth and shallow for the baby to use his top lip to get the food off the spoon. However, I do think the bowl of the spoon is too big so would not use it with younger babies.

4. Munchkin Raise 

Price: $8.95

These come in a set of two forks and two spoons. They have short handles with a grip which makes them easier for the baby to hold. They are made out of metal so wouldn’t be used for a baby that likes to chew on utensils. The base of these props up the tip of the utensil so it doesn’t touch the table or other surfaces to prevent the spread of germs.

Which plates and bowls are best to use?

Babies enjoy throwing so I like to use suction cup plates and bowls. This way they stick to the table or high chair tray instead of being thrown on top of the dog. Yes, that happened at my house! As they become older toddlers, you can switch to regular plates.

You can use a regular plate or a plate with dividers. Some families like using divided plates to help remember to offer foods in different nutritional categories (a different food for each section) and some toddlers like them so their food doesn’t touch. It can also help them to scoop food against the ridge. It can be beneficial to switch between both types of the plate so your child doesn’t get accustomed to only one color or type of plate.

Favorite plates/bowls for babies and toddlers.

1. ezpz Mini Mat

Price: $22.49

This is a suction-divided plate with a built-in placemat made from silicone. The mat helps catch spilled food, the suction decreases the ability to be tipped and it’s dishwasher safe. The only negative I’ve noticed is that after a while it can have a soapy smell.

2. Avenchy Bamboo Baby Bowl and Spoon

Price: $19.99

I like the Avenchy bowl and plate as they suction to the table and are made from bamboo and free from harmful chemicals. As long as the table is dry when you initially suction it, they are very difficult for a baby or toddler to remove. Although more expensive you only need one and I really like it for my young toddler. It needs to be hand washed.

3. Any lightweight bowl/plate

Ikea sells child plates with higher rims to improve the ability to scoop as well as lightweight bowls. At Target, the Munchkin brand makes suction bowls as well as toddler lightweight plates and bowls with higher rims for scooping. 

Although babies and young toddlers will mostly use their hands for self-feeding (and they should), give them times to practice and become familiar with forks and spoons. Using utensils takes lots of practice and will improve as your baby gets older and more skilled around that 18-month mark.

Whitney Alaniz, MOT OTR/L

Whitney Alaniz, MOT OTR/L

Whitney Alaniz, MOT OTR/L is an occupational therapist turned (mostly) stay-at-home mom. She has worked with adults to young toddlers and has a special interest in early childhood development targeting fine motor skills, feeding, sensory processing, and coordination. She loves incorporating this knowledge with her own two little boys through play. When she’s not running after her little ones she enjoys traveling, cooking new recipes and eating chocolate from her secret stash.

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