The Best Baby Feeding Tools for New Eaters

If you’re looking for all the basics to get your baby started with feeding tools, this complete feeding set includes everything you need: a suction plate with divided sections, a bowl with lid, two spoons, a straw cup and a bib. Made from BPA-free silicone, the pieces are soft, durable and super easy to clean (they’re dishwasher-safe!), not to mention stylish. 

The singular suction cup on the bottom of the plate is strong enough to resist baby’s pull but easy for adults to take off (as opposed to multiple suction cups, which can take a little more work to release). “The suction on the plate and bowl works very well,” says Babylist parent Catherine P. “I have tried single suction plates and multiple suction plates, but AEIOU's single suction plate/bowl have worked the best for us.”

Parents also love the included bowl lid that allows you to easily store leftovers. The lid fits with an airtight seal, so food keeps for longer. “The bowl and plate are generously sized,” one parent says in a product review. “I love that a lid was included for the bowl (because we all know these babies are not finishing their meals).”

The adjustable bib fits a wide range of sizes and includes a large crumb catcher pocket, so less food ends up on the floor (and on your little one). 

The straw cup includes a lid to help reduce spills, and the spoons are shallow to help baby catch all their food in the first bite.

If you’re looking to get all of baby’s feeding tools in one go, here are some other sets we love:

This one-piece plate + place mat has everything that makes a good first baby plate: the place mat bottom helps it to not slide around, the sections keep food separated (especially handy with liquidy purees) and the whole thing is made from food-safe, high-grade silicone that’s dishwasher-safe. In a product review, one parent called it a “staple” for their baby’s mealtime, and lots of parents say it’s great for baby-led weaning. 

Here are a few more plates Babylist parents love:

You’ll see a lot of suction bowls on the market—they’re popular for reducing spills and messes—but very few of them come with a secure lid for easy storage. This is my go-to bowl for all of my toddler’s meals both at home and on the go (it’s great for tossing snacks into your diaper bag). The BPA-free silicone makes it microwave-safe, so reheating leftover spaghetti is a cinch. Both the bowl and lid are also dishwasher-safe.

Don’t need a lid? These bowls are also well-loved:

These may not look like feeding utensils, but trust that they’ll do a better job than you might think at first. This design is known as a self-feeding spoon, and they’re recommended by experts to help babies with feeding independence early on (they’re often recommended for baby-led weaning, too). “Unlike a traditional spoon that curves (where purees or yogurt can easily slip off), self-feeding spoons better capture the food so it doesn't fall off before it reaches the baby's mouth,” says Dahlia Rimmon, a pediatric dietician. “Imagine how frustrated a baby would be if every time they brought utensil to mouth, there wasn't food there?” 

These spoons also tick all of Rimmon’s boxes for what makes a good first spoon for baby: the soft silicone tips are gentle on gums and dishwasher-safe, and the short, wide handles are easy for little hands to grip. Parents love these self-feeding spoons, too: “These spoons make feeding so much easier,” says parent Lorena D. in a product review. “For those little hands they are easy to hold and grab onto,” says Crystal B. “My little one really likes holding these spoons and during meals the food stays on the spoons.”

Parents (and experts) also love these spoons, including both the self-feeding kind and regular bowl kind:

If your baby uses a bottle, pediatricians recommend weaning your baby off between 12 and 18 months, but you can get them practicing with a sippy cup even earlier than that. Pediatricians recommend going with either an open cup or a straw cup like these ones since they promote the type of swallowing needed for solid foods, as opposed to a cup with a spout. “Straw cups encourage proper tongue movement and can strengthen muscles used in speech,” says Dr. Mona Amin, a board certified pediatrician, IBCLC and founder of PedsDocTalk. “Sippy cups with traditional spouts don’t promote these same skills and can encourage a more infant-like sucking motion.”

But straws can often make it difficult to get all the cups’ contents. That’s why a lot of parents, myself included, love these weighted straw cups—the bottom of the straw always sinks to the bottom, no matter how your baby is holding the cup, so they can get every last drop.

Parents also love the wide handles on these cups, which make it easier for baby to keep a grip.

Here are a few other sippy cups with similar features:

This was our pick for best overall bib, and it’s a favorite among Babylist parents who wrote into our annual Best Baby Products survey. Its defining feature: a magnetic closure that makes it easy for adults to put on and take off—no snaps or buttons required—but is still strong enough that most babies won’t be able to yank it off. The deep pocket catches spills and crumbs to help keep mealtime mess to a minimum, and the whole thing is waterproof and easy to clean. Lots of reviews also mention that it’s easy to store, since the magnetic closure lets it attach right to your fridge, dishwasher or any other magnetic surface.

If you’re looking for an adjustable neckline, Babylist parents also love these bibs:

If your baby isn’t quite ready to use spoons at every meal yet—but they still won’t stop trying to get bites of your food—self-feeder training utensils like this one really come in handy. Just put a slice of fruit, some cooked veggies or even yogurt in it and let your little one gnaw away. Dr. Jonelle Anamelechi, a pediatric dentist, recommends self-feeders with a net-like shape like these because they can be chewed on.

Dr. Anamelechi says they’re also great to use as teethers. Using the included popsicle tray, these silicone self-feeders can be frozen (with or without food inside) to provide relief to sore gums.

Other self-feeders we love: