My second son started solids last month. Starting solids is one of my favorite stages of that first year. It’s super fun. The faces they make are priceless, and I love getting creative in the kitchen. It’s also nice to have the baby right at the table with us for meals. He enjoys it, we enjoy it. It’s a win-win.
With two boys and a few years of experience, I’ve found some great baby feeding essentials that are easy to use, easy to clean, and even better, gorgeous and bright—perfect for spring.
Bright baby feeding essentials I love:
- Boon Flair high chair. We love ours. It’s so easy to clean or replace parts without spending a fortune. The chair raises up for higher tables and down easily with the push of a foot button. The seat pad comes off so you can get to any part of the high chair for cleaning, and the tray insert is dishwasher safe. Plus, it comes in all sorts of fun, spring-y colors. I love the modern design, but if you don’t, consider this high chair instead for a more traditional look.
- aden+anais burpy bibs. There is nothing better for protecting babies clothes. These bibs do double duty as burp cloths in the early months and work as bibs when solids start. They cover the entire top of a baby’s shirt so your little one’s adorable duds don’t get destroyed. Choose from a huge variety of patterns and colors.
- Boon Serve baby feeding spoons. These are my favorite spoons. We’ve tried so many, and these hold up for the long haul. Plus, they come in fun colors.
- Lifefactory glass bottles and sippy cup tops. My little guy just started taking a bottle two weeks ago, so we haven’t used bottles much at all. But my older guy did sooner. We invested in Lifefactory glass bottles with our first son for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one is that they are glass. They are also great because you can replace the nipple with a sippy cup top and later just use them as regular water bottles. We’ve had them for years now, and they’ve held up really well through the baby and toddler stages and even into preschool.
- Piyo Piyo snack cup. I found that I didn’t really use snack cups until later with my first little one, but I wanted to mention this cute and practical option. Piyo Piyo’s signature yellow cup stands out, is fun for kids, and works great for little hands. These are available in five spring-y colors.
- Think Baby bowls. I love Think Baby’s BPA-free food system for babies. They double as great lunch containers for when you’re out and about or even when your baby starts preschool.
Fun First Foods
We started baby off a little differently this time, skipping cereals as the first food and trying new things. It’s been so much fun. Here are the foods that my baby loved the most when he was starting solids:
1. Avocado. Mash it with a fork or put it in the food processor. Mix it with formula or breast milk until you reach the consistency that is best for your baby. It’s healthy, delicious, and easy on the digestive system for most babies.
2. Sweet potato. This one is so easy to make yourself by simply baking a sweet potato and pureeing it when it’s done. But you can also get jars of this fabulous first food, which makes it easy when you’re on the go.
3. Bananas. Mashed or sliced, you can’t go wrong with bananas. This was the first food that my baby picked up and ate himself. It’s easy for them to mash small pieces with their gums or new teeth, and, of course, bananas are so tasty.
4. Egg yolks. Definitely talk to your pediatrician before starting baby on egg yolks, but if you get the “all clear,” this nutritious food might be your new favorite. Besides protein and many nutrients, the texture of egg yolk when mixed with breast milk or formula is perfect for babies who are first trying solids.
What do you think? Have you tried any of these foods with your baby?
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