Your favorite items for starting solids? (bowls, utensils, plates, sippy cups...)

[new_mom_mry]

I would love some recommendations for your favorite items for starting to feed your LO solids. My DS is now 4 months old, so I still have plenty of time (planning to start ~ 6 months). So far we have the Boon Squirt Spoon, a Born Free Sippy cup that came with a set of Born Free bottles, a few bibs (Baby Bjorn, Mimi the Sardine, Bumkins) and that's it I think. Oh we also have a Tripp Trapp that I bought for him during the incredible Baby Gap sale

What are your favorite plates, bowls, infant feeding spoons, sippy cups, freezer storage trays, mesh feeders, and any other items that I may need? Our plan is to make our own baby food (we received a Beaba Babycook as a gift so we are covered with what we will use to make the food, but lack just about everything else).

Thanks so much in advance!!! As you can tell, someone will need to do quite a bit of shopping for this fun upcoming stage

[Katigre]

We loved the Gerber utensils (they were wonderful for even infants to hold and practice self-feeding). They come in a package of either 3 spoons, 3 forks, or spoon/fork/knife and are very durable and easy to use. DS outgrew them at age 4 so we get a solid 3.5 years of use out of them per child (and they still look almost new!).

We skipped purees entirely so most of the supplies listed were unnecessary for us. Get a few snack containers for out of the house - I have both metal and plastic ones and prefer the metal (but will use plastic if it's a dry item like nuts or pretzels where 'leaching' isn't as likely).

I would advise some good long-sleeved and short-sleeved bibs (Bummies were one brand we liked as well as the IKEA long-sleeved ones). Also, get a package of cheap washcloths or rags to use for face/table wiping - much cheaper and greener to just wash and reuse vs. using endless paper towels.

I would advise using as much glass as possible vs. plastic (see the thread in the Lounge right now about how almost all plastics leach estrogenic junk into our food and bodies). We use tempered glass that doesn't break even when dropped - I love using custard cups by Pyrex for kiddie bowls (we used them even with our infants) and if they got into a 'throw the bowl' stage they were given food directly on the table.

[mmommy]

We didn't use a lot of gear until DD was older and able to navigate spoon to mouth by herself. So I suggest toddler fist sided pieces and hands. Now we just use the salad forks and tea spoons from our regular silverware, salad plates, etc. Never really bought anything special and haven't regretted it.

[AnnieW625]

I know they are plastic, but I would've been lost without the Gerber Bunches of Bowls (they are made in the USA--at least they were 6 months ago when I bought the last set), I never microwave in them though. We use them now as snack bowls for dry cereal. I liked the Gerber spoons too, but when DD2 wanted to take the spoon out of my hand I was afraid of her poking herself so I got her the Tommee Tippee all plastic spoons from Babies R Us and I really like them. I also really like the Tommee Tippee Easy No Spill mat, and the bowl that it goes on it. I love the Beaba freezer trays, if you don't already have them. Sippy cup wise we are using the Nuk one. I thought about the Born Free one, but I have heard for little babies less than say a year they are kind of hard to use and very little comes out.

[new_mom_mry]

Thanks everyone...yes, definitely familiarized myself with the NPR story and will try to get as many items as I can in metal/glass...now what to do about fridge/freezer storage containers for pureed food...are there any non-plastic options? Plastic is everywhere...ugh...