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Feeding baby solids is such a trying time for new parents.  From the first bite to toddlerdom, there is so much excitement met with worry and uncertainty.  These feelings are also paired with a giant mess and endless amounts of dishes to wash.

OH EM GEE, who knew getting your child to eat food would be such a fiasco?

With so many question left unanswered and new hurdles to face on a daily basis, I know I can always count on my favorite mealtime products and tools to get me through breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

As a mom and stay at home engineer, there are a few things I’ve find important when feeding my child solids. Among these was literally anything that would make mealtime run smoothly and efficiently.

Although I had a plan, my baby had other things in store. (What else is new, though?)

I started him on solids much earlier than I expected.  I didn’t dive right into Baby Led Weaning like I wanted. And, sometimes my floor ends up looking like The Great Highchair Massacre of 2017. Have you heard of it?  Many a pasta noodle and sautéed zucchini have lost their lives in these battles.

Although it hasn’t always been easy, I continued to try different mealtime items to help reach my mom goals.

You guys, we all know trial and error in momhood are inevitable, but I eventually found awesome tools to make my goals a reality!

Not only did these items make me feel like a more efficient mama, I feel much more fulfilled as I move forward into the toddler years and food becomes a larger fixture in his life.

Below is a list of the items me and other moms use on a daily basis, as our children experiment with new foods and we dive into the world of helping them learn to eat like a big kid.  Some have made my baby’s life easier, while others have made mom life easier and more simple, and who wouldn’t want that?

1. Munchkin Soft-Tip Spoons


These little plastic spoons are super simple, but necessary when feeding your baby.  Moms love them because they are just the right size for baby’s mouth, starting from the moment you’re ready for solids.

They are also lightweight and easy to grip, which has allowed my child to learn how to feed himself, leaving me with much more freedom. (Woohoo!)

These Munchkin Soft-Tip Spoons are definitely an essential part of feeding baby solids, no matter what age they are.

2. Silicone Bibs, Set of 2

Although moms may differ on their approach to solids, we can all agree that your child’s bib can be a mom’s best friend or worst enemy.

Throughout the use of many brands and styles, moms have fallen in love with these Silicone Bibs.

Why are they so awesome?

Well, as you can probably relate, my new mom life includes lots and lots of cleaning.  These bibs rock because they are completely made of silicone so they’re waterproof, making them quick and easy to clean. Obviously, in mom world, efficiency is key!  It literally takes me seconds to rinse off food residue and move on with my life.  It’s that simple!  Every once in awhile, I throw them in the dishwasher for a good solid cleaning.

I also love that the fastener on these Silicone Bibs actually stays on.  It’s crazy, but babies are like bib ninjas, ready to escape the confines of their new neck piece at any cost.  My son has given up hope that this is possible with the Rubber Bib.

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My little loves his silicone bib! Perfect for big messes and smiles.

The design of these bibs rock too… They are fashioned with a catch-all pocket, for fallen food bits.  My son loves to reach in the pocket for a 4th meal.

Seriously, how else can I profess my undying love for these silicone bibs? All I can say, is these will be your best friend, NOT your enemy.

3. Silicone Baby Food Feeder & Teething Pacifier

The transition from purees to more solid foods was not super easy for us.  My child actually gagged and sometimes threw up if I gave him food that was too thick.  In dealing with this problem, I found these awesome rubber suckers that helped with the shift to solids and they worked!

Basically, the Silicone Baby Food Feeders are meant to be stuffed with various frozen fruits or other snacks you may want to try with your baby.  The Silicone Baby Food Feeders is pierced with holes, so when your baby sucks, the little food particles come out, helping them get used to the new texture.

The major awesomeness level goes through the roof with this next description- since they’re silicone, they are WAY easy to clean.  Are we noticing a theme yet?

What’s more, they are excellent tools for teething too!  Our baby loves frozen pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and basically anything else that’s sweet and yummy.

If you care about saving time and headache, stay away from those mesh lined suckers and add these to your Amazon cart right now!

4. OXO Good Grips Mini LockTop Containers 

Some moms are opting to make their own baby food.  Although tedious, I enjoyed feeding baby solids that were made with my own hands, but found that ease and organization was super important during this process.

I love these OXO Good Grips Mini LockTop Containers to do just that!  They come in different sizes, were easy to thaw out, clean, secure, label, store in a freezer or refrigerator, and travel with.  Basically, they freaking rock!

The portion sizes are also perfect for a quick meal.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Although I no longer make purees, I continue to use these storage boxes for carrying snacks with us on the go.

Quick Tip: Use dry erase markers to label your purees.  It’s simple to wipe off and change when needed.

5. The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook

As both my child and I got more comfortable with the idea of feeding baby solids, the notion of Baby Led Weaning became an ideal route for us.  Although a great concept, if you know anything about it, it’s also kind of scary. I wanted to ensure I was well rehearsed on the topic prior to giving it a go.  Unfortunately, when I saw the Baby Led Weaning book, I couldn’t fathom reading all of the information.  My baby would literally be eating steak by the time I finished the damn book.

If you are interested in trying BLW or want to learn what it’s all about straight from the source, I highly suggest sticking to the The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook.  The beginning of the cookbook serves as the BEST summary of Baby Led Weaning I’ve seen, and explains it in about 20 pages.  What an efficient use of your time!

After reading this summary, and trying a few recipes, I had the confidence I needed to move forward with BLW and didn’t need to read a novel to do so.   Whoop! Whoop!

6. My First Baby Signs

Modern moms everywhere are opting to teach their children sign language as a way to communicate during mealtime.  I have to admit, I didn’t see the point at first, but as my child continues to try new things and eat larger meals, these signs have come in handy since he can’t talk yet.  A tool that is helping us learn these signs is the book, My First Baby Signs.

It’s super cute and interactive, combining visuals and moving parts for babies and parents who are learning sign language.  I love how engaged my child is when we read this together!

I’ve taught my son the signs for “more” and “all done” as a way to nicely communicate during meal time rather than grunt or whine, which I find rather annoying.

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Feeding Baby Solids in a Nutshell

Overall, feeding baby solids is a process for both parents and child.  The key is to focus on simple and efficient products to help you through each mealtime.  Between teaching your child to eat, transitioning to solids, and making messes, I’m so happy I found these items moms everywhere love!  I continue to use these tools on a daily basis to make things easier for both of us.

What mealtime struggles do you have as a mom, and what items have you found made your life easier and more efficient when feeding baby solids?

For another list of items that make mom’s life easy, check out this list of my favorite on-the-go stroller accessories here.

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