Open wide! Everything you need when your baby starts solids
Your parenting journey is about to get a whole lot more interesting!
Starting solids can be so much fun – and even though the guidance is to wait until six months these days (it was four at one time, not so long ago), it still comes around fast!
From mixing baby rice with your breastmilk or offering tastes of avocado or peanut butter (yes, really!) through to creating tasty meals in a Thermomix, when your baby starts eating solid food your parenting journey heads down a very different path.
To make it that little bit easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of everything you need to make the transition to solids a breeze.
9 products to help when starting solids
Highchair
First of all, your precious bundle needs somewhere safe to sit. A great option is the babyhood Ava High Chair.
This modern Scandinavian-style chair is adaptable, transitioning from a high chair for your baby to a regular seat for your child, supporting up to 45 kilograms.
Learing to eat solids is a messy business, so the wooden frame and table top can be wiped down and the cushion inserts are washable.
The table top also comes off with a handy push button, so your baby can join you at the dinner table.
Safety is paramount, so the chair has multiple safety features like anti-tip stability legs which prevent the high chair from falling over easily.
Mess catcher
At first it won’t be too messy, but once your six-month-old starts to take food into his own hands, it’s going to go, well, everywhere.
Meet Mumma’s Little Helper Food Catcher! Rather than having a splat mat of sorts on the floor, this clever product attaches around the under the highchair to catch any bits of sray food that might be dropped or thrown.
The Food Catcher comes in 16 designs and is machine washable, which makes clean ups easy as.
Food maker
Thermomix® TM6 is a smart, connected all-in-one kitchen appliance and so much more. With 24 cooking modes and multi-level cooking, you won’t regret investing in Thermomix®.
Once your little one moves beyond simple, single flavours, this gadget is your super power as you move seamlessly between making meals for your family and for your littlest eater.
Thermomix® not only takes care of most of the cooking but you also you can make the most of its recipe platform, Cookidoo®, to search for recipes, meal plan and even shop for ingredients.
Pelican bib
Choosing a durable silicone scoop or pelican bib is a great food catcher and clothes saver. This Gigi Silicone Bib ticks those boxes plus has a simple one-handed clip that make it a snip for busy parents to open.
There’s no velcro to get stuck to your little one’s hair and they can’t tug the bib off.
Plus, it’s easy to clean and comes in on-trend sage and blush colours.
Cutlery sets
When choosing a cutlery set for your growing bub, looking for non-toxic, study spoons and forks that don’t have hard edge or spiky tines.
Boon Modware Cutlery pack ticks the boxes with the comfy grip and easy-hold design for first feeders.
Bibs and smocks
You can never have too many bibs or smocks when it’s feeding time. You might have dribble bibs for your little cutie, but when solid food is around you’ll want to to ensure they are large, with greater coverage to protect clothes and reduce mess.
This Feeding Smock Sleeved Bib, which fits from 6-24 months, is a life (clothes, carpet and dog) saver.
Machine washable with elastic wrists, the wrap-around design of this smock bib means the front is well covered – and most of the back too. A snap-open open acts as an extra catcher, which can be popped open for easy cleaning.
Plates and bowls
A bowl or two is all you really need at first, but a cute set like this Plant Based Dinnerware is a great investment. It comes in two colour options and the set includes a sippy cup and lid, which has a free-flowing value to encourae sipping (not sucking), a plate, bowl, fork and spoon.
Made from bamboo and cornstarch, it’s free from plastic. melamine, BPA and phthalate, meaning it’s super-safe option for your petite food critic.
It’s also microwave and dishwasher safe.
A sippy cup
These stackable, easy-to-clean cups feature sippy lids with weighted straws and handy handles which you can add or remove.
The lack of curves and edges prevents dirty dishwasher water from accumulating after cycles, ensuring a hygienic feeding experience.
Little Stackers Weighted Straw Sippy Cup Two Pack, $33.95.
Baby food storage
You’ll likely find that you have lot of leftovers when you first start feeding your baby solids. Icecube trays are a great way to store baby-sized portions of veg and fruit purees.
As they get older and want more food, you can defrost a coupe of ice cubes, or opt for something larger like these Baby Freezer Pods from Thermomix.
Batch cooking saves time, energy and food waste, and these freezable, microwaveable tubs are ideal for baby’s first foods.
