I thought I would follow up my top nursing essentials with the next phase in feeding your little one– introducing solids as they grow into toddlerhood. If you’re doing baby led weening, then some of these items aren’t necessary. But, not everyone does that so I put in items for those that are looking to puree the food for their babies. We’ve done it both ways, and I must say that it all ends up depending on the child. My first was just fine with purees, but we soon learned that its because she loves food so much, she’ll pretty much eat it in any form. With my second child, the purees were not her preferred texture and baby led weening served to be the best way to introduce her to solids. She eats everything soft and mushy in its original (or steamed) form. Here are some essentials that will help you get started or just figure out what may work for your little one.

FAVE ITEMS FOR INTRODUCING YOUR BABY TO SOLIDS & TODDLER MEAL ESSENTIALS

1. NUK Everlast 360 Sippy Cup >> LOVE this sappy cup over the Munchkin miracle one because if this one hits the ground, the drinking part won’t touch the ground right away.
2. Munchkin Click Lock Any Angle Weighted 2 Piece Straw Cup >> another fave sippy / straw cup! The straw tucks away when you want to keep it clean
3. Baby Food Freezer Tray with a Watertight Lid >> If you plan on pureeing your own baby food, I love this freezer storage item! You can use it for ice cubes too if you want
4. OXO Tot Baby Blocks Food Storage Containers, Aqua, 2 oz >> Pop one of the frozen food cubes from the above item into one of these containers, and you have baby food on the go!
5. Simka Rose Silicone Baby Bibs – Waterproof Bib Set >> Any silicone bib works for us. We can easily wipe it down and roll it up / tuck it away into the diaper bag after every feeding! Avoid the boutiques to save on this affordable set of cute colors.
6. 4 Pack Baby Spoons Kirecoo Silicone Self Feeding Training Spoon with Travel Case] >> You will need some on the go feeding spoons, and these come in cute colors AND a case!
7. Kids Placemat – Eating On the Cloud, Silicone Placemat Waterproof Baby Placemat>> We love silicone because its easy to wipe down. We don’t have to buy disposable placemats because this one is reusable and rolls up / tucks away into the diaper bag so easy. No need for a plate if you don’t want!
8. Puracy Natural Dish Soap, Organic Lemongrass, Sulfate-Free Liquid Detergent >> If you don’t want to wash items that will be touching baby’s mouth with harmful chemicals / soaps, this brand has lots of great options
9. Dare-U-Go! Revolutionary One-Piece Bib and Baby Plate with Compartments Grey >> If anyone has seen my method of feeding my toddler without having to do it myself… they know this kind of bib is essential. (Other silicone ones work fine too). But this one has special compartments for snacking on the go. It can also roll up and close while storing the snacks. My toddler loves to feed herself and have access to all her snacks around her neck. Saves me from having to feed her myself, so why not!
10. Skip Hop Grab and GO Formula to Food Container Set >> When you need to stash snacks on the go, this thing is awesome and can fit anywhere a water bottle can go.
11. ezpz Mini Mat – One-Piece Silicone placemat >> For at home feeding… helps keep from bowls falling on the ground
12. Bumbo Floor Seat (don’t forget to also buy the tray) >> We loved this portable and easy little thing to feed our lil one. Easily wipes down after messes and great for when they are still learning to sit up (when you use it without the tray). There are other options out there, we just got this as a hand me down and found it so useful!
13. Wooden High Chair for Babies and Toddlers – with Harness, Removable Tray, and Adjustable Legs >> We actually haven’t bought this one yet, but this is going to be way more useful in the long run because it can be used as a toddler booster chair at the dinner table. Love that it’s a convertible option. Plus we are big fans of items that can be wiped down easy (No throwing anything into the washer etc). We don’t understand why people buy the cloth kind of high chairs. Why would we want to wash stained fabric all the time?
14. Inglesina Dining Table Chair Plus Tray, Black >> If you travel a lot, this is so nice to take on trips and not have to ask for high chair wherever you go. We’ve run into situations where a place doesn’t have any or they’re all being used. You can even opt to buy this and have it as your high chair at home if you wanted.
15. OXO Tot Training Fork & Spoon Set- Aqua- New Colors Available! >> A nice sturdy utensil option to stow away in the diaper bag!
16. Lovevery Montessori Placemat & Utensils >> I love this because it helps teach your little one (for the older age around 2) where to put her plate and all that. Its a fun and colorful way for them to gain independence and confidence in feeding themselves. It helps them feel proud of themselves as they navigate what they can do.
17. Taro Bubble Tea Silicone Teether – loulou LOLLIPOP >> This brand is our fave for teethers because they have the cutest designs! Our daughters really loved them and had fun with them.
18. Baby Banana – Yellow Banana Toothbrush, Training Teether Tooth Brush >> This is such a popular teether, and our lil one loved it! And now our 2nd child does too!