Checklist · 11 picks · 5 categories
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When a baby starts solids, parents suddenly need spoons, bibs and somewhere to stash purees, so practical gifts land well.
Munchkin's White Hot spoon is Baby Bargains' best baby spoon overall and turns white if food is too hot, Munchkin's soft-tip set is its best budget-friendly soft tip spoon, and NumNum's pre-spoon is its best first stage feeder. The Babynetic magnetic silicone bib is Babylist's best overall bib, Lalo's smock its best full-coverage bib and BabyBjörn's its best adjustable one. For batch cooking, Babylist's baby food guide picks storage like the Quark Chiill freezer tray and OXO Tot freezer containers. Momcozy's machine is Babylist's most affordable baby food maker, and the NutriBullet Baby is its best baby food blender and Reviewed's best value. The splurge is the Beaba Babycook Solo, Babylist's best baby food maker overall, which steams, blends, defrosts and reheats.
Who this is not for. Skip this if the baby isn't eating solids yet; the gifts for new parents page fits better.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munchkin White Hot Safety Spoons | budget | under $15 | first tastes of warm food | 1 outlet |
| Munchkin 12 Piece Soft-Tip Infant Spoons | budget | under $15 | parent-fed purees | 1 outlet |
| NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils | budget | under $15 | babies who want to grab the spoon | 1 outlet |
Best first spoonsbudget pick · Spoon set
Best for first tastes of warm food
Baby Bargains' best baby spoon overall: a small, tapered soft tip that helps first-time feeders, and it turns white if food is too hot.
Heads up. Carrots and sweet potatoes can stain it, and it's top rack only
1 outlet. Baby Bargains best baby spoon overall.
under $15
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budget pick · 12 spoons
Best for parent-fed purees
Baby Bargains' best budget-friendly soft tip spoon: extra-long handles for parents and a bowl sized well for six-month-olds.
Heads up. The weighted handle can fall out of bowls, and it's not as soft as other picks
1 outlet. Baby Bargains best Budget-Friendly Soft Tip Spoon.
under $15
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budget pick · Stage 1 + 2
Best for babies who want to grab the spoon
Baby Bargains' best first stage feeders: a flat silicone pre-spoon that holds food either side up and helps babies start feeding themselves.
Heads up. Expensive, works better with thicker food, and food can get stuck
1 outlet. Baby Bargains best first stage feeders.
under $15
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babynetic Magnetic Silicone Bib | mid | $25-50 | fast on, fast off at every meal | 1 outlet |
| Lalo Smock Bib | budget | $15-25 | purees that end up everywhere | 1 outlet |
| BabyBjörn Baby Bib (2 Pack) | budget | $15-25 | a bib that grows with the baby | 1 outlet |
Best bibsmid pick · One size
Best for fast on, fast off at every meal
Babylist's best overall bib: a dishwasher-safe silicone bib with a magnetic closure and a wide crumb pocket.
Heads up. One size only, and it may be too big for smaller babies
1 outlet. Babylist best overall bib.
$25-50
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budget pick · 6 months and up
Best for purees that end up everywhere
Babylist's best full-coverage bib: long sleeves and full front coverage in recycled, waterproof material.
Heads up. Air-dry only, one size, and not for babies under 6 months
1 outlet. Babylist best Full-Coverage Bib.
$15-25
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budget pick · 2 bibs
Best for a bib that grows with the baby
Babylist's best adjustable bib: over four inches of neck adjustment and an extra-wide pocket that actually stays open.
Heads up. Stiffer than most bibs, and babies may be able to pull the neck cord
1 outlet. Babylist best adjustable bib.
$15-25
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Best freezer traysbudget pick · Tray
Best for freezing purees in cubes
One of the storage picks in Babylist's baby food guide, which suggests freezing big batches of single foods in trays, then storing the cubes in freezer bags.
Heads up. No outlet has reviewed this one yet; Babylist lists it without pros or cons
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$15-25
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budget pick · 12 containers
Best for storing mixed recipes in the freezer
Another storage pick from Babylist's baby food guide: a set of containers for keeping prepped food in the freezer.
Heads up. No outlet has reviewed this one yet; Babylist lists it without pros or cons
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$25-50
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Best baby food makerbudget pick · Glass jar
Best for making purees on a budget
Babylist's most affordable baby food maker: a budget blender with a glass jar and six stainless steel blades.
Heads up. Doesn't multitask
1 outlet. Babylist most Affordable Baby Food Maker.
$25-50
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mid pick · Blender + storage
Best for blending big batches to freeze
Babylist's best baby food blender and Reviewed's best value: an easy blender that comes with batch cups and a freezer tray with a lid.
Heads up. Doesn't steam or cook, and Reviewed found it hard to clean
2 outlets agree. Babylist best baby food blender. Reviewed best Value baby food maker.
$25-50
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Best baby food makersplurge pick · Up to 4.5 cups
Best for steaming and blending without dirtying a pot
Babylist's best baby food maker overall: it steams, blends, defrosts and reheats in one compact machine.
Heads up. Pricey, with no water level indicator and a learning curve
1 outlet. Babylist best Baby Food Maker Overall.
$100-150
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Bibs and spoons get used at every meal. The Babynetic magnetic bib is Babylist's best overall bib, dishwasher-safe with a wide crumb pocket, and Munchkin's White Hot spoon is Baby Bargains' best baby spoon overall.
If the parents plan to make purees, yes. The Beaba Babycook Solo is Babylist's best baby food maker overall and steams, blends, defrosts and reheats in one compact machine, and the NutriBullet Baby, its best baby food blender, comes with batch cups and a freezer tray.
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