“Spoons are great to have baby play with at mealtime even if they are not using them for food. Infants can be introduced to a spoon earlier than we expect them to learn how to use the spoon,” Ashley Anttila, MD, of Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, tells Verywell Family. “Giving an infant a spoon while seated in a high chair allows them to practice grasping objects and moving objects to their mouth. It allows them to explore the texture of the spoon and different ways it can be oriented as it moves to the mouth.” Tiny hands need spoons and utensils that are easy to grab and use, so opt for forks and spoons sized just for babies and toddlers. Check for any age recommendations while making sure the material is easy to clean. We carefully considered design, age recommendations, material, ease of cleaning, ease of use, size, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best baby spoons and utensils for any snack or meal. The Dr. Brown’s TempCheck Spoons earn our top spot because these baby spoons take the stress out of wondering if your little one’s food is too hot. These spoons come in a variety of fun colors and turn clear when food is too hot or reaches temperatures over 105 F. Made from 100 percent silicone, the spoons are soft against teething gums yet durable enough to handle any tosses off the high chair. No matter how you decide to start solids, these baby spoons feature a long handle that’s easy to hold and an elevated spoon rest to keep messes off the table. And you can easily clean these utensils by tossing them in the dishwasher or popping them in a sterilizer. Price at time of publication: $6 Price at time of publication: $10 Made from 10 percent food-grade silicone, this baby spoon doubles as a teether thanks to its soft material. The base of the spoon is even wide enough for the utensil to stand upright on the table for less mess. Price at time of publication: $15 The Grabease plastic spoon and fork are made from 100 percent nontoxic materials and are top-rack dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. They can also be boiled for up to two minutes if you want to sanitize them further. Price at time of publication: $15 The company recommends hand-washing this set, but you can still clean them in the top rack of the dishwasher. Children 18 months old and up can safely use this set for meals or snacks. Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $21 Available in a variety of colors, the utensils are freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe. The spoons and forks will last for multiple meal uses, and they stack for easy storage. Price at time of publication: $10 The rubber-like material on the end of the Stage 1 spoon is textured to help soothe sore gums from teething pain, while the Stage 2 spoon is designed for holding thicker solids. Plus, the contoured handle features a nonslip material to prevent the utensil from slipping out of your baby’s hand. The spoons are safe for children 6 months old and up and can be washed in the dishwasher for a quick clean. Price at time of publication: $14 Price at time of publication: $16
What to Look for in Baby Spoons and Utensils
Age Recommendation
To ensure your little one is safe at every mealtime, check for the manufacturer’s age recommendation. Some baby spoons and utensils are designed for children just beginning solids or around 4 months old and up. “You can feed baby solids with a spoon at around age 6 months, [and] talk to your doctor about a specific age,” Dr. Agarwal explains. “Cereals should be given by spoon at this age, not in the bottle.” There are also utensil sets designed for older toddlers or children who have had more practice with self-feeding if you’re looking to advance their skills.
Material
Baby spoons and utensils are made from a variety of materials, such as silicone, bamboo, stainless steel, or plastic. Consider the different factors about each material and if they’ll work for your family’s lifestyle. For example, families looking for more eco-friendly materials may want bamboo or stainless steel, while other families may prefer plastic. The material of baby spoons and utensils gives you an idea of how the material may hold up through any tosses from the table. Not all materials are safe for use in the dishwasher or sterilizer, so make sure the utensils are safe to use in those appliances to help them last as long as possible. Plus, you want the material to be soft against their tender gums. “Babies can begin trying to use a spoon at 6 to 9 months, but expect the spoon to be empty by the time it makes it to their mouth! It is best to begin with an infant spoon that is silicone, plastic, or rubberized to make it gentle on their teeth as well as soft, as it is likely to hit their face or head at some point,” explains Dr. Scott. “It is best to wait on a regular spoon until they have mastered the use and won’t be flailing it about, usually after 18 to 24 months. The same applies to forks; an infant/toddler fork has soft, dull prongs that aren’t likely to poke them. Forks may be easier for them to use than a spoon since the food is more likely to stay in place.” Additionally, you want your baby’s utensils and other feeding essentials to be easy to clean. “Even if your baby can’t manage to throw their plate, they still like to play the ‘drop game’ with their food, so unless you have a dog, a plastic mat beneath the high chair can make cleanup easier,” Dr. Scott says. “Because mealtime will be messy, make it easy on yourself. You can use large bibs, bibs with pockets at the bottom to catch the food, even bibs with sleeves, or just strip them to their diaper for meal time. Make sure that whatever you use is easy to wash.”
Size
The size of baby utensils is noticeably different from adults. They should be sized just right for your baby’s hands, providing them with a comfortable and secure fit. Look for utensils that are small enough for your child’s hands if you plan to have them self-feed. “The size [of baby utensils] should be small, fit in their little hands, and with a stubby handle so they can hold it well,” Dr. Scott recommends. “Also, look for a shorter length, making it less likely for them to push it to the back of their throat.” But if you plan to spoon-feed your baby in the beginning, spoons with longer handles may fit better in an adult’s hand.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Katrina Cossey has been a digital content producer and news and feature writer for more than six years. She has covered local and national news, as well as parenting content. Katrina is a parent herself and used a spoon with a choke guard for her son when he first started eating solids. Once her son was a bit older, she switched to the Munchkin Stainless Steel Utensil Set. No matter when your little one picks up a spoon, it’s vital for parents and caregivers to be educated in CPR training. “I highly encourage all parents to become trained in infant CPR,” Dr. Scott says. “A choking infant or toddler is very frightening to witness, and you want to be equipped with what to do. These courses are offered through the Red Cross as well as YMCAs.” If you’re just starting with baby-led weaning, many families choose not to use a utensil until later, Dr. Anttila says. “Many parents choose not to use a utensil early in baby-led weaning and allow their child to use their hands to bring food to their mouths to begin to explore pieces of food. However, having a smaller-sized utensil that a baby or toddler can grasp and use in soft foods (or try to!) is also great!” she explains. “Some products out there are more flexible versus harder material, or short versus long, or even have a piece around the middle of it to try to stop babies from putting it too far into their mouth or throat to avoid gagging. Keep in mind that gagging can be a very normal part of food introduction and exploration. Younger infants may be more successful in getting purees from spoons that have a shallow head (spoon bowl). Forks should have blunt prongs, so as not to cause injury as they are moved toward the face and mouth.” Dr. Anttila echoes Dr. Agarwal, saying regular spoons can be used for babies, but you want them to be the appropriate size for their small hands. “A larger spoon could also be a fun thing for [a] baby to explore, however it may take more coordination due to the longer length for [a] baby to get food into their mouth,” she explains. “Babies can use regular spoons that are smaller and appropriate for the size of their mouths and little hands to grab.”
