Best baby bowls and plates

You can start feeding your baby solidsOpens a new window once they turn 6 months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). And although you may be excited to see them try the foods you love, you’ll be less excited for the mess that follows. Fortunately there are bowls, plates, and feeding mats designed specifically for babies that can make meals more enjoyable and less messy.

Baby dinnerware is perfectly sized for your baby's mini meals and unbreakableOpens a new window in case your baby decides to send it flying. Additionally, baby bowls and plates can encourage your child to self-feed,Opens a new window which the AAP recommends to help your child self-regulate their food intake. But before your baby's ready for that stage, pint-sized bowls and plates make it much easier to spoon-food your baby during meals, and clean up afterwards.

Three graduated-size suction bowls are included in this set that BabyCenter parents selected as their very favorite baby bowl in the 2022 BabyCenter Food Awards. "They help reduce mess. Plus, they're fun colors which makes them more attractive to toddlers," one Food Awards voter commented, while another wrote that they are "simple and easy to clean."

Caregivers appreciate that each bowl is a different size: The small bowl holds 7 ounces, the medium bowl 9 ounces, and the large bowl 12 ounces. This makes it easy to serve small snacks and larger meal-sized portions without overfilling. BabyCenter Senior SEO Content Strategist Sarah Darby adds that the bowls are perfect for soft or liquidy foods like soup or yogurt.

The "stay put" in these bowls' name is also apt, fans say, as the wide base grips onto smooth, flat surfaces. Though Sarah notes that the bowls won’t stay put if you try to adhere them to a wet surface, so be sure to dry both the base and the surface.

Parents say that these bowls made self-feeding more peaceful and less messy, as children find it easy to scoop food out of them using their fingers or a spoon, but can't remove the bowls to upend or throw them. Despite being difficult for even determined toddlers to budge, the bowl is easy enough for parents to remove: just lift up the suction release tab at the bottom of each bowl.

Heads up

Munchkin says these bowls are top-rack dishwasher-safe but the AAP recommends plastic food containers be washed by hand.

Parents say

"Munchkin Stay Put Suction Bowls work awesome for us! We take them everywhere and he can't get them up, even when he hangs onto the edge."

"The Munchkin Stay Put suction bowls and plates stick to our Graco highchair."

"We use the Munchkin brand suction bowls and plates! Even my husband has to struggle to pull them up, and he’s a U.S. Marine lmao."

"We now use the munchkin bowls...they suction so well!! He tries to pull them off and he can’t then whines about it, haha. They are also made of plastic and have the silicone bit on the bottom which suctions. No issues with soap smells now!"

Specs

Dimensions: Not listed

Capacity: 7, 9, and 12 ounces

Material: BPA-free plastic

Care: Dishwasher-safe (top rack only)

Age range: 6 months and up

Color options: 2

For simple, easy-to-clean, non-suction indestructible plates that will last for years, Mushie is the brand to beat. At almost eight inches square, these plates are about the size of an average mouse pad and lightweight enough that they're easy for babies to hold. They can drop them, bang them, or throw them; the tough polypropylene plastic won't break or dent no matter what treatment they're given.

BabyCenter Senior Health Editor Olivia DeLong says she uses these plates to feed her 3-year-old every single day: "They are so easy, come in adorable colors (I'm all for the blush and sage green tones!) and are super durable."

Olivia started out using a different Mushie product, silicone suction bowls, but found that they picked up the taste of the dish soap she used, which would then transfer into the food. No such issues with the plastic plates, says Olivia.

Heads upThese plates also come in 7.5-inch round versions, but the square ones are easier for most babies to hold since they can grip the corners.

Specs

If your child doesn't finish their meal at one sitting, pop on one of WeeSprout's plastic transparent lids for super-easy storage that doesn't require you to dirty another dish. The lids also make these dishes great for travel: You can bring along your baby's dinner to a restaurant or relative's house and have them seated and eating in seconds.

Once you're actually at the table, WeeSprout's suction plates stick to smooth surfaces with a tenacity that reminds some parents of barnacles on the bottom of a boat; turn one over and you'll see why: Four sturdy suction cups line the bottom of these plates, so even if your child manages to get one unstuck, it's unlikely they can pry the whole plate up. The WeeSprout plate is made of soft, squishy silicone, comes in gorgeous colors, and has three sections so foods don't touch.

Heads upEach set of three includes three different colors; you can't buy a set with two or three the same.

Parents say"Easy to clean and store."

"Easy wash and rinse and can be used on the go."

Specs

Beautifully handcrafted in sustainable bamboo, this set is lovely to look at and a favorite of parents who value simple, natural materials. Bamboo is naturally non-toxic, and this bowl is finished with food-grade varnish, so you don’t have to worry about your child’s food “absorbing” any toxic materials. The ergonomic matching spoon has the same varnish, and is tipped with soft silicone that won't hurt tender gums or tongues.

When your baby is small, the bowl fits into the silicone ring to keep it snugly on the table; when your baby outgrows the throwing-and-dropping stage, you can remove the ring and use the bowl and spoon without it. Both spoon and bowl are sized for smaller hands, and parents say it feels good to hold, and babies love holding, playing with, and sometimes even feeding themselves with the pretty and well-balanced spoon.

Heads upAvanchy recommends hand-washing both spoon and bowl

Parents say"I've had the most success with the Avanchy bamboo bowls. The suction seems to work a bit better than with other brands."

"Avanchy bamboo plates and bowls have worked great for us! We also like the Munchkin bowls but they don’t stick as well/often as the Avanchys do."

"Avanchy products - bowls, plate and spoons are amazing but they are pricey compared to others because they are made of bamboo and silicone."

Specs

Designed by a feeding specialist, the Ezpz mat is an innovative alternative to bowls and plates. Fill each section with food, adhere the mat to your table or highchair tray, then spoon-feed your child or allow them to self-feed. Either way the mat stubbornly clings to tables and trays so your child can't tip it or drop it. Parents also like how easy it is to roll up tidily into its included travel bag and bring with you to restaurants or Grandma's house.

The entire mat is made of food-safe silicone, and is available in eight sophisticated colors like sage green, coral, and aqua blue.

One downside some parents mention: This mat is about the size of a piece of notebook paper, so it might not fit on smaller highchair trays. Jeanne Beacom, BabyCenter's Senior Campaign Reporting Manager and Sarah say they have this issue with the Stokke Tripp Trapp and Stokke Clikk, respectively. But Sarah says that once her child was old enough to pull up to the table for meals, the Mini Mat became supremely useful: "He can lift it up if he tries, but he isn't throwing it every meal!" says Sarah, who adds that the Mini Mat is easy to clean because it doesn't have corners that goop can gather in.

Heads upFor a few extra dollars you can buy a matching lid for this tray so you can store food in it.

Parents say"We have two and they're great! My daughter likes to throw her bowls and plates, but she can't throw the mat. I like the different compartments."

"The Ezpz mat comes in a travel bag and is great for eating out."

Specs

The easiest way to feed your baby is to simply mash up some of what you're eating. The Nuby Garden Fresh bowl makes it even simpler with this set, which includes a hand masher, a mashing bowl with a non-slip base, a sealing lid, and a long-handled feeding spoon. You can quickly mash fruit, steamed veggies, potatoes, and other nutritious foods to whatever texture you want for your baby, then use the spoon for feeding. The sealing lid allows you to store larger batches for later or keep food secure while in transit, and the whole set stores easily in your diaper bag.

Parents who appreciate this set like that the bowl has ridges at the bottom that makes it much easier to break up food. They also say that the lid snaps on quite firmly, and resists falling off even when the bowl happens to get turned upside down in transit.

Heads up

The ridges inside the bowl are handy for prep, but can be a pain to clean without a scrub brush.

Parents say

"I love being able to mash fresh foods for my little one."

"So easy to use."

Specs

Dimensions: Not listed

Capacity: 10 ounces

Material: BPA-free plastic

Care: Dishwasher-safe

Age range: 4 months and up

Color options: 2

No need to worry about the potential toxins in plastic when you choose stainless steel, naturally non-toxic and practically indestructible. Parents say that their kids love having their own little set of dinnerware at the ready, and enjoy eating more when foods are served in all three together. They also say that the double handles on the bowl makes it easier for babies to hold, and that picky kids appreciate the sections in the steel plate that prevent food from touching.

Like most kids' dinnerware, this set is dishwasher-safe and won’t be warped by the heat. Thanks to the stainless steel material, you don’t have to worry about the set absorbing off-flavors from food or detergent. It comes out of the dishwasher with a beautiful mirror shine, and it'll hold on to that shine for so many years, you might someday find yourself serving grandkids meals in it.

Heads upStainless steel conducts temperature well, so beware when serving warm food.

Specs

The right baby bowls and plates can make mealtimes easier for your baby and cut down on the mess involved. Baby plates and bowls are typically made from unbreakable materials and sized down for smaller bodies. Some suction to a table or highchair tray, so your little one can't pick up a meal and fling it to the floor; most have curved sides to help your baby get food onto the spoon and keep soft foods like oatmeal and yogurt contained.

Baby bowls and plates are made from many different materials. Here are the pros and cons of the most common kinds:

Baby bowls and plates also come in different shapes and styles. Here are some common types.

Baby bowls may seem too big for the small servings your little one needs during the early months of eating solids, but they're designed for longevity, so your child can keep using them for years to come.

Brenna Howsepian, R.D. contributed to this story.

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AAP. 2022. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Starting Solid Foods." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Starting-Solid-Foods.aspx [Accessed March 2023]

AAP. 2021. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Food Additives: What Parents Should Know." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Food-Additives.aspx [Accessed March 2023]

AAP. 2009. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Self-Feeding." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Self-Feeding.aspx [Accessed March 2023]

AAP. 2021. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Infant Food and Feeding." https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/healthy-active-living-for-families/infant-food-and-feeding/[Accessed March 2023]

AAP. 2021. American Academy of Pediatrics. "Food Additives: What Parents Should Know." https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Food-Additives.aspx [Accessed March 2023]