26 Things That'll Make Mealtime With Toddlers A Little Easier
A board game plate just might keep everyone in the family from getting hangry.
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1. A spiffy three-stage silicone cup designed to adapt as your toddler's fine motor skills start kicking in. Once they begin to insist on drinking from a "big kid cup," this unbreakable bud is here to save the day.
Promising review: "This cup is fantastic for my toddler. I love that the straw is built in. It’s super easy to clean. The material is great, easy to hold, and my toddler is able to grip onto it well. We have had a couple drops and the liquid did not spill. I also love the neutral colors. I will be buying more products!" —Jordana
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in four colors).
2. A pair of beginner chopsticks with a silly shark attachment for helping your youngster get a big bite of rice before chewing it up in their mighty ~jaws~.
Promising review: "My 2-year-old loves these! I wasn’t sure if she would be able to use them right away, but she figured them out pretty quickly! She now asks for her shark when it’s dinnertime. Definitely a great purchase as a great price!" —Shelby Reyes
Get them from Amazon for $7.18+ (available in three styles).
3. A silicone placemat — a Montessori table setting that'll show your kiddo how to set up utensils before dinner. Involve them in dinner prep and watch them eat more than ever before!
This woman-owned business is based in London, UK.
Promising review: "This is top notch. These placemats are exceptional both in terms of design and functionality. I have three very young kids and have tried out quite a few versions, and these are by far my favorite. I bought one for every family member and it was so worth it. The simple, clean design is very appealing and the Montessori idea of enabling young kids to help with setting the table independently works great. And choosing silicone as the material is just genius — it looks great, cleans up super easy, and stays on the table nicely. And if someone were to knead it, or fold it, it bounces right back into its original shape. In addition, I had a specific request regarding handling, and the seller couldn’t have been more thorough, thoughtful, and friendly. It truly was a pleasure doing business with this shop. Thank you!" —Art23
Get it from Kids House UK on Etsy for $23.17.
4. A pair of snap bibs to keep your wild child from ruining their outfit when they seem to think mashed food is the latest fashion statment.
This Black-owned company is based in Dallas, Texas. BTW, these bibs are made with 100% cotton muslin fabric. Be sure to wash these in cold water on the gentle cycle and only use chlorine-free bleach. Tumble dry on low.
Get them on sale from Little Muffincakes for $10 (originally $15).
5. A "taco truck" can keep their tacos upright while they eat...which can hopefully prevent the temper tantrums from the past when their tacos were "broken." Sigh, if they only knew how delicious a deconstructed taco really is.
Promising review: "This was larger than expected. It washes well in the dishwasher. My grandkids love to have their food served this way." —Terrie, Charleston-SC
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
6. Or a cat version that'll prove your fun family has no problem with ~kitten~ around when it comes to taco Tuesday!
7. A travel cooler for keeping fresh snacks inside your car. It's pretty typical for toddlers to need food every three to four hours, so having snacks and drinks inside the car helps prevent crankiness between meals.
Promising review: "This is the perfect lunch bag to take on a picnic or road trip. It is big and roomy and can hold items for the whole family. I can pack all of my kids snack in one bag. The design is sleek and looks nice." —TAmazon
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in two colors and sizes).
8. A food tray sure to satisfy parents of picky eaters. *Any* idea that gets picky kids to eat is a good one...even if that means playing with their food.
Promising review: "Unbelievable!!! I'm sooo extremely thrilled with these plates. My granddaughter is four and she's been a very, very picky eater since she was two. We've tried every trick in the book to get her to eat her veggies (something other than chicken nuggets, spaghetti, mac and cheese). This plate changed that — now she asks for second helpings of broccoli!! I was so thrilled I ordered all varieties of these plates." —Lisa Sernick
Get it from Amazon for $16+ (available in six styles).
9. Or a construction zone plate that just might be so fun your kids actually eat all of their dinner, even if they usually act like you've placed a truckload of broccoli on their plate.
Promising review: "My toddler is really into construction vehicles and when I served his breakfast in here he was so excited and couldn't wait to eat by himself. Great quality too! I'm very happy with my purchase. My 30-month-old toddler likes to eat now!" —Ks
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in four colors).
10. A pack of five clear stove knob covers so you can keep your pint-sized chef from cooking up mischief in the kitchen before dinner begins.
11. A pair of silicone trainer utensils with soft edges and perfect dimensions for tiny hands. Despite the soft touch, these are strong enough for toddlers to actually puncture and pick up food. They're also dishwasher safe...the dream.
This woman-owned company is based in Los Angeles.
Promising review: "I am completely in love! These are good quality and I love the color." —Paola Linares
Get it from Chlomi Baby on Etsy for $9 (available in four colors).
12. A pack of six reusable sandwich bags — an eco-friendly way to keep easy-to-grab snacks in the fridge or simply to save money on disposable plastic bags if your family prefers packed lunches.
Promising review: "I really like these. They are perfect to keep my diaper bag more organized and keep messy items contained. They open and close easily but with a good hold. Tested to hold water perfectly. The stand open design is very useful and will protect items well. The presentation was nice too and would make a good gift." —Mrs.Krahn
Get them from Amazon for $7.99.
13. An OXO booster seat — reviewers rave about how easy this is to clean. Sit your messy eater down and see for yourself, this chair'll practically make the arduous post-meal cleanup a thing of the past!
Promising review: "OMG I am obsessed with how easy this is to clean!! I mulled over buying it for a couple weeks because of the price but it was well worth it! There’s no holes for food to get trapped, I repeat, NONE!! Everything empties onto the chair it’s sitting on for the easiest cleaning of any high chair or booster seat! I worried that the holes that contain the straps would catch food but they don’t because it empties out onto the chair. The lift-out seat is genius! The straps also fit a variety of chair sizes, so I feel very safe switching between our bar stools to our kitchen chairs with this. I can not recommend this enough! It’s going to be my go-to birthday present for friends and family. You won’t be disappointed with this seat!" —Heather W.
Get it from Amazon for $54.99 (available in three colors).
14. A funny face plate you and your little loved one can decorate to your heart's content with protein, produce, and all kinds of salad ~dressings~.
This woman-owned business is run by Leslie Mingo, who designs each of her plates to inspire children to have fun while eating food that is nutritious for them. All products are made in the U.S. And if you're looking for cute food inspiration, Dylbug's Instagram is outta-this-world darling!
Get it from Dylbug for $22+ (available in several styles).
15. A triangular cup measured out to give your youngster perfect portions of snacks and sides. These are particularly great as dipping sauce cups (because KIDS. LOVE. DIPPING. SAUCE.).
16. A pair of baby food cutters that are gonna be safe to keep in a diaper bag or have at the dinner table. These clever scissors quickly cut food into really teeny tiny pieces...something your fork and knife have honestly never mastered.
Promising review: "It’s hard to cut foods very small using knives, so I couldn’t believe I could cut foods very small, evenly using these small plastic scissors. Also it’s very easy to clean. The clear plastic case is included, so I can bring it to anywhere I want to. I’m pretty satisfied with my purchase!" —DD
Get it from Amazon for $9.90.
17. An adjustable kitchen step stool that'll let your petite pal reach the counters and "help" with dinner prep. That pride you got when you made your first roast beef? Kids seem to get the same thrill from throwing spices into a bowl. Lucky.
Promising review: "This product was recommended by a neighbor because of its size and convenience in a smaller kitchen. It's been such a nice addition to our home. I'm really pleased with how easy it was to put together, and my toddlers love having a place to stand for cooking and 'helping' with dishes. It is light enough for them to move around and they love climbing up on their own. No tip overs so far, which was my concern with a smaller stool footprint – the design seems to have been developed to avoid it. The quality seems very good – it's very sturdy and well made. It does need to be fully assembled so build in some extra time (the directions estimate 40 minutes, I think that's about right). Overall, its a really good product and I'd buy it again." —EJG
Get it from Amazon for $149.99 (available in three colors).
18. And a set of three nylon kitchen knives so your sous chef can chop til they drop (without hurting any of their adorable digits).
Promising review: "My 2-year-old was desperate to join me in the kitchen and I wanted to be sure she was safe. These knives come in three sizes. They are not sharp to the touch but easily cut through most fruits and vegetables! For denser foods like carrots she needed a bit of assistance, but she was quickly chopping all of the asparagus for dinner!!! We just got these so I can't speak to durability, but for the price these seem like a great value for my little chef!" —Nicholas and Zarya Fogelson
Get it from Amazon for $8.95.
19. A water-resistant smock — an outfit-saving solution that's gonna make spaghetti time with your toddler a whole lot more tolerable.
Promising review: "These things are a lifesaver! It took my son a little while to get used to them but he never really minded them much. They completely cover him from his shoulders to his lap and I love that if he drops food into his lap the pocket catches it. I no longer have to worry about him getting food all over himself or his clothes! He’s a messy self-feeder but it’s not a problem anymore thanks to these bibs! I also especially love that I can easily just wipe them down after meals so I only have to wash them once they start looking slightly stained. Then I just throw them in the wash and they come out good as new! I bought three and I’m so glad I did! If your kid is exceptionally messy, I highly recommend these!" —Alicia Briggs
Get it from Amazon for $9.95.
20. Or an adjustable, silicone pocket bib you can toss on your kiddo before they toss lunch all over their brand spankin' new sweater.
Promising review: "We have a newborn in the family so I decided to gift them this bib. It's great because you can wash and reuse it as many times as you want without having to put it in the laundry like traditional bibs. The kids love it!" —Anna
Get it from Amazon for $8.97+ (available in four styles).
21. A squirting spoon with a squeezable silicone pouch that'll make feeding pureed meals and beloved apple sauce cleaner and easier when you're out and about.
This comes with a hard plastic lid so you can seal it up and save it for snack time.
Promising review: "This product is amazing!!! I now have kids in sports/activities and I am always on the go. I put my baby's food in one of these and take it to go in my diaper bag. It comes with a spoon cover that is hard plastic that covers the hole where the food comes out. The body of the spoon is a soft silicone that you gently squeeze to get the pureed food out. The spoon itself is a hard plastic but we had no issues. It is easy to clean and comes apart in two pieces. Seriously, this is the best gadget ever! This is coming from a mother of four who has probably owned and purchased every gadget out there to make life easier!!" —castgirl
Get it from Amazon for $6.89+ (available in four colors).
22. A suction silicone placemat you can stick to the table, letting you stick to your quick lunchtime schedule. There's no time for thrown plates today, toddler!
Promising review: "I am completely satisfied with this purchase! The mat itself is heavier than others I have seen and it does not slide around. It is also dishwasher safe which makes my life easier. I like the fact that there is a built in bowl because that also means I'm not cleaning a bowl and plate. The suction prevents the mats from sliding, it does not prevent anyone from peeling it off the table. Yes, my two year old does this occasionally but it isn't the placemat's fault." —Jennifer Heinrich
Get it from Amazon for $24.49 (available in three colors).
23. And darling biodegradable placemats sure to be your new favorite tool when eating out. Whether you're using a park picnic table, at a restaurant, or eating off an airplane tray, these nifty things are here to make sure your child's surface is clean and safe aaand to save those surfaces from your messy child.
Promising review: "We're on vacation with these right now and they are a lifesaver. We put them on the airplane trays for a clean surface. They have stuck to every table we have sat at, including the metal lattice outdoor tables. Awesome! I love that they are biodegradable. The toddler can’t pull them up, but they come off easily when the meal is over." —NPRocker
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors).
24. A booster seat diaper bag — a classic diaper bag that transforms into a secure seat (including chair straps) so your little one can sit up at the table and thus, off of your lap, when you're out and about. Even when used as a seat, the hollow center can be filled with all the things you need throughout your day.
The booster seat pops up and has adjustable straps to secure onto any chair. The bag itself has plenty of space for both you and your kiddo's things. Plus it's machine-washable, padded, water-resistant, and supports up to 60 pounds.
Get it on sale from Ashley Homestore for $54.99 (originally $84.99).
25. An adjustable high chair that'll grow with your child from 6 months to 5 years old. That spiffy foot pad helps your child feel grounded while sitting high up. Did this gorgeous seat just raise the bar for all our high chair standards? Why yes, I think it did.
Promising review: "First of all, this high chair is so stylish!! I love the design so much. It's great quality and you can adjust it for the child’s age so you can use it for a long time! The seller is great and I got this product super fast! 100% recommend!!" —Jordyn H.
Get it from Amazon for $95.99.
26. And finally, a coloring tablecloth sure to put your easily bored babe in the right ~frame~ of mind when you expect everyone in the family to sit together at the dinner table.
Get it from The Coloring Table on Etsy for $29.99+ (available in three sizes).
Never forget how scary life was before these products:
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.