Break out the folding tables—the holidays are coming! I’m really looking forward to seeing my family over the next couple of weeks and enjoying some big, tasty holiday meals. It’s also so much fun to watch my family grow as more new babies come on the scene and to watch each child’s unique personality emerge.
Of course, just as it is with everyday meals, ensuring that you have the right gear for small children makes festive holiday meals even better because they can participate in the fun. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite feeding gear for babies that makes family mealtimes easier.
Get a Tripp Trapp from Stokke for your baby’s earliest dinners, and he or she can use it right up through adulthood! This amazing high chair grows with your child through every stage with a seat that’s both height and depth adjustable. And it’s designed to be pushed right up to the table, so babies can be part of the action at family meals.
Tripp Trapp from Stokke
The Astro high chair from Valco Baby is a great space-saver, and it’s one of my favorite high chairs to store at Grandma’s house. It’s very easy to clean, and it folds down extremely small in two seconds.
Astro from Valco Baby
If you are traveling to a holiday meal where there is not going to be a high chair (or if you just don’t have the room for a full-sized high chair in your house), consider getting the Fast Chair from Inglesina. It attaches to most surfaces with ease, and it’s a cinch to transport. And with great padding and materials, it’s comfortable for the child.
Fast Chair from Inglesina
The rest of the family will be fine with regular forks, knives and plates (whether you have the kind of family that goes with china or with paper), but babies and kids will have an easier time with utensils that are the right size for them, plates with a rim to keep food from escaping, divided bowls and more. I’d recommend some staple feeding products like the plates and utensils from OXO, sippy cups from Zoli and Lollaland and the basic Take and Toss Variety Pack from The First Years.
Toddler Feeding Set from OXO
BOT Straw Sippy Cup from Zoli
Lollacup from Lollaland
Take and Toss Variety Pack from The First Years
And if you’re hosting, let your guests know that you’ve stocked up on the essential feeding gear for babies! They’ll be stressed out from traveling with kids, and they’ll be so grateful to have a few less baby items to pack. That’s definitely something to be thankful for!
