When it’s time to start weaning your baby, you will want to choose the best baby weaning products such as baby spoons, bowls and plates available. Specifically designed baby tableware will make all the difference to your weaning journey. They will support your baby's development and prevent any mealtime mishaps.
The best baby spoons, bowls, and suction plates at a glance:
Best bowl and spoon set
Best bamboo suction bowl
Weaning can be a stressful time for both parent and baby. So choosing the right products will make your life much easier. Having the right dinnerware for your little one can make feeding your baby a much more relaxed situation.
How we chose the best baby dinnerware
Firstly when it comes to bowls and plates it’s a good idea to choose non-slip bowls and plates with suction; this not only will help prevent them from ending up on the floor, but also help your baby once they start baby-led weaning to keep their dinnerware in place. We tested how well the suction worked on a range of surfaces including wooden tables, wipeable tablecloths and highchairs.
Usability was also something we tested, keeping in mind both parents feeding their baby and baby feeding themselves. Particularly for baby-led weaning you will want to choose spoons that are light and small as they will be easier for baby to grip onto them with their small fingers. Some of our picks also feature mouth guards to help baby learn how far to place the cutlery into their mouths.
While most weaning sets are normally BPA-free plastic or silicone, it's worth making sure they are made from safe materials. This is in case your little one decides they would rather chew on them than use them to eat. Also keeping in mind materials, we considered washing, warming, and freezing capabilities in our testing process.
Below we have selected the best spoons, bowls, and plates for babies and toddlers to make mealtimes easier for both of you. In fun colours and designs, these options are sure to keep your baby captivated during the weaning process.
The best baby tableware weaning sets
Best weaning set overall
©MOTHER&BABYThe Pippeta, My 1st Baby Weaning Set, is the perfect set to kick start your little feeding journey. Crafted from premium BPA-free, food-grade silicone, this silicone set ensures top-notch safety, giving you peace of mind at every meal. Busy parents loved this set's easy maintenance—it's dishwasher-friendly and a breeze to clean when hand-washed. We like the large selection of vibrant colours that are engaging for little eyes.
Designed with little hands in mind, this set includes everything you need to get your weaning journey underway. Its stand-out item is the small cutlery set with choke guards that help your baby practice self-feeding safely. This weaning set truly combines style, safety, and functionality for a delightful weaning experience, which is why we think it is the best weaning set overall.
Our mum tester Melanie said: "Having purchased numerous other products that haven’t lasted or washed as nice as these, I can definitely recommend. Each item is great in design and practicality, from the cutlery to the bowl and plate. The cutlery is a perfect size and has helped my daughter to use cutlery during all mealtimes. It's one of the few suction plate/bowl designs that I've found has actually worked as well - the minute I put this down on my table, it sticks, not so hard that I can't pull it off but enough that I can feel it's working before I've even secured it."
Pros
- Multiple colour options
- The plates have sections which are perfect for picky eaters
- Crafted from BPA-free, food-grade silicone
- Dishwasher safe and easy to clean when hand washing
Cons
- Suction is effective on some tablecloths
Whether your baby is baby-led weaning, enjoying soft foods or a little bit of both, this set is another great option for families. It contains everything your baby will need and even comes with a no-spill cup, bib, and storage pots. It's also all dishwasher safe, meaning you'll have less washing up to do after messy mealtimes.
We like this set because it has storage pots, which are great for popping leftovers into the fridge or for taking out on day trips. Although it's only available in one colour option, we can't get enough of the neutral design and colouring.
In our experience, longer spoons make spoon feeding much easier. Their length gives parents better control and precision, making it smoother and more comfortable to feed your baby with less mess.
Pros
- Dishwasher friendly
- Full-wearing set, including bibs and storage pots
- Neutral design
Cons
- Some parents found that the bib was a little too big initially
This 10-piece set includes four bowls with lids and two soft-tip spoons to make your life easier on the go. It's 100 per cent spill-proof and 100 per cent leak-proof. You can also put it in the microwave and the dishwasher. We think this is definitely a must-have!
We like that these bowls double as storage pots for serving and storing food. But for some reason, we found keeping hold of all the lids a bit of a tricky task - but maybe that's just us.
Although these bowls may look small, they are deceivingly deep, meaning they can hold quite a bit of food. We found that you can easily fit a whole jar of 200g baby food in one bowl, which is great for not wasting fresh food (although it is important not to reheat baby food from a jar).
Pros
- Large ten-piece set
- Perfect for travelling
- Great for storing fresh food and leftovers
Cons
- We don't know why, but ( in our experience) these lids are a little bit like socks; you will inevitably lose some of them.
Bronze Winner for Best Weaning Product at the 2019 Mother&Baby AwardsThis is a natural bamboo bowl made with food-grade silicone to protect your child from BPA, phthalates, and other toxins. The cool-touch bamboo deters burns to baby's delicate fingers if they reach out for it during feeding and the removable suction bottom lets you transition bowls to regular use when your child outgrows them. The set comes in six cheery unisex colours to suit any child.
Parents love its high-quality, eco-friendly design and antibacterial bamboo properties. The biggest stand-out feature is the super strong suction base that keeps the bowl firmly in place. However, improvements could include dishwasher safety, microwave compatibility, and a more transportable design. Despite these minor issues, we highly recommend it for its functionality and chic style.
Our mum tester Zoe said: "I would definitely recommend this to my friends. The bamboo material is lovely and smooth and looks much nicer quality than the standard plastic bowls that most competitors seem to be advertising. The spoon is a good shape for your little one’s mouth so it's easy for them to use for self-feeding."
Read our full tried and tested review of the Bamboo Bamboo Baby Stay Put Suction Bowl and Spoon Set here
Pros
- Naturally anti-bacterial
- Strong suction
- Good size spoon for little hands
Cons
- Not suitable for the dishwasher or microwaves
Shortlisted Best Weaning Product at the 2019 Mother&Baby Awards
The TUM TUM Baby Weaning Bundle was developed and designed together with feeding and swallowing specialist Stacey Zimmels and Dr Gill Rapley. The Tum Tum Baby Weaning set is for both baby-led and traditional weaning. The set includes a suction plate, a lidded suction bowl and baby cutlery to grow with your baby.
Parents love the bright blue colour and engaging designs, which make mealtimes fun. The ergonomic cutlery and strong suction on the plates and bowls help little ones learn to feed themselves with less mess.
The durable materials withstand hot water, fridge, and microwave use, and the included adorable design was a hit with little ones and parents alike. However, our parent testers thought that a more secure travel lid would make it even better.
Our tester said: "We are not new to TUM TUM products and will continue to purchase them as the quality is outstanding. The plates actually suction to the highchair, unlike others, and the price is brilliant for what you get! I highly recommend them."
Read our full tried and tested review of the TUM TUM Baby Weaning Set here.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe
- Microwave-safe and freezer-safe
- Food grade silicone
- Three colour choices
Cons
- Doesn't come with a bib
The best baby bowls and plates
One of the hardest things about children's bowls and cutlery is finding the space to store them. This is why we love this stackable set of three vibrant bowls that can be easily stored.
Because of their strong suction bases, these bowls are perfect for little ones aged six months and up. They make mealtime less messy and encourage independent feeding. The BPA-free and dishwasher-safe material means they’re a practical addition to your baby's feeding routine.
Pros
- Stackable
- Colourful design
- Three different sizes to suit growing tummies
Cons
- Some parents wished that the suction was a little better.
Best suction plate
©MOTHER&BABY**Gold Winner for Best Weaning Product at the 2021 Mother&**Baby Awards
The Vital Baby NOURISH weaning and feeding range is designed to make weaning and self-feeding easy, fun, and less messy for little ones. Sized perfectly for small hands and mouths, these products are made from safe, phthalate-free, latex-free, and BPA-free materials, ensuring peace of mind.
We like this thoughtfully designed range and found that the sections on the plates made it easier to ensure that our children were having a balanced meal. Our parent testers found that it helped their kids gain confidence with eating while simplifying mealtime for them - a win-win in our books.
Our mum tester Emma said: "I love the bowls and plates particularly with the mega suction that attaches to them, it has taken me a long time to find a bowl or plate that my son cannot remove from the high chair tray and this brand has got it spot on! This means that I can have my dinner with my son without watching out for the flying plate! PERFECT!"
Read our full tried and tested review of the Vital Baby NOURISH weaning and feeding range here
Pros
- Great quality
- The spoons can be attached to the bowls, which make them great for travelling
- Plate sections make it easier to gauge portion control
Cons
- We wish there were more of the brilliant storage pots in the set
Shortlisted Best Toddler Food Range/Product at the 2021 Mother&Baby Award
Who doesn't love Peppa Pig? Make mealtime fun for your little ones with this adorable suction set featuring Peppa and friends! If Peppa isn't your child's favourite, don't worry—there are plenty of other designs to choose from, including unicorns and bunnies.
The set includes a large, sturdy plate and bowl made from 100 per cent natural bamboo, hailed by parents for being antibacterial and toxin-free. However, this does make it hand wash only.
The powerful, food-grade silicone suction base ensures no more flips, spills, or messes. When it comes to suction, Bamboo Bamboo sets are hard to beat!
Mother&Baby writer, Hannah Carroll said: "My son is obsessed with Peppa Pig, so, of course, this is the only plate he wants to use! I love that this set comes with matching cutlery and a toddler-friendly cup. My favourite thing about bamboo bamboo is how easy it is to clean. We once bought a Peppa Pig plate from the supermarket, and it got stained and ruined after just a few uses. But after months of using this plate, it still looks as good as it did on the first day."
Read our full tried and tested review of the Bamboo Bamboo here
Pros
- Adorable designs
- Great suction
- Large
Cons
- Hand wash only
Best plate with compartments
Shortlisted for Best Weaning Product at the 2020 Mother&Baby Awards
The EasyMat Mini Portable Baby Suction Plate was designed to fit any highchair trays coming with four corner suction cups, which hold the plate steady, as well as its own carrying case. The EasyMat mini is EasyTot's best-selling suction plate for your little one's first foods all the way to 24 months.
Our mum tester Ellen said: "I really liked this product. The compartments are all of a good size and depth. This helped my little one to get the food on the spoon herself. If a cold didn’t like their food mixing this is also great as they can be separated. The mat is really sticky so baby hasn’t managed to throw it on the floor yet which means meal times aren’t as messy!"
Read our full tried and tested review of the EasyMat Mini Max Portable Baby Suction Plate here
Pros
- It comes with a carry case
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
- It fits on most hard surfaces with suction
Cons
- Our tester found that it was a little bit shallow
Best for fun design
This plate has a unique design in bright colours to make mealtime more fun for your little one. It's made with 100 per cent food-grade silicone with BPA, PVC, BPS and Phthalate free. It has strong suction and is dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe. We love how handy it is for dividing foods as well as fun for a dino-loving tot!
Mum Kathryn found this to be a great little plate that could get easily cleaned in the dishwasher: "Just what we needed. It's so lovely, and my 16-month-old absolutely loves it. It's great for getting him to try different things at his own pace. The suction cups work really well, and it cleans brilliantly. There's no staining from curry and bologna, and it looks as good now, two weeks after use, as it did when it arrived. It's easy to clean and can even be put in the dishwasher. I'd definitely recommend them to my friends!"
Pros
- Multiple fun design choices
- Easy to clean
- Safe for microwave, freezer and oven
Cons
- Some parents found that it was a little bit smaller than we expected.
Best baby spoons and cutlery
Best metal children's cutlery
Bronze Winner for Best Weaning Product at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards
Mealtimes are about more than just eating, so Nana's Manner's set out to design unique, innovative and stylish products that make precious time around the table easy and enjoyable. Their unique Stage 2 Fork & Spoon is a child's first introduction to using utensils to eat all by themselves whilst supporting their development. Approved by experts and healthcare professionals, they are designed to exclusively focus on building children's confidence and independence.
Our mum tester Annique said: "This makes my life easier as a mum, as my little one took to using the spoon pretty much instantly. Within less than a day, he took to using the spoon feeding himself his breakfast, a yoghurt and his dinner. I was honestly shocked. I didn’t think he would take to feeding himself with cutlery so quickly. It now frees me up to feed my other little one, knowing that I have peace of my mind that my eldest is now comfortable able to feed himself without getting the food everywhere."
Read our full tried and tested review of the Nana's Manners Stage 2 Fork & Spoon here
Best for teaching independent eating
Silver Winner for Best Weaning Product at the 2019 Mother&Baby Awards
This cutlery set helps your child eat independently and encourages the development of the pincer grip, needed for learning to draw and write. The short ergonomically designed handles make controlling cutlery easier and allow your child to develop skills to make the successful transition to adult cutlery. Made from high-quality BPA free materials, the set is dishwasher safe and long-lasting to support your child.
Our mum tester Jodie said: "This lovely set allows my little boy to practise holding cutlery as well as learning how to feed himself. It means that I can use my time to do other things in the kitchen knowing that he is safe and enjoying being a big boy. It gives both of us confidence which is brilliant and hopefully it will mean that he can start to move on to other cutlery once he’s mastered using this collection."
Read our full tried and tested review of the Doddl Cutlery Set here
What to look for in your baby's tableware
There’s a lot of choice available when it comes to weaning sets and baby tableware so it’s important to find the best set for your child. This may mean a bit of trial and error, especially when it comes to finding cutlery they will happily use themselves and plates that they can’t pry loose from their highchair.
You'll want to choose spoons, bowls, and plates that are designed not to break when your baby throws them onto the floor (which undoubtedly WILL happen).
You should always choose baby products in the correct recommended age range and size. This is to make sure there is enough room for the right amount of food your little one needs.
And always check the manufacturer's recommendations on washing, storage and whether the product is microwave and freezing safe. This will help to make your baby's plates, bowls and cutlery last. You can also see whether they will suit their favourite meals and your lifestyle - for example if you don't have a dishwasher a plate that isn't dishwasher friendly might not be a deal-breaker, and if you like to batch cook and heat up your toddlers meals you'll need something that is microwave friendly.
Maria Martin is Digital Group Editor for Motherandbaby.com. She is a mum-of-two with a passion for helping women from all walks of life – from supporting breastfeeding mothers with expert advice to encouraging conversations about mental health. In her professional role, she has over 10 years' experience in the digital world, including editing articles, focussing on SEO, social media engagement, picture researching and video editing.