Starting Solids Essentials: What You Need for Your Baby

Starting solids is exciting—but shopping for everything you might possibly need can quickly become overwhelming.

High chairs. Plates. Bowls. Bibs. Spoons. Cups. Food processors. Storage containers. Silicone mats.

Do you need all of them before your baby eats their first meal?

Probably not.

The best way to prepare is to start with a few essentials and add products as your baby's eating habits develop.

Starting solids is an important developmental step, but buying feeding products does not mean your baby is ready to start eating solids.

The right time to begin can vary. Before introducing solids, follow guidance from your child's healthcare professional and look for appropriate signs of developmental readiness.

Once you're ready to begin, you don't need an entire kitchen full of baby products.

A few practical essentials are enough to get started.

For many families, a high chair is one of the most useful starting solids purchases.

It gives your baby a consistent place to sit during meals and can make feeding easier for the whole family.

🟢 Buy Before Starting Solids

When choosing a high chair, consider:

• Whether it is suitable for your baby's developmental stage
• Stability and safety
• Ease of cleaning
• How much space it takes up
• Whether the tray and seating area are practical for everyday use
• How long you expect to use it

You don't necessarily need the most expensive option.

The best high chair is usually one that fits safely into your home and is easy enough to clean after every meal.

Starting solids can be messy.

Bibs are one of those products that can quickly become useful.

🟢 Buy Before Starting

Look for bibs that are:

• Easy to clean
• Comfortable for your baby
• Practical for regular use

You don't need a huge collection.

Start with a few and see what style works best for your baby's eating habits.

🟡 Buy More Later If Needed

Some parents prefer cloth bibs, while others find silicone or wipe-clean options easier for messy meals.

Instead of buying every type immediately, try one or two options first.

You only need a small number of plates and bowls when you're starting.

🟢 Buy Before Starting

Start with:

• One or two baby bowls
• One or two baby plates

When choosing them, think about:

• Ease of cleaning
• Durability
• Size
• Whether they stay in place during meals
• Whether the material works for your everyday routine

There is no need to buy a large matching feeding set before you know what you actually use.

A few baby-friendly spoons are useful when introducing solids.

🟢 Buy Before Starting

Start with a small number of practical spoons rather than buying multiple sets.

As your baby's feeding skills develop, you may want to introduce different types of utensils.

🟡 Buy Later

You can add:

• Self-feeding utensils
• Different spoon sizes
• Forks or other utensils for later stages

You don't need all of these on day one.

Cups can become useful as your baby's feeding routine develops.

However, you don't necessarily need to buy several different cup types before your baby starts solids.

🟡 Consider Buying Soon

Depending on your approach and your baby's needs, you may consider:

• Training cups
• Straw cups
• Other age-appropriate drinking options

This is an area where parents can easily overspend.

You may see specialised baby food makers, processors and multiple storage systems marketed as essential.

Many families don't need all of them.

🟡 Consider Your Existing Kitchen Setup First

Before buying anything new, ask:

You may find that your existing:

• Pots and pans
• Blender
• Mixer
• Steaming equipment

are enough for your needs.

Buy Specialised Equipment Only If It Solves a Real Problem

A dedicated product may be useful if it genuinely makes your routine easier.

But it doesn't automatically need to be part of your starting solids shopping list.

As your baby starts eating more regularly, storage products can become useful.

🟡 Buy Soon

Depending on your routine, you may want:

• Small food storage containers
• Freezer-friendly containers
• Portable containers for meals outside the home

Start small.

There is no need to buy an enormous collection of containers before you know how you plan to prepare and store food.

One of the easiest mistakes when preparing for starting solids is buying products for several future stages at once.

You can usually wait before buying:

• Large utensil sets
• Multiple types of cups
• Multiple plates and bowls
• Expensive specialised food makers
• Large food storage sets
• Travel feeding products
• Advanced self-feeding accessories
• Products designed for older toddlers

Your baby's feeding skills will change quickly.

It is usually better to add products when they become useful rather than buying everything months in advance.

The exact products you need may also depend on how you plan to introduce food.

However, regardless of the specific approach, many of the basics remain the same:

• A suitable place for your baby to sit
• A few easy-to-clean bibs
• Basic plates or bowls
• Suitable utensils
• A practical way to manage the mess

You don't need to choose an entire collection of specialised products before your first meal.

Start simple and adapt as your baby's feeding skills develop.

When deciding what to buy, use this framework.

🟢 Buy Before Starting Solids

These are the basics most families are likely to use:

• High chair
• A few bibs
• Plates or bowls
• Baby spoons

🟡 Buy Soon

Add these as your routine develops:

• Cup
• Additional bibs
• Food storage containers
• Additional utensils
• Food preparation products, if needed

⚪ Wait and See

Don't rush to buy:

• Multiple cup types
• Large feeding sets
• Specialised food makers
• Large storage systems
• Travel feeding products
• Products designed for later developmental stages

You don't need a dedicated baby feeding station.

Start with a simple setup:

At the table

• High chair
• Bib
• Bowl or plate
• Spoon

In the kitchen

• Basic food preparation tools
• A small number of storage containers

For later

Keep a shortlist of:

• Cups
• Additional utensils
• Travel products
• More advanced feeding accessories

This keeps your initial spending focused on what you'll actually use.

Starting solids doesn't require a kitchen full of baby products.

Begin with the essentials: a suitable feeding setup, a few bibs, simple plates or bowls and baby-friendly utensils.

Then pay attention to what actually makes your life easier.

Your baby's feeding routine will develop over time, and your product needs will change with it.