Baby Dishes, Cups & Utensils

What types of baby cups, dishes, and utensils are available?

Once baby is ready for solid foods, and even before, there's a variety of items you'll need, including baby cups, dishes, and utensils.

Baby cups start with small sippy cups for babies learning how to grip and sip from a cup and go all the way up to transition cups.

Baby dishes are designed to make it difficult for spills to occur. There are section bowls with dividers for serving different foods. Some baby dishes and cups come with handles on either side for gripping. Neat snack bowls have flexible tops so baby can push their hand inside to grab a snack but nothing can spill should the bowl topple over. Anti-slip or even suction designs on the bottom of some dishes keep them firmly in place on a table or tray.

When you're ready to feed baby solid foods, and once baby graduates from using their hands, there are a variety of baby utensils worth getting, including spoons and forks, sets with one of each, travel sets with plastic cases, and sets with multiples in different colours and fun styles. They are made from material like silicone, ideal for baby to grip, and stainless steel. Other utensils include training chopsticks.

What age can a baby start drinking from a cup?

It's a good idea to introduce your baby to the concept of a cup as early as six months old. By the time the baby reaches one year old, you might be ready to wean them off nursing and/or formula. If they already know how to use a cup, you'll be a step ahead.

Start with simple sippy cups that usually have straws or leak-proof spouts and handles on both sides to help baby hold the cup and learn how to get milk, water, or juice from it. Transition cups come next, which start at 6 ounces and go up to 12 ounces for toddlers who already have the hang of it. Then, you can get into cups with fully open tops and twist top bottles.

If possible, it's a good idea to phase out bottles by 12-18 months. But it all depends on the individual baby, their progress, and your comfort level.

What should you consider when choosing baby cups, dishes, and/or utensils?

Age is the most important consideration when choosing the right baby cup, dish, or utensils. If you're just starting out, get a smaller dish and cup that will help prevent leaks and spills. Suction bowls are perfect for young babies who like to knock and throw things about and divider plates help baby understand different foods and their tastes. Then, upgrade incrementally as your baby progresses.

Utensils are necessary for feeding baby food they can't pick up with their hands; there are even cool ones that change colour when the food reaches a safe temperature! But they are especially needed once your baby or toddler knows how to put food in their mouth on their own.