Introducing solid foods can be an exciting time for both you and your curious baby. Your baby gets to experience the joy of exploring new flavors and textures while you get to watch his thrilled reactions to nutritious new foods you can make at home.
Starting out, you’ll get to introduce them to small bites off a spoon, but before long they’ll be eager to start exploring self-feeding.
Finding the best infant spoons will make this experience even more fun for both of you! (For some tips on infant spoons recommended by real moms—and lots of other baby products too—check out our pregnancy gift article).
When is baby ready for solids?
Most experts recommend starting solids when your child is between 4 and 6 months old. This gives them time for their gut to develop healthy flora and for their digestive system to mature.
Once your baby has started showing an interest in solid food by staring and reaching for your food at mealtimes, you may be wondering when the time is right to start giving it to them.
One of the biggest signs that your little one is ready for solid foods is his ability to sit up without assistance. A baby needs good head and neck control to prevent choking on solid foods.
It’s also important that your baby’s natural tongue-thrust reflex has diminished. This reflex is very important during their first few months to keep them from choking, but can get in the way of learning to swallow if the time isn’t right.
Before you buy
There are several characteristics you should look for when buying infant spoons:
- Find one that has a shallow spoon bowl that's narrow enough to comfortably fit in your baby's mouth. It can be difficult for babies to scoop food into their mouths with spoons that feature deeper spoon bowls.
- As parents, we know that you want to keep your kids as healthy and germ free as possible. The best infant spoons are heat resistant, so they are dishwasher and sterilization safe.
- As you would for all plastic products, you will want to ensure that all your baby's utensils are BPA free.
- Having a spoon that is made from soft silicone or plastic will be gentler on your baby's gums than harder metal options.
We’ve outlined a few of our favorite baby spoons here to help you find the best one for your little one.
Quick comparison: Best infant spoons
Infant spoons | Features we love | Rating | Buy it now |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Baby Feeding Silicone Spoons  | - Tips are soft, to protect baby's teeth and gums | ||
Munchkin 12 Piece Soft-Tip Infant Spoons | - Soft tips are easy on baby's gums | ||
Cuddle Baby Feeding Spoons for Babies  | - Soft and gum-friendly | ||
OlaSprout Bendable Baby Training Spoon  | - Non-slip grip for small hands | ||
Munchkin White Hot Infant Safety Spoons  | - Spoon tip changes color when food is too hot |
For the full scoop on the best spoons, keep reading!
Best Baby Feeding Silicone Spoons
These baby spoons are made by a small, mom-owned business that specializes in providing safe, non-toxic baby utensils. The core of the spoon is made with a BPA-free and eco-friendly polypropylene material. This durable material is sustainably produced and able to withstand high heats for sterilization.
They can be tossed in the dishwasher or boiled to sanitize so you don't have to worry about germs making your little one sick. The spoon bowl is made with a soft yet sturdy silicone that is comforting for teething babies.
The spoon is the perfect width to fit comfortably in your baby's mouth and the long non-slip handle is designed to fit ergonomically in your hand, making this spoon the perfect size for both mom and baby!
Pros
- Eco-friendly
- Can be sterilized/dishwasher safe
- Ergonomic handle
Cons
- Deep spoon bowl
- Stains easily
Why do these spoons stand out?
This dishwasher safe baby spoon is made with a durable polypropylene core and food-grade silicone to make it sturdy enough to hold up to proper sanitation, yet soft enough to be gentle on your baby’s gums.
Munchkin 12 Piece Soft-Tip Infant Spoons
Things tend to go missing with little ones around, but these colorful spoons come in a 12-piece pack so you'll always have extras. You are sure to have one when dinner time comes around, even if Jr. is stashing them under the couch!
The contoured handles are ergonomically designed for a comfortable hold for both mom and baby. With the long handles, you can easily reach the bottom of baby food jars to feed your hungry and growing baby that last little bit of food.
These baby friendly spoons are completely BPA, phthalate, latex and lead free. The shallow spoon bowl is just small enough to fit in little mouths, yet deep enough to scoop plenty of food for a frustration free meal.
Pros
- Made of safe material
- Shallow spoon bowl
- Long handle
- 12-piece pack
Cons
- Hard edge around spoon bowl
- Heavy handle
Why do these spoons stand out?
This multi-spoon pack comes in six bright colors to visually stimulate your baby. It features two spoons of each fun color!
Cuddle Baby Feeding Spoons for Babies
This infant spoon is made from high-quality food-grade silicone that's soft enough for the sore gums of little teethers.
With so many homes going plastic free, this spoon is perfect for environmentally-conscious moms and dads. It's BPA, lead, and phthalate free, so you can have peace of mind that your little one won't be chewing on a spoon that is laden with harsh materials. The non-porous design is naturally germ resistant and can withstand high heat sterilization to keep your baby sickness free.
This spoon is made with a flexible silicone that is bendy enough to be comfortable for developing teeth, yet sturdy enough for easy self-feeding. The shallow spoon bowl is designed perfectly for little mouths that may have trouble reaching food in a deeper spoon.
Feeding time will be just as comfortable for mom as it is baby, thanks to the angled contour handle that is designed to rest easily in big and little hands alike.
Pros
- BPA, plastic, lead, and phthalate free
- Flexible food-grade silicone
- Contour handle
- Shallow spoon bowl
Cons
- Stains easily
- Wide spoon
Why do these spoons stand out?
This plastic, BPA, lead, and phthalate free spoon is perfect for health-conscious parents. You can be secure knowing that your baby isn't eating with a spoon made with toxic materials.
OlaSprout Bendable Baby Training Spoon
This unique baby spoon's fun, plant-like design helps to promote self-feeding while also making it the perfect teething toy. Made of food-grade, heat-resistant silicone, it's dishwasher safe and can be sterilized with high heat.
This baby spoon is BPA, PVC and phthalate free, making it just as eco-friendly as it looks! The no-slip grip handle is short and round, making it a great fit for little hands. The tapered spoon bowl is just shallow enough to fit comfortably in your baby's mouth, yet deep enough to scoop up the perfect sized bite.
The wide base allows it to stand up vertically so that it doesn't have to be laid down on germy surfaces between bites. Your baby will have a blast playing with their new nature spoon, giving you time to clean up the inevitable lunchtime mess.
Pros
- Unique plant-like design
- BPA, PVC, and phthalate free
- Sterilization safe
- Tapered spoon bowl
- Baby-friendly grip handle
Cons
- Pricey
Why do these spoons stand out?
We love the fun sprout design of this eco-friendly baby spoon. It's adorable enough for mom and dad, yet entertaining enough for baby!
Munchkin White Hot Infant Safety Spoons
This Munchkin spoon features a patented white hot system that allows the spoon tip to turn white when your baby's food is too hot. The innovative safety system alerts you to degrees higher than 110 degrees Fahrenheit or 43.3 degrees Celsius. You simply dip the spoon in the heated food and if the tip turns white, it is too hot for your baby to eat!
The shallow spoon bowl is the perfect size for little mouths to eat with ease. And the long handle is the perfect size for reaching the last bit of food in the jar, and will fit your hand perfectly. This dishwasher safe spoon is made with completely BPA- and phthalate-free materials to allow you to keep your home free from toxic chemicals.
Pros
- White hot safety system
- Dishwasher safe
- BPA and phthalate free
- Long handle
- Shallow spoon bowl
Cons
- Hard plastic
- Stains easily
Why do these spoons stand out?
Baby's mouths are more sensitive than ours, which can make it hard to know if their food is too warm for them. The innovative white hot safety feature of this baby spoon will take out all the guesswork by alerting you if your baby's food is too hot.
Your little one will love exploring the exciting new textures and flavors of solid foods, and you'll love watching him discover them!
As we said above, your baby is likely to be ready for solid food when they are 4 to 6 months old, sitting up unassisted, showing an interest in solid food, and have lost their tongue-thrust reflex.
It’s important that your child's digestive system has had time to mature and that he's gained proper head control.
And remember, the best infant spoons will be BPA-free, dishwasher safe, made of gum-friendly materials, and have a shallow spoon bowl. (One he's got the spoon thing down, you can move on to reusable pouches—a whole different experience!)
Having a good baby friendly spoon can make this new adventure more fun for both mom and baby. Before long, your little one will be eager to learn how to feed himself with his new favorite spoon!
Featured Image: Bradley Gordon
