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The Best Baby Spoons and Forks for Feeding and Self-Feeding

Not all spoons are created equal! These are our top picks for the best baby spoons and forks that are safe and affordable.
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Updated June 28, 2023
Best Baby Spoons and Forks
Image: Munchkin
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There’s a lot to digest when you’re figuring out how to feed a newborn baby, but at the end of the day, whether it’s breast milk or formula, it’s still an entirely liquid diet. It’s when baby gets old enough to start introducing solid foods that things really get messy! You’ll want to have baby spoons and training utensils on hand for this delicious new milestone, but not all spoons are created equal—and segueing into solids with an infant will bring that fact to life lickety-split. Keep reading for everything you need to know about introducing baby utensils, what to look for and the best baby spoons and forks to shop now.

When Do Babies Start Using Utensils?

Babies can be fed pureed foods with a small spoon at 6 months, says Kimiyo Harris Williams, MD, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital New Orleans—that’s the age when babies can swallow pureed food without choking, according to the CDC. After that, if you’d like to let baby try to feed themselves using a spoon, just be sure to supervise while they’re experimenting. “Babies can start to use a spoon by themselves at around 10 to 12 months old with supervision,” says Williams.

You certainly don’t have to put the best baby utensils on your registry (the early baby feeding essentials, like bottles, bottle brushes, a nursing pillow and milk storage bags, for example, are much more top of mind), but once baby approaches the age of eating solids, it’s good to have a handful of baby spoons at the ready. You can always add training spoons and toddler utensils for self-feeding to your shopping list when you start nearing the end of the first year.

What to Look for in Baby Spoons and Forks?

Of course, flatware doesn’t have to be complicated for “first-time” foodies, but spoons are the tools you’ll want to start with. It’s important to make sure nothing is too much of a choking hazard (i.e. too long or with sharp edges) or too cumbersome for baby if they begin wielding utensils on their own—something that will eventually become the best part of mealtime adventures!

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Even if you’re not interested in baby-led weaning, where you’d bypass the puree phase and dive straight into finger foods from the first day forward, you definitely want your tiny gourmand taking the lead with their feeding journey. Not only will the learning and exploration process of playing with a spoon or fork, dipping it in their food and bringing it to their mouth to taste foster greater oral-motor skill development, but it’ll also help baby become a pluckier (read: not pickier!) eater and less inclined to push food away.

While you can certainly expose your little epicurean to baby forks once they start to show interest (just beyond the one-year mark, typically), they probably won’t start to handle it with finesse until they’re 18 to 24 months old. Spoons, on the other hand, are much simpler for tiny grabbers to maneuver. And by the time baby starts getting acclimated to eating solids, they can scoop up most purees and gently mashed medleys with little effort. When scouting out the spoons you’ll feed your infant with and then hand over to them for self-feeding, be sure to keep these attributes in mind:

  • Ergonomic design for both parents and baby. When you’re doing the feeding, you’ll want a spoon that feels nice in your hand, with a long and slender handle and a small bowl, which Williams says allows the food to reach baby without parents having to overextend their arms/wrists. When baby is doing the feeding, you’ll want a smaller and chunkier spoon that’s easy for them to grasp and lightweight enough to hold.
  • Soft, gentle gnaw construction. Babies often start solids around the same time or just after they start teething, so when they’re biting, sucking or tonguing the spoon for their food, a utensil that’s soft and gentle on their tender gums—like those crafted from silicone—is ideal. In fact, many of the best baby spoons have dual functionality as teethers (and can even be frozen and used to calm aching and inflammation in the mouth). Metal wares are fine too, but may be better suited for older eaters.
  • Easy cleaning. If you feel like you’re constantly running out of spoons and forks for yourself, imagine how frustrating it is when you throw infant and toddler utensils into the mix. That’s why finding dishwasher-safe and plastic- and BPA-free silverware is key.
  • Bonuses to chew on. Feeding spoons shouldn’t be too complicated, but some spoons are designed with special features to make them safer for baby and less stressful for parents. We love options with temperature-sensitive tips, choking guards and shorter neck designs that mitigate the risks of baby burning their tongue or gagging on their food. There are other picks with specific curved shape consideration or grip dimples and appliques to make spoon- and self-feeding more successful—meaning more food in their tummies and less sprinkled and splattered all over the place.

Best Baby Spoons and Forks for Self-Feeding

Whether baby just started solids or they need some more time with finger foods before you’re comfortable handing over the utensils, here’s the scoop on the best baby spoons that are affordable, easy for parents to use and even easier to clean.

Overall best baby utensils

Munchkin White Hot Infant Spoons
Image: Munchkin
What We Love
  • Long handles are great for when grownups are doing the feeding
  • Brightly colored tips hide food stains well
  • Can buy a spoon for every day of the week for less than $10 — they’re that cheap!
Things To Consider
  • Option with metal handles (labeled as White Hot Safety Spoons) can be harder on baby’s gums
  • Color-changing feature can be difficult to spot when the spoon is covered in food

You’re probably already familiar with Munchkin’s colorful line of baby products, but did you know they also make infant spoons and tableware? The tips of these baby utensils turn white if food is too hot, which makes feeding baby a whole lot easier. The tapered shape of the spoon is great for little mouths, and the soft tips are gentle on irritated gums. Plus, these utensils are dishwasher-safe as well as BPA- and phthalate-free, making them some of the best baby spoons around.

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Best baby feeding set

EZPZ Mini Utensils, 2 pk
Image: Target
What We Love
  • Available in several different chic colors
  • Baby fork won’t cause injuries but isn’t flimsy either
  • Microwave- and dishwasher-safe
Things To Consider
  • Comes at a rather high price tag

This fork-and-spoon set from eco-conscious, woman-owned company EZPZ is a huge hit with parents and babies alike. Made with 100 percent food-grade silicone and nylon, these utensils are super soft, safe for teething as well as eating and even include sensory bumps and a raised rim for added safety while self-feeding. Wide, fat handles also make it easier for little hands to grasp the spoon and fork.

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Best first spoons

What We Love
  • Long, flexible handle is the perfect length to scrape the bottom of deep containers
  • No metal or rough edges means baby can teeth comfortably
  • Available in three baby-friendly colorways
Things To Consider
  • Clear color stains easily, according to some parents
  • Expensive

Crafted from ultra-soft silicone, the BEABA First Stage baby spoons are gentle on baby’s gums and teeth and have no rough metal edges. The shallow spoon design lowers the risk of choking by limiting how much food you or baby can scoop up at once. And, yes, these are dishwasher-safe as well as BPA-, lead- and phthalate-free. Consider us sold!

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Best toddler utensils

Kizingo 2-Pack Toddler Spoons
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$14.99
What We Love
  • Bright and dynamic color combinations
  • Lead and latex-free, as well as FDA-approved and dishwasher-safe
  • Sold in twin packs for left- and right-handed eaters
Things To Consider
  • Pricey option for spoons

These toddler spoons may look a little goofy, but they’re genius in the way they motivate your little one to pick up the spoon themselves—making them one of the best toddler utensils for self-feeding. The beauty of the design is in their ergonomic, curved handle that’s meant to work with the way children naturally hold utensils. And the spoon gathers the perfect amount of food for baby bites, eliminating possible choking risks and helping baby learn how much they can eat, without overindulging, in one sitting. These utensils can also help engage them in exploration. Have a picky eater at home? Why not let them have some fun with Kizingo? They can pretend to be a space alien scooping up some out-of-this-world rations!

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Best toddler silverware

OXO Tot Fork & Spoon Set
Image: OXO
What We Love
  • Soft grips help the utensils stay propped up instead of sliding into bowls and plate
  • Flat spot on each keeps fork and spoon from rolling off the high chair
  • Stainless steel construction makes the set a bit more grown up, for toddlers who want to eat like their parents and siblings
Things To Consider

If you’re eager to teach your toddler how to use a fork as well as a spoon, opt for OXO Tot’s utensil set. The soft, non-slip handles are easy for little hands to hold, and the baby fork is effective without having sharp tines. These baby utensils have BPA-, phthalate- and PVC-free silicone handles, and are also dishwasher-safe. What more could you want in toddler silverware?

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Best baby-led weaning utensils

PandaEar Silicone Baby Led Weaning Spoon Fork, 4 pack
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$5.95
What We Love
  • Available in a few different gender-neutral colors
  • Shallow spoon makes it easy to get food off
  • Affordable
Things To Consider
  • Many reviewers indicate these utensils are difficult to clean
  • Forks bend easily for safety, which makes it more difficult to skewer food

The best baby-led weaning utensils are the ones your little one can easily handle while feeding themselves—and this innovative set from Panda Ear allows for just that. Generously sized, knobby handles are absolutely perfect for little hands, and a choking guard prevents baby from stuffing these too far down their throats. Soft, pliable silicone is 100 percent food grade for safety, which also makes these the perfect teething companion when baby’s not expanding their palate at mealtimes.

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Best teether spoon

The Baby Toon Silicone Teether Spoon
Image: Munchkin
What We Love
  • Animal shapes are ergonomically designed to fit snugly into your little one’s hands
  • Fun designs teach babies about animals, shapes and colors
  • Two-pack is great for keeping in different places (or for twins who require two of everything)
Things To Consider
  • Spoon doesn’t fit easily into a baby food jar, so parents may need to load up the spoon first or serve food in a bowl
  • Design resembles a toy, so babies may associate them with chewing rather than eating

When the founder of a product is a 7-year-old who wanted to alleviate her mom’s worries when her baby sister started self-feeding, it becomes clear that the choking hazard that comes with baby spoons is a universal parenting concern. This creative two-in-one baby and teether spoon is made of 100 percent FDA-grade silicone and uses unique animal shapes—like an elephant’s trunk, an alligator’s tail and a koala’s arms stretched out as a plate—to prevent choking and gagging (the spoon bowl is short and doesn’t go far into the mouth).

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Best training utensils

Olababy Training Fork + Spoon Set
Image: Target
What We Love
  • Soft silicone and non-blunt tips prevent gum bruising and keep newly-broken-through baby teeth safe
  • Wide, suction cup-like bottom guarantees hygienic, upright placement on any tray or table
  • Innovative, open design allows toddlers to "catch" the food on their plates easily
Things To Consider
  • Residual staining may occur if you don’t wash the utensils right away
  • Pricey for just one spoon and fork

Once your little one has gotten used to eating bite-sized morsels, it may be time to introduce them to training utensils. This toddler spoon has a flexible tip that lets your hungry little one scoop up food from any angle. Meanwhile, the metal-free fork is easy to wield, with soft spears that won’t poke or prod baby’s mouth. Plus, both utensils are made from BPA-free, food-grade silicone that’s dishwasher-safe. Is it any wonder that this baby feeding set won a Best of Baby award?

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Best foldable travel spoons

Skip Hop Easy-Fold Travel Spoons
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$8.99
What We Love
  • Built-in spoon rest makes for germ and mess-free feeding
  • Top-rack dishwasher-safe
  • Gray/coral colorways are gender-neutral and coordinate with the rest of Skip Hop’s infant feeding collection
Things To Consider
  • Can get lost easily when folded up

Cleanliness? Check. Portability? Check. This duo has it all! With Skip Hop’s Easy-Fold Travel Spoons, you can conveniently fold baby’s spoon right back into its built-in travel case. We suggest throwing one in the diaper bag and one in the center console of your car, so you’re always prepared to feed baby while on the go.

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Best self-feeding spoons

NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Work well with any foods, from soft purees to chunkier big-kid blends
  • Thicker, contour-handled design fits comfortably and securely in a toddler’s hand, making them a great self-feeding spoon
Things To Consider
  • Baby might get discouraged if you don’t familiarize them with the “teether” first

A great way to introduce baby to self-feeding, GOOtensils are sold in a dual-stage set: stage one for beginners, and stage two for kids who’ve mastered the food-to-mouth motion. Their flat design makes them easier to use than a regular spoon; there’s no “wrong” way to hold them, so food doesn’t fall off. Plus, the contoured handles are designed to comfortably fit in a small hand. Parents will love that they’re dishwasher-safe as well as PVC-, BPA- and phthalate-free.

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How We Chose the Best Baby Spoons and Forks

To help you find the best baby spoons on the market today, we browsed lots of different options from some of our most trusted retailers. We considered features like ease of use for both parents and little ones, food-safe materials and safety features when choosing our favorite spoons for baby. For each spoon or set of utensils, we read user reviews to find out how they perform in the real world, and we only sourced baby spoons from trusted retailers. You won’t find any baby spoons on our list with less than an average four-star rating.

Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.

Sources

Kimiyo Harris Williams, MD, is a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and has practiced pediatric medicine for over 20 years.

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