Inventive Products for Starting Solids with Your Baby

If your baby doesn't tolerate a bib, tie-on ones are harder to yank off than Velcro ones. (But always supervise your baby while they're eating, for safety reasons.) The matching EZPZ suction placemat-and-plate combo thwarts babies who like to chuck their bowls across the kitchen.

Some dietitians and baby development experts dislike purée pouches because babies and toddlers tend to just suck straight from the pouch, instead of learning to eat with utensils. With these screw-on spoon attachments, you don't have to squirt the purée into a bowl at all. Definitely add these to your newborn checklist.

Baby food pouches are super convenient, but instead of buying countless disposable ones that will end up in a landfill, try these refillable, dishwasher-safe reusable pouches. Fill them with unsweetened applesauce, yogurt or homemade purées.

Freeze homemade baby food blends in this cute silicone tray, which makes it easy to pop out and thaw a single portion.

If you already own a food-processor, you don't necessarily need to buy a special all-in-one appliance solely for making baby food, but they can be handy. (And this sleek model will look great on your kitchen counter.)

This is another way to avoid piles of dirty dishes in the sink: load the handle of this refillable spoon with the purée you're serving.

These itty-bitty training spoons for self-feeding babies are adorable and easy to grip. These make feeding homemade purees and eats from the best baby food delivery services a breeze.

When babies are just learning to handle a spoon, the food tends to slide right off. Getting the goop to stay in the scoop is easier with something called a starter spoon.

If you've got a nice rug in the dining room, you're going to want to protect it from sippy-cup spills and food that's been flung off the high chair. An office mat (like the kind used under wheeled or rolling chairs) will work, as will this patterned Bumkins mat.

If you're on the go, a bowl with a snap-on lid minimizes mess. You can't beat the price on this set of four Munchkin Love-A-Bowls and two spoons.

This cute set comes with an adorable mini-sized training cup, a suction bowl and a plate, plus a coordinating spoon.

Let baby gnaw on new tastes inside a silicone feeder that's easier to clean than the traditional mesh feeders. You can also use frozen food in a feeder to relieve a teething baby's sore gums.

If your self-feeder makes a huge mess (totally normal!), protect all those cute baby outfits with a long-sleeved smock. (Or simply strip them down to their diaper!)